Living close to our favorite photography destinations is a luxury that not everyone can afford; however, it has become a big part of my success in my own photography and I know it contributes to the success of others' work as well. Our relationship to place and how that connection fuels us and energizes our creativity can have a huge impact on the quality of our work.

This week I had the pleasure of speaking to United Kingdom photographer, Matt Oliver. Matt makes his living as a commercial photographer but his true passion lies in landscape and nature photography. I have always been a big fan of his quiet work from the Peak District in the United Kingdom, so I was excited to talk to him about his connection to that place and how it was forged. 

On this week's episode, we discuss:

• How Matt got into photography.
• How Matt juggles his commercial photography with his landscape photography.
• How important it has been for Matt to live close to the Peak District.
• Advice for photographers that don't live close to their favorite areas.
• The role of curiosity in Matt's photography.
• The role of style in Matt's photography.
• Chasing the light versus photographing smaller scenes.
• What to do when the conditions are not ideal.
• The impact of AI on Matt's commercial photography.
• The differences between the UK and the USA in terms of how photography is monetized.
• And a lot more!

Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week:

• Support the podcast on Patreon.
• Matt's commercial photography site.
• My article on NPN about AI and photography.
• Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network and use the code "FSTOP10" for a 10% discount!
• Natural Landscape Photography Awards.

Here is who Matt recommended on the podcast this week:

• Angelo Jesus.
• Vanda Ralevska.
• Lizzie Shepherd.

I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy!

We also have a searchable transcript of every episode!

Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.

P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Scroll down to see more of Matt's photography.