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Matt Payne

@mattpaynephoto.bsky.social
3.3K followers 218 following 738 posts

Full-time Nature Photographer, Host of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, Muench Workshops Pro. www.mattpaynephotography.com/page/q…

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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Meet David Lloyd, our guest this week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen. David’s approach: keep it honest, minimal, and rooted in the real encounter. He’s spent over fifteen years capturing wildlife with a philosophy shaped by patience, humility, and a deep respect for nature itself.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This week on F-Stop: Not every story in a musician’s life is told onstage. Scott McDermott’s “Backline” series was born at a Red Hot Chili Peppers show, where road-worn instruments caught his eye as modern relics. What details tell the real story in your own work?
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: Scott McDermott showcases what it takes for creative longevity. Staying in the creative game is about more than talent. What has helped you stay on your creative path?
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Meet Scott McDermott, our guest this week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen. Here are some of his super cool cassette tape photos that he's been creating, which showcases his ingenuity.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I dabble in wildlife too! I actually quite enjoy it but I don't get a ton of opportunities to do it. The thrill of nailing the moment is really quite something!
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The most common problem I see in photo land is that people don't understand how Lightroom catalogs work and don't import their photos correctly. So, I created a new video that showcases my processes for Lightroom importing and image culling. www.patreon.com/fstopandlist...
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
This week on F-Stop: Where do your ideas come from: inside or elsewhere? Meredith Fontana invites us to notice when we’re drawn to what excites others, versus what genuinely interests us. Growth, she suggests, begins with looking inward — not just upgrading our kit.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Meet Meredith Fontana, our guest this week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen. As a landscape photographer with a paleontology background, Meredith brings a unique lens to her art, often literally seeking stories written in stone.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Mark Scheffer admits he once believed that new equipment were his only ticket to progress. That changed when he set concrete rules for himself: one body, one lens, one aspect ratio. This week on the podcast, Mark walks us through the practical changes that simplified his shooting routines.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Meet Mark Scheffer, our guest this week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen. We explored what happens when creativity meets real limitation. Mark shares how decades in the operating room shaped his approach behind the camera, why he shoots locally, and how true freedom often means choosing less.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
If you’ve ever wrestled with what’s next or how to balance making art with showing up for people, Mali Davies Photography story has something for you. Tune into F-Stop Collaborate and Listen wherever you find podcasts.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Meet Mali Davies Photography on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: from 20+ years in graphic design to finding calm in trees and chaos in city streets, pursuing creative work and family care. #photography
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Ever wonder what it takes to document a city's culture for 20 years? Discover Ajani Charles' journey on this week's episode of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Sunstar over the ridge, Noname Basin in shadow below. Vestal and Arrow Peaks in the distance are Grenadier Range: Uncompahgre Formation quartzite and phyllite, 1.7 billion years old, predating the Eolus Granite by 250M+ years. Summit of Glacier Point (13,704'), sunset. Downclimb in the dark was fun.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Ajani Charles has spent nearly two decades documenting Toronto's hip hop culture, sharing lessons on creativity, patience, and community impact. Tune into F-Stop this week to hear his inspiring story!
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
I wanted Marc Asnin on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast because he believes photography is public memory. His new book, "Act One" asks what happens when you gather so many visions and voices into one big story. It’s a chance to reflect on what we’re actually witnessing right now.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
This week on F-Stop: Marc Asnin joins to talk about his new book, Act One: A Century in the Making, which brings together 100 photographers to tell the story of the 21st century’s first 25 years. Can images help us remember, understand, and challenge this moment in time?
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Jagged Mountain holds its own kind of significance for me: I climbed it in 2018 as my Centennial finisher, the hardest and most technical of Colorado's hundred highest peaks, so watching it catch the day's last light from Glacier Point last weekend brought back more than the usual amount of memory.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
This week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: Darren Pellegrino believes images deserve more than a quick scroll. What if we slowed down and valued the stories and people behind what we see? Tune in this week to hear our thoughts.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
"Windom's Window" Left to right: Monitor Peak, Peak Thirteen, Sunlight Peak, Sunlight Spire, Arrow Peak, Vestal Peak, The three Trinities, Jagged Mountain, Storm King Mountain, Silex Mountain, and The Guardian. In front of Storm King and Silex.
Ever since I climbed Windom Peak (14,089 ft.) for the first time in 2011 with my friend Silas, I've always wanted to go back and photograph sunrise from there, so that's exactly what I did this weekend. Seeing this view from Windom again flooded me with so many positive memories about my previous adventure here.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
This week on F-Stop: Meet Darren Pellegrino, a Boston photographer balancing the business of headshots with the soul of personal work. How do we find meaning in what we make, especially after years of chasing what pays the bills? Tune into the podcast this week for honest thoughts tons of topics!
A misty lake scene with a dense cluster of trees reflected in calm water and two birds flying low over the surface.Long empty road leading towards jagged snow-capped mountains under a clear sky in black and white.Curved white ramps inside a modern building with three people walking at different levels in black and white.Three solitary trees stand spaced apart on a vast grassy plain under a cloudy sky with a flock of birds flying nearby.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
This week on F-Stop - Learn all you ever wanted to know about IR Photography with our guest, Nevada Wier.
Person in a flowing pink dress and ornate feathered headdress poses in front of a detailed mural depicting celestial and ancient motifs.Close-up of a carved wooden sculpture featuring an eye design, set against a backdrop of snowy mountains and a pale sky.A person in traditional robes meditates seated on a rock amid tall, uniquely shaped blue pine trees under a cloudy sky.Tall giraffe standing against a pale sky with faint tree branches in the background.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Just a little #icm fun from my recent #wildflower workshop here in #colorado.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
This week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: There are photographers who follow the light, and then there’s Nevada Wier, who chases what the eye cannot see. Tune in to this week's episode to learn everything you ever wanted to about IR Photography!
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Some moments from Norway, captured in February, 2026.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
This week on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast: Tom Murphy shares his wisdom. Choose a place, commit, and let it change you. Tom Murphy’s story is proof that you don’t have to fly across the world to find something worth photographing.
White ermine mid-leap over fresh snow with sparse dry grass patches around.A bison calf nuzzles the head of an adult bison in a grassy field with another bison blurred in the background.Adult moose standing protectively with two young calves in a forest clearing with green trees in the background.Dense forest of slender trees with bright yellow autumn leaves contrasting against bare lower branches and dry grass in the foreground.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Repeating patterns, one of my favorite things.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
I'm working on some new wildflower photographs I captured this summer here in Colorado, and I'm excited to get them out into the world, but they aren't ready yet. So, enjoy these from past trips and years. <
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
"Floating Boulders (2026)." A field of boulders scattered across the sky...
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Geology is awesome. I love learning about it and leaning into my curiosity about it to make photographs of the natural world, like these. 1. Fleisch rock formations in Spain 2. Selenite crystals in Utah 3. The Black Mountains above Badwater Basin, Death Valley 4. Mount Rainier and glaciers
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
One of my favorite captures of wildlife - a Skua circles around me on this mountain-top in Antarctica.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Some magic from the Utah badlands - one of my favorite places to spend time with friends and soak in the desert.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Meet this week's F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast guest: Tom Murphy, a photographer who chose to live at the edge of Yellowstone for nearly fifty years, all to understand a wild place more deeply.
A herd of bison covered in frost standing in a misty, cold landscape during early morning.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Still one of my favorite photographs, and it wasn't captured at sunrise or sunset, in fact, it was captured about an hour after sunrise when the light was much more even but still dynamic. Also one of my best selling images!
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
When Seasons Collide, the Mountains Are My Guide. 1. West Elk Mountains, Colorado (fall to winter) 2. Elk Mountains, Colorado (fall to winter) 3. Patagonia, Chile (fall to winter) 4. North Carolina, Blue Ridge Parkway (winter to spring)
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Sandstone doing awesome sandstone things. =)
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
This week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: Scott McCook believes photographers need to truly understand their subject, especially when documenting landscapes marked by industry or change. That kind of intention shapes the images we make and the conversations they start.
Aerial view of numerous circular salt ponds with varying shades of blue, green, and turquoise separated by narrow earthen barriers.Aerial view of a narrow, sandy peninsula surrounded by turquoise and deep blue ocean waters.Aerial view of a narrow, winding sandbar surrounded by turquoise and dark ocean waters.Close-up of a textured surface featuring a mosaic of red, pink, white, and orange tones arranged in a wavy, patterned design.
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Reposted by Matt Payne
Bob Henry @bobhenryphotos.com · 19/07/2026
An excellent and very thought-provoking post from @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social #Photography substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com
Voice, Validation, and the Lie of the "Right Way" to Photograph
Inspiration from Episode 491 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Have you ever wondered what the world looks like when seen from above? Meet Scott McCook, an aerial photographer from Western Australia whose work challenges us to see both the beauty and impact of human presence on the landscape.
Aerial view of a vibrant red and orange cracked landscape with a circular structure and radiating lines at the center.Aerial view of colorful salt evaporation ponds with vibrant blue, green, yellow, and white pools separated by narrow earth barriers.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
I figured since I have nothing better to do with my time (HAHA!), I'd start a Substack. My plan with it is to share my own thoughts on podcast episodes, in the hopes of generating thoughts from others. open.substack.com/pub/mattpayn...
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This week on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast: Ever noticed your photography shifting as your life changes? Reflecting on Rick Bebbington’s journey makes me look at my own photos in a new light.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Meet Rick Bebbington. When Rick joined me on the podcast, we explored not only what holds photographers back but why it’s often about much more than the camera itself. Tune into the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast to hear about his journey. One of my favorite episodes I've recorded.
Soft sand dunes with tufts of grass under a colorful sunset sky by the ocean shore.Small yellow cabin with a green roof sits alone on grassy land by a large body of water under a cloudy sky.A solitary white house with a lit window stands on a grassy plain beneath mist-covered mountains at dusk.Two women sitting on a bench facing the ocean on a ship's deck while a man in a cap looks at his phone nearby.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
This week on F-Stop: Discover Garrett Hess' journey into art and photography! Learn how consuming creative works passively builds composition fundamentals, leading to a deeper understanding of what makes a photo truly shine. It's about finding purpose and expressing yourself through the lens.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
This week on F-Stop, we're exploring the power of going deeper, not wider. Discover the advantages of focusing locally for more sustainable and engaging photography.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Here are four wildly different scenes all captured in Western Australia (W.A.). These are part of my project which aims to document abstraction and tie it to a variety of concepts impacting place in W.A. Interested in seeing or learning more? Shoot me over a message.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Here are a few glimpses into the world of Garrett Hess, this week’s guest on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen. Garrett has built his life and practice around Erie, Pennsylvania, photographing the Great Lakes and the ever-changing moods just outside his door.
Sunset casting warm light over a rugged, icy landscape with rolling frozen hills under a cloudy sky.Sunlight reflecting off waves crashing over dark rocks in the ocean at golden hour.Snow and ice formation creating a natural arch over a partially frozen stream at sunset with pink and purple clouds.Turbulent ocean waves crashing under a gray, stormy sky with white foam and spray.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
What would your photography look like if you had to press pause on the endless scroll? This week’s conversation on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen features Ben Maze and Murray Livingston - two photographers who remind me what it means to dig deeper.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
This week on F-Stop Collaborate and Listen: When you’re always the new kid or stationed far from home, you learn to look at things from many points of view. Nichole Vild’s story reminded me how photography can be an ally in that way: encouraging us to pause.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I recently led a super fun workshop out at White Pocket in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument - for sure one of my favorite places to photograph in the SW. I revisited some old favorites and showed our awesome students how to capture some sweet night sky images.
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Matt Payne @mattpaynephoto.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
"The Arrival (2026)" Look up. They are coming. Do they have good intentions? These forms drifting across a crimson and blue sky don't have a satisfying earthly explanation. Your brain cycles through clouds, jellyfish, leaves, perhaps alien life?
Alien ships approaching...
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