Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Lankes.
Hi Matt, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Austin and have always loved this town/city/metropolis. I have deep family ties to Austin and Texas. My dad was a photographer for the Statesman (Austin-American Statesman) so I was always around cameras. When I was at Austin High, I took some photo classes and found that I had a knack for it, especially with people. I went on to study photography at St. Edwards University and also played soccer there. I began working my sophomore year for a studio photographer. I knew I wanted to shoot pictures but I wanted to travel. I assisted(apprentice) multiple photographers over the course of the next five years learning from them what to do and what not to do. I am extremely grateful for those experiences as it has shaped me and still guides me to this day. Some of those people were the likes of Dan Winters, Annie Leibovitz, Mary Ellen Mark, Michael O’Brien, Paul Bardagjy, Wyatt McSpadden and countless others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mostly I have been quite lucky with work but it definitely isn’t easy being a freelance photographer. By the very nature of freelance, you are unemployed after every job. I never look at it that way only to go on to the next thing and the next etc. There are always lean months and then there are great months…it’s part of the cycle. The hardest part has been the introduction of newer and better technology, everyone thinks and some actually are quite talented photographers. I’ve just noticed the decrease in new hires from editorial publications etc as they want to use the intern with their iPhone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking interns or iPhones, as I’ve used mine to shoot jobs or fine art pics on. You just get what you pay for in those situations. I still shoot film on jobs when I can and also self-assign portraits. I like to stay busy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in making portraits and working with people from all businesses and personalities. I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing creatives over the years who are willing to let me shoot how I like and deliver them images to use in whatever capacity they need. I shoot a lot of music being here in Austin, so I have a nice body of work to pull from. Hopdoddy Burgers have a lot of my images hanging in their restaurants. I’ve shot on multiple movies over the years, Boyhood was my favorite because Richard Linklater allowed me to document the actors over the course of filming(12 years!) So I am very proud of our book Boyhood: 12 Years on Film. I am also extremely humbled and proud to have one of my portraits in the permanent collection of The National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. I also have multiple images in the Wittliff Collections at Texas State in San Marcos, TX. I’d like to think I am good at getting to the heart and soul of a person through my lens.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I guess the most important lesson I’ve learned is to be respectful of your subject’s time and location that you are shooting. Be friendly and engaging, work hard and produce good quality work that you would like to see around for a long time.
Contact Info:
- Email: MattLankes@mac.com
- Website: www.MattLankes.com
- Instagram: @MattLankes
- Facebook: Matt Lankes
Image Credits
All photos taken by Matt Lankes 1- Willie Nelson in Luck, TX 2- Molly Ivins, Liz Carpenter, Sarah Weddington 3- Robert Rodriguez and Patricia Vonne 4- Advertisment for Chevy 5- Daisy 6- Billy Joe Shaver 7- Nichole 8- Kat Edmonson 9- Pinetop Perkins 10-Miranda Lambert 11- Darden Smith 12-Kylie Frey
