Matt Solie Interview
The lens changed my perspective; now even the simplest moments reveal stories waiting to unfold.
Q. You describe yourself casually as someone who just 'likes taking pictures,' but behind that simplicity lies an ambassador for Canon and Lightroom. How would you introduce your photography journey to our readers?
My photography timeline is one that formed from young curiosity! I started my photography journey in 2020 at the age of 15, picking up my dads old less than $100 dollar camera from our garage during the pandemic. I've always been drawn to art, but found something so incredible about the way photography could convey the beauty of the world in time so drab; that being the lockdown as a high school student.
Since that day I only had two goals, to bring my camera with me everywhere I go, and document life through my lens through editing, framing, and storytelling. I made my photography account in 2021 for simply achieving these photos as a kid who just liked taking pictures, but once 2023 started I had found a video format that led me to larger audiences and let me document this process on a much larger scale. Now 5 years later since starting I am still my same self bringing my camera to hangouts, hikes and travels!
Q. Photography often requires patience and presence. Has being behind the lens changed the way you see everyday life beyond the frame?
Life behind the lens has led me to viewing things completely different in every facet of my life. Being a photographer that can capture emotions and moments requires a dedication to being fully present. Noticing the small details, falling leaves, hugs and handshakes of strangers and true emotions that every scene in life brings. Having immersed myself in this mindset whenever I shoot has led to me noticing it everywhere, and seeing the subtle beauty and framing that every mundane moment brings!
Q. Vancouver’s landscapes serve as your canvas. Is there a hidden spot there that always inspires you, somewhere most photographers might overlook?
The overlooked spots are the ones you pass every day! Having lived in a city that for my whole life was a dream to call home has made me realize how beautiful the routines really are. Some of my favorite shots have been taken during walks to my friends houses, commutes to downtown, and simple trips to the beach or parks around the city. I've never found a lack of inspiration at places like Spanish Banks Beach or Pacific Spirit Park!
Q. You're known for your preset and editing tutorials. What’s the most surprising editing tip your audience picked up from you?
One tip I've taken in stride that is less common with some photography audiences is leaving the norm. In my videos I extend an invitation to leave behind the hyperrealism and rather edit your photos to convey what the moment truly felt like, rather than merely what it looked like. Whether this be done through extravagant and bold colours, lower clarity or masking, photography is an art not to be limited to life, rather to your mind!
Q. Collaborations with brands can be tricky for creatives. How do you balance staying authentic to your vision while also meeting professional expectations?
Brands will very often appreciate authenticity. We live in a time where creatives are so coveted for how they see the world and can create, and often that's what brands and jobs want the most! Communicating both their vision for a project and your creative perspective is the key for building a strong relationship, and having a collaboration that does well.
Q. Your edits carry a distinctive mood and style. What’s your process for turning a raw capture into an image that feels uniquely yours?
As previously mentioned, I am one for always conveying emotion through my photography. To showcase what you felt in the moment that you took the photo, or what your subject was feeling is a true power that can be done through photography, and my editing process often reflects this.
Using colour theory to convey emotion (cooler and warmer colours for their respective moods), having photos be more dreamy in tone vs more contrasted and bold to showcase feelings of bliss vs seriousness, and using masks & generative remove to isolate the subject in the environment is exactly how I personalize and capture feelings in a photo.
Q. If you could mentor a young creator entering the visual space today, what’s the one piece of creative philosophy you'd pass on?
As someone who entered the online space by accident, gaining over a million followers as a 17 year old high school student, I think losing the imposter syndrome and letting yourself be you on camera is huge. The content and art space is being filled by art lacking identity, AI generated content, large / repetitive trends and a constant stream of new posts can make it hard to stand out online, but that element of YOU is so important.
I was quite insecure starting out online as I didn't think my perspective as a novice, 17 year old photographer meant as much as other creators, but people love to hear and connect with other people no matter your age or experience. Stories that relate and hit close to home and interesting perspectives that only you can tell are so needed in this age of saturation, and young creatives have so many new ideas and perspectives.
The feeling of being young, unsure, and having an early view of life is one so previously unexplored, yet one so universal to connect with. Showcase your art through the eyes of who you are, and don't be afraid to have identity, as your perspective matters.
Q. And on a lighter note, if your camera could magically capture one impossible subject, like a memory, a dream, or a feeling, what would you want it to photograph?
Ever since I started, I've loved trying to intertwine my passion for music with my photography. The feeling of hearing a new favorite song for the first time, or the layers of sound you get engulfed in with a truly masterful piece of music is a feeling I've fallen in love with my whole life, having music as my secondary passion to visual art and photography. Using music to help uplift my photography is already something I love, but if I could capture that feeling of being lost in music and sound, that would be a dream!
Bio:
Matt Solie is known online as Ayitsphotography. He is a photography content creator with over 4 million collective followers, known for his preset & editing tutorials, as well as his short films & photos! He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Photography is a passion he started back in late 2020, and over the last nearly 4 years he has adored the hobby and made it a goal to share his photos online. He is a proud Canon shooter who lives in Lightroom and still sometimes shoots in auto mode. His favorite types of photography are street, travel and landscape.
Interviewed by - Divya Darshni
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