L.A.'s 30 Under 30: The City's Rising Stars
The Photographer: Matt Sayles
Born and raised in the City of Angels, Matt Sayles has a list of credentials you might not necessarily expect from your average L.A. entertainment photog. With degrees in political science and marketing from top CA universities (Stanford and UCLA, respectively) he’s breaking the mold and making it work in his favor. “Photography is an art, but it’s also a business. My MBA helps me balance my creative side with the knowledge of how to develop and grow my business and brand,” he says. And the proof is in the pudding. As a former National Entertainment Photographer for the Associated Press, Sayles’ portfolio gleams with flawlessly executed images of high-wattage stars in all sorts of settings — from the red carpet to the gardens of Hollywood Hills — and they all carry the signature look of a Matt Sayles photograph, no need for an identifying watermark.
Equally adept at putting his portrait subjects at ease as stealing the perfectly cheeky shot of Jennifer Garner copping a feel on Ricky Gervais, the consummate professional won’t let himself get too comfortable. Like us here at R29, Sayles is a social-media addict. “As a photographer you often work alone, and it’s easy to lose perspective on your work.” So, the lensman turns to Twitter and Tumblr to stay connected with other artists and his audience. “Whether or not people like the photos that I post, I learn from their feedback and it makes me a better photographer.”
—Elizabeth Parks Kibbey
Hair by Jacquie Fetch, makeup by Mayera Abeita and Ali Magee.
in NYC