Japan in Motion: Taking Photography to the Streets

Already well on his way as an artist, Matthew enrolled in our BFA in Digital Photography program to take his fast-moving skills and style to the next level. We caught up with him to find out his story.

Q: Matthew, your time in Japan has become an important inspiration in your work. How did that transpire?

I first visited Japan in October 2024 and currently go about twice a year. Most of my trips are built around music festivals and shows, so Japan has become a pretty consistent part of my photographic life.

I think the development really came down to being in the right place at the right time. My skills had finally caught up to my eye, I was confident enough in my own abilities to work in a completely unfamiliar environment, and I had developed a visual language that I was completely obsessed with using and improving.

Japan just gave me an insane amount of stuff to shoot: people, trains, buildings, shows, crowds, quiet streets, different lighting, all of it. I had enough experience by that point to know what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, and Japan gave me the environment to really push it. It was serendipity.

Q: Your work captures intense motion and atmosphere, from shutter drag effects to a high-contrast aesthetic. What drew you to this raw, expressive style?

I started shooting this way because I wanted to convey what it actually felt like to be at a show. A person frozen in time can be interesting because they are jumping or doing something crazy, but once you start playing with movement, color, and light, the photograph itself becomes interesting too. I want the chaos, overstimulation, and intimacy of those shows to come through.

My shutter drag work and the work I did for a project called Spectral Reverie come from a similar place, but they are different. With shutter drag I am usually playing with movement, color, and light, while the Spectral Reverie work is black and white and more focused on heavy grain, contrast, blur, distortion, and ambiguity.

I discovered the Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama and the technique of Are Bure Boke (a grainy, blurred, out-of-focus style) after I was already developing that work, and finding that history was incredibly validating. I would rather make an imperfect photograph that makes somebody feel something than a technically perfect one that does not.

The image below left was the catalyst for the whole Spectral Reverie concept. I photographed a woman dancing and then manipulated the image both in camera and heavily in Photoshop until there was only enough detail left to understand that the shape was a human figure and enough of the face remained to convey emotion. This was when I realized that the less you show, the more room you leave for the viewer to interpret the image through their own experiences.

This later turned into a Spectral Reverie photo book made entirely from work I shot in Japan. The design and pacing are very reminiscent of the Japanese photo books I’m so fond of, which was intentional.

Q: Life in Japan has inspired generations of street photographers. How did your time there shape your visual style?

My street photography really started developing when I spent some time shooting in Amsterdam, but Japan is where it became a much bigger part of my identity as a photographer. The density, signage, architecture, trains, lights and sheer amount of activity give me so much more to react to visually.

When it comes to finding spontaneous moments, I see something that catches my attention and I take the photo. A lot of the time I just wander and follow whatever looks interesting. Being alone helps because my attention is completely on the environment, so I notice more small interactions, silhouettes, reflections, and quieter moments. Japan gave me an environment where that side of my photography could really develop. Daido Moriyama has this idea of ‘shoot first, think later,’ and that resonates with me.

It’s not uncommon for me to come home with two or three thousand photos just from wandering. I shoot a lot, react instinctively, and then figure out what I really have once I’m looking through everything afterward.

Q: Street and event photography require confidence and quick decision-making. How do you approach subjects in public spaces? Any advice for photographers who feel nervous about photographing people?

When I am shooting street photos, I usually try to be subtle because I do not want to stick out or become the annoying tourist with a camera. If somebody really catches my eye and I want a more direct photo, I will usually walk up, compliment them and ask.

A lot of my confidence has just come from doing this over and over again. I still get nervous sometimes in new places, but I know my gear well enough now that the technical side is mostly automatic, so I can focus on the people and what is happening around me.

The biggest thing I had to learn was to stop taking no personally. I have heard no from people I wanted to photograph, and from venues, media pass requests, and events. That is just part of being a photographer. You accept it, move on, and keep shooting.

Q: Your work has gone through a period of rapid growth as you began take your photographic craft and career seriously. What was the catalyst that made you decide to commit to formalizing your skills in an online degree program?

The biggest catalyst was Japan. On my first trip, I was at Stormy Dudes festival in Osaka looking around thinking, holy shit, I found my place. When I left, I started seriously asking myself what it would take to build a life there. On my next trip, saying goodbye to friends and hearing, “See you next year,” really hit me. I wanted that to eventually become, “See you tomorrow,” or “See you next weekend.”

That is what pushed me toward school. I realized I needed a degree for the path I wanted to take, and photography was the obvious thing to study because it is already such a huge part of my life. I already felt technically comfortable with photography, so for me the value of school has been learning how to better explain choices I had mostly understood through intuition and thinking more deliberately about why I shoot the way I do.

Q: Low-light, fast-moving environments like concert venues and night streets are notoriously challenging to shoot. What are your go-to camera settings or technique tips for managing low light while still keeping movement expressive?

For low-light work without flash, a lot of it comes down to having a camera that handles higher ISO well and using fast glass. I usually try not to push ISO any higher than I need because I would rather preserve clarity and add grain later if I want that look.

Beyond that, a lot of it is subjective. Sometimes I want a face sharp, sometimes I want blur and movement. I think it is easy to get too obsessed with making every photo technically perfect. I would take a blurry, expressive photo that makes me feel something over a perfectly sharp, perfectly lit photo that feels sterile any day.

Q: Many people hesitate to pursue serious artistic training later in their career journey. What’s your advice about going back to school to hone your craft?

If you are curious about doing it, do it. I had not been in formal school since I graduated high school 23 years ago, I work full time, I have my own life, and somehow I have still managed to make it work. What surprised me most is how much I actually enjoy the work once I sit down, lock in, and get into it.

I still lean on instinct more than theory, but now I have a better understanding of why some of that instinct works. School has also shown me gaps in my toolbox that I probably would not have gone looking for on my own.

There is never going to be a perfect time to start. It is easy to get comfortable even when you are not happy because at least what you already know is familiar. If you are not happy where you are and you have the ability to do something about it, you might as well find out what is on the other side.

Q: Thanks for the interview! Where can we find your work?

Most of my current work is on Instagram at @mobtownmatthew. I’m constantly shooting and posting new work there, so that’s the best place to see what I’m doing now.

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