We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success/brand has to be the people I’ve met. Having opportunities to meet other photographers, other models, bands, clients, they have all helped push me forward. Just meeting a handful of people and getting the opportunity to work with them, and then being fortunate enough that they passed my information on to other future clients has helped me grow more than anything I have actively done to promote myself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting to where I am today has not been easy. I tend to consider myself an introvert, and bought my first camera on impulse. I never had the courage to reach out and ask people to take their photo, so the camera sat on my shelf for a whole year before I had an opportunity to actually use it. But through photography I have met some of the most amazing people in my life, and some of the closest people to me now. It’s really helped me come out of my shell, and be able to just talk and interact with people. I don’t even necessarily need a camera in my hands now.

Being able to come out of my shell through photography, it has helped me reach out to bands/models to try and work with them and just create more. It has also helped me be able to respond to people wanting me to photograph them. I want to be able to be someone that models/bands/clients can feel comfortable around and just have fun.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well seeing as I live in Orange County, California, the staple place to go is Disneyland. But the more low-key park to hit up is Knotts Berry Farm. With some amazing roller coasters, thrill rides, and shows. You’ll have just as much fun as at Knotts. They also have some of the best chicken at Mrs. Knotts Chicken, and their Boysenberry items are some of the tastiest things you’ll find. After our trip to Knotts we can head across the street to The Cauldron. A gothic themed pub with some delicious house drinks.

But to get away from the more touristy places, one of the best watering holes has to be Johnny’s Saloon. This is a little hole in the wall whisky bar in Huntington Beach. The amount of friends that know of this place already continues to surprise me, and the place never seems to advertise. Everyone just seems to know about it.

If you do want a Midnight treat from something more eclectic & sexy, and you happen to be visiting at the right time. I would highly recommend looking up Rocky Horror at the Frida Cinema. This is our once a month on a Friday Night Rocky Horror Picture Show troupe. Make sure to buy your ticket early, as the theatre tends to fill up fast. But you will be surrounded by the weirdest, scantily clad dressed freaks in the area. But also the nicest people you will ever meet. Rocky Horror fans are always welcoming new friends into their ghoulish cult.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
How do you distill your thanks down to a handful of people when I’ve had so many there supporting me. My mom has been one of my biggest supporters and pushing me to pursue anything that I love. She has been my biggest cheerleader and fan since I started photography. As for mentors, this next person probably doesn’t understand how much her just creating her own art has inspired me. But Heather Koepp has been one of, if not, the biggest inspiration to how I try and craft my photography, He unique compositions, aesthetics, and editing style is so completely her. I strive to have work that someone can look at and just immediately go “I know whose photos this is!” without having to credit the credit.

But probably the biggest person I need to thank is my best friend Brandon McCarthy. Without him in my life, and taking the chance to invite me to photograph a concert six years ago, I would not be into photography or where I am today.

Website: www.RedHareImages.com

Instagram: @Red_HareImages

Twitter: @RedHareImages

Facebook: @RedHareImages

Image Credits
Coheed and Cambria Ghost Starset Tetrarch RH2_1152-Edit – Amanda Gabel RHI_1111-Edit – Kendra Taylor RHI_3264-Edit – Cheyenne Baragiola RHI_3448-Edit – Lindsay Marcia Cox

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