Life Behind the Lens: Matt Georges

What first got you into photography?

The father of my best friend had a little photo lab in his basement. He used to tell his wife he was shooting landscapes, but in reality he was mostly photographing nudes. He was the one who introduced me to film development and black-and-white printing. I must have been 14-15 at the time, and it gave me the chance to start photographing my skateboarding friends. We traveled a lot across France for competitions.

You’re one of the lucky few in life who’s turned something you love into your job. Does shooting snowboarding ever still feel like fun? Or does it always feel like work these days?

It’s always a mix of feelings. It really is the best job in the world, but so much depends on who you’re traveling with and who the client is. It can get very stressful if the conditions aren’t right or if the people around you aren’t a good fit. At the end of the day, though, there aren’t many jobs where you get paid to explore the world—so complaining would suck! Still, it’s hard work, and most people don’t really realize what it takes to get a good photo or a video clip

What is it that keeps you coming back to mountains, as a subject?

I don’t think I would take photos if it weren’t for the adventure—whether in the mountains or anywhere else in the world. And of course it’s beautiful and quiet up there!!

Who or what are your biggest photographic influences?

For some reason, I’ve always felt more connected to skate photographers—people like Brian Gaberman, Sem Rubio, French Fred, or Mike O’Meally, to name just a few. At the same time, my good friends Carlos Blanchard, Aaron Schwartz, and Silvano Zeiter have also had a huge influence on me. We’ve known each other for so many years, and they continue to impress me, year after year.

If there’s one photo you wish you had taken – by anyone, of anything, from any era – which one would it be?

I’ve always loved the famous skateboarding photo by J. Grant Brittain of Tod Swank pushing under a bridge, with that massive shadow stretching across the frame. It has inspired—and continues to inspire—so many generations.

Where’s the craziest place your work has ever taken you?

Photography has taken me to so many incredible places, but often it’s more about the people you share the journey with than the destination itself. Fuck that sounds like such a cliché! [Laughs] That said, places like Svalbard, Kamchatka, and Chile were amazing to experience.\

They say the camera never lies. Do you think that’s true? Why / why not?

It’s always an interesting and tricky question to answer, because what you see isn’t necessarily what others see. The camera is a tool that reflects choices, perspectives, and sometimes distortions—which is why we should always look critically at what a photograph is showing us. What are you trying to reveal, what story are you telling, and from what angle?
Factors like lens type, perspective, lighting, exposure, and framing can completely change the way an image feels. A photographer decides what to include and what to leave out—and that framing alone can create a biased narrative. For instance, a photo could make a protest look violent if it focuses on a single clash—but the same protest could appear peaceful if the photo showed the wider crowd sitting quietly.

What are you working on at the moment?

In 2019, I founded Club Sandwich Studio with my friend Perly, who’s also a snowboard photographer. It’s an independent publishing house, mainly focused on photography, design, and our shared board culture. Beyond publishing a bunch of projects each year, we also run a small creative agency that collaborates with brands to curate exhibitions, set up pop-up bookstores, and more. Our days are definitely full —there’s no time to fuck around!

You can keep up with Matt’s work at mattgeorges.com, clubsandwich.studio and @matt_georges on Instagram.

Header Image:

A WALK IN THE PARK
Classic Russian vibes: as long as you pay off the cops, you’re good. The longer it takes you to land your trick, the more expensive it gets! Luckily Will Smith nailed this gap to boardslide to boardslide pretty quickly. I love shooting with this camera — it’s not easy, but it really forces you to think outside the box. 

Camera: Hasselblad X-PAN

Film: TMax 400 with light leaks