About Me
Hi, I’m Matt — a photographer who started with more enthusiasm than knowledge… and a Canon 4000D that saw it all.
A few years ago, I took that camera on a work trip to Venice with my colleague and friend, James. He’d just picked up the 2000D, so naturally we both packed our cameras and pretended we knew what we were doing. I came back with a memory card full of photos… and a growing itch to upgrade.
So I did exactly what I now tell beginners not to do — I bought a second-hand Canon 77D, thinking better gear would make me a better photographer. Spoiler: it didn’t.
The truth is, I was completely lost. I shot endlessly but didn’t actually know what I was doing. On our next trip to Venice, I attempted long exposures (and lost part of my GorillaPod to the canal — a few beers may have been involved). The photos weren’t perfect, but I was proud of them. And more importantly, I realised I had to stop winging it and actually learn how to use my camera.
Eventually, my 77D started showing its age — failing on me more often than not, and making shoots harder than they needed to be. Around the same time, the opportunity came up to switch to full-frame and go mirrorless, so I made the jump to the Canon EOS R (from that same colleague and friend, James, who’d just upgraded to the R6 Mk II).
But this time, it wasn’t about chasing better gear — it was about committing to learning properly. I stopped obsessing over “the right settings” and started practising with purpose. I tuned out the endless, conflicting advice online and just got out there — again and again — learning by doing.
That’s also when I stumbled into forest and woodland photography — completely by accident. But once I did, it changed everything.
Something about the stillness, the challenge of working with natural light, and the way the forest forces you to slow down completely hooked me. It’s become my favourite niche, not because it’s easy (it’s anything but), but because it taught me to look more closely. You learn to notice tiny shifts in light, to build a composition from chaos, and to wait for moments you can’t plan.
Most of my work now comes from these quiet walks in the woods — chasing shape, shadow, and whatever the forest decides to offer. It’s the place I learned to be patient, and more importantly, to see differently.
From that point on, everything started to take shape — and Matt Jackson Photography was born. What began as a way to document my learning became a way to help others with theirs. I started sharing tips, behind-the-scenes content, and honest reflections on social media, slowly building a community of beginner photographers who wanted to learn without the overwhelm.
Since then, I’ve worked with small businesses and even brands like BMW Mini, while continuing to grow my presence online and refine my craft. But through it all, one thing hasn’t changed: the desire to help others learn the stuff I had to figure out the hard way.
And honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am now without a few key people along the way — especially James, the colleague-turned-friend who took that first Venice trip with me, pushed me to experiment, and unknowingly shaped the way I see photography today.
So now, this isn’t just a portfolio — it’s a place to share what I’ve learned, document what I’m still learning, and hopefully make the photography journey feel a little less overwhelming for someone else.
And lastly — to my very patient wife, Sabrina: thank you. For every moment behind the camera, in front of it, and beside me on this journey so far. I literally couldn’t do this without you.
Want to follow along?
I share tips, stories, and lessons I’ve learned (usually the hard way) through my newsletter.
Hit the button below to get them straight to your inbox.