Photographer Spotlight: Matt Payne

Matt Payne | Durango, Colorado | Fine Art Nature & Landscape Photographer

Host, F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast | Co-Founder, Nature First Photography

Mountain climber, adventurer, and fine art nature and landscape photographer Matt Payne talks about his passion for photography and why he chooses to print on ChromaLuxe.

ChromaLuxe: Tell us how you got started with photography.

Payne: My photography journey started as a means to document my goal to climb the highest 100 mountains in Colorado back in 2008. Through this journey I learned that I absolutely loved making photographs of the natural world. My thirst for learning about photography was insatiable and I checked out as many books as possible about it from my local library.

ChromaLuxe: When did you first learn about ChromaLuxe? What was your initial reaction to seeing your work printed on ChromaLuxe?

Payne: I first used ChromaLuxe because of how much pop and vibrancy it displayed in other people’s images, and I wanted to see how it would look for my own work. I used it to print 50 pieces for a gallery exhibition and I really liked how it all turned out. I think what’s great about ChromaLuxe is that there’s a metal type for every look, from the traditional super glossy metals all the way to the matte white metal that I currently use that has a more contemporary look to it.

ChromaLuxe: What are the features about ChromaLuxe that make it preferable over other print mediums?

Payne: ChromaLuxe often hits the sweet spot for quality and cost that is appealing for many of my customers while being ready-to-hang and quite durable. It’s a fantastic choice for photographers looking for a nice “middle ground” product that can still show off your work in a fabulous way.

ChromaLuxe: What would you say to customers or fellow artists who aren’t familiar with ChromaLuxe?

Payne: I think in years past people have assumed that ChromaLuxe is very glossy and dark, which isn’t always the case. Care should be taken with the files that are used to print on ChromaLuxe to ensure that they are brightened up to account for some of the darker properties the medium typically produces. This is why I always recommend using a lab that will work directly with the artist as opposed to automatic fulfillment. I also highly recommend people try out the white matte version of ChromaLuxe as it almost completely eliminates the significant glare that can be found on the glossy version of ChromaLuxe, and it showcases artwork in a very nice way. Lastly, I think its crucial to work with a lab such as NMFA or Artisan HD who will look at the print before it leaves the production facility.