Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Sargent.
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m 26, married to my incredible wife, and a proud dad to three amazing kids, including my eldest daughter—a 5-year-old with autism who is completely nonverbal. Being her father has taught me that connection goes beyond words. Love is felt in presence, in understanding, in the quiet moments that speak louder than anything we can say.
Growing up, I was the quiet observer, blending into the background of a chaotic, blended family. My parents divorced when I was 8, and I often stayed on the sidelines—trying not to add to the stress around me. But in the process, I felt unseen, unheard, and unimportant. As I grew older, I came to understand that what I experienced was emotional neglect, a weight I carried silently for years.
It took years of self-healing, therapy, and intentional growth to become the person I am today—a husband, a father, and a creator committed to human connection. That commitment is woven into my photography because I know what it means to long to be seen. My purpose isn’t just to take photos—it’s to reflect back the beauty, depth, and truth of who you are, to ensure you feel seen, heard, and enough.
Every wedding, every portrait, every fleeting moment—I capture them so that years from now, you don’t just see an image. You feel it. You remember the laughter, the love, the unspoken emotion. Because that’s what photography is to me: a mirror that reminds us we were here, we were loved, and we mattered.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a backroad rocky dirt road, but it’s still a road. Others have had smoother roads, other’s have had harder less trodden roads than mine.
I explained a lot of it in my previous message (which is actually a copy/paste from my About section on my website).
I was diagnosed with ADHD very recently (in the last 6 months or so) and very well may have Autism to some degree (I’ve unintentionally procrastinated getting tested) so being neurodivergent has always been a factor (whether I knew it or not) through my life.
My parents got divorced when I was very young and it was ugly and aggressive for many years.
The biggest challenge was growing up not knowing who I was and how I fit into the world, that’s been the biggest challenge for me now as an adult to ensure I show up for everyone around me as the best and most authentic version of myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Making decisions and choosing what I want has always been quite difficult for me… I found my way to Photography (or I feel like it found its way to me honestly!) as I was given a Sony A6000 body for free from a previous boss and it finally spurred me to get into photography and try it out seriously in July of 2021.
I think there is a huge issue right now with social media and by extensions a battle between humanity and technology.
So many are afraid and also excited about the advance of AI. So many see fake or really curated versions of peoples lives and compare it to their own. Depression, suicide, and other mental conditions are at an all time high.
I say this to speak to what my purpose is; to help bridge the gap between humanity and technology. Photography has been the perfect balance for me to engage with complex technology and also engage with people in a personal, fun, and very connective way. I aim to create Curated and Intimate Human Photography.
In an ideal world I would have stayed in school and gotten a degree in psychology. I’d love to be some form of a Psychologist Photographer that focuses on creating photography sessions that leave people feeling like they had a therapy session more than it feeling like work. To connect, relate, and build a kind of comforting or loving relationship with my clients.
I am still workshopping how to evolve that and grow my business, so far I have been leaning towards doing weddings, engagements, family, newborn, etc. What makes me stand out is my priority is on how I make my clients feel, not just that I will give them beautiful images that are cherished forever. There’s so many incredible photographers out there, so making professional quality photographs isn’t enough. I aim to give more of an experience beyond good pictures.
I am most proud of myself for listening to my gut and following my dreams. For documenting the most important moments in others lives and finding a way to provide for my family while doing something that makes me feel truly alive.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t overthink it, don’t get lost watching videos about what lens to buy, what camera to buy, just don’t get stuck on obsessing over gear in general.
I didn’t go to school for photography, I never really enjoyed school and always struggled. I’ve done the best by self-educating. Making connections and getting to know people will get you farther in any career than any degree or certification would.
Get out there. Just start shooting. We have digital camera’s, you can take and delete photos by the thousands. Once you start doing photography you see the world in a completely different way, forever. You see light. You see special moments. You slow down and become more present. It’s such a soul-enriching and connective art to practice.
Finally I would say this – in the process of looking through a lens at others, find time to look at yourself. Make personal work. Create self-portraits. Dig deep and do the hard work to figure out who you are and what you stand for. Find your ‘Why’ – and let that fuel the creative work that you do. Your way to success is by being your true self – there’s only one you, and no one else can replicate that.
Find other people interested in the thing you’re interested in and learn as much as you can from them, then one day pass that on to someone else. Life is best when you are focused on serving others and showing up to make the world a better place. In doing so, you end up serving yourself and creating a life of purpose and passion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mattsargentphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattsargentphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattSargentPhoto/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattsargentphoto/
