Matt Clark

I Dare You to Tell Me I Can't

By InnerVoice

August 10^th, 2016

I wanted to be a photographer.

I actually still have the piece of paper from a year 7 assignment that asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ First, I listed professional soccer player. I played soccer from the age of five and was obsessed with the sport and would watch the professional league in England. Second, I listed that I wanted to be a photographer. To be honest I am not sure why I listed photography at that stage of my life, but I am happy to say I have been able to make a living from both (well, save for the swap of sports from soccer to triathlon).

During my triathlon career I was always interested in capturing moments while on the road. Being lucky enough to travel the world from an early age, I was able to experience different cultures and landscapes and always wanted to keep those memories. From as early as I can remember I always packed some form of camera with me. I am pretty confident that towards the end of my triathlon career I annoyed my training partners by getting them to stop to take photos while on training rides.

the road I am heading down is a dead end.

It wasn’t until 2006 when I was based in Boulder, Colorado that a real interest in photography took shape. There was a small exhibit of work by Jimmy Chin (a renowned big mountain photographer) in a book store on Pearl Street. I was reading his bio and something clicked about his story of being an athlete/photographer, the lifestyle he led and why he went down the road of snapping images. You could say it planted a seed that stuck with me, and eventually I bit the bullet and went full-time into photography.

I definitely thrive on people telling me I can’t do something, or the road I am heading down is a dead end. I have spent most of my life going in the other direction than the ‘easy’ route. In particular, I’ve noticed the naysayers usually have their fingers crossed that you don’t achieve your goal so that can feel okay about not taking a risk, and continue on living in their comfort zone.

“I have spent most of my life going in the other direction than the ‘easy’ route.”

in photography you have to be continually working on your craft.

I did a lot of work planning and putting together my business game plan and how I wanted to make a mark on the industry. The average photography business lasts 9 months and I definitely did not want to be a statistic. Between finishing up my triathlon career and starting in the photo game there was close to 5 years of planning to ensure I could make this thing a reality.

I find that many photographers simply copy and duplicate images they have seen before with little original thought. To stand out in such a desired and saturated industry you really have to bring something new to the table, otherwise you become a statistic. I spend a big chunk of my time working on new, original ideas for brands I work with. Like sport, in photography you have to be continually working on your craft; seeking out new techniques and ideas. The challenge to continuously improve is a big factor for me, as is having the honour to shoot some of the best athletes in Canada. Their energy and focus is infectious and helps to take my craft to another level.

why I am doing it.

I like to take it as a challenge to produce something under difficult conditions. Good weather, perfect lighting and patient models don’t always happen, so working with what’s in front of you can be a formula that actually produces some of your best imagery. With photography more than sport, I feel I can control situations a lot more, especially in the moment. There are definitely times when the pressure is on and things aren’t coming together as you envisioned them, but creatively there is always an option if you have the vision to look outside of your original goal.

When things aren’t going my way I really like to bring it back to why I am doing it — the reason why I feel this moment is tough and really put things into perspective. I remember countless times when I was racing thinking the world was going to end after a bad race. The difference back then was it was everything to me at the time. I put my 24/7 into it and if things didn’t go to plan, then life seemed tough. My photography career is just a slice of what makes my world these days, and with that the realization that it isn’t the be all and end all.