Matt Schmachtenberg
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My name's Matt and I'm a photographer based in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I serve both the Valley (Harrisonburg, Staunton) and areas outside it including Charlottesville, Roanoke, Richmond, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. I'm also available for destination shoots!
Photography has been a passion of mine for over seven years. My love of photography began with one of the first Canon dSLRs ever made and shooting quickly became one of my favorite things to do. During my college career, I worked as a newspaper photojournalist and photo editor for five years. While photojournalism gave me hundreds of hours of shooting experience, it left me with limited time to do what I truly love: weddings and creative portraiture.
I believe that the best photos are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing while also being genuine. I strive for authenticity above all else in my photography. While I do enjoy studio work, I much prefer using natural light to capture special moments in unique settings. I'd rather let a couple be themselves as if the camera wasn't even there. An integral part of my shoots is getting to know the people I'm shooting and bringing their personality into their photos.
Should take a moment to say that if it weren't for Flickr, I probably wouldn't be the photographer I am today. The community here helped me stay dedicated to shooting a couple years ago.
Seriously, you guys rock.
I don't post everything to Flickr nowadays, so if you want to see more of my work, check out:
- JoinedFebruary 2007
- HometownRoanoke, VA
- Current cityHarrisonburg, VA
- CountryUSA
Most popular photos
Testimonials
Matt has one of those photostreams which I constantly check every week for a new upload, if there's a new one up, then it's for sure one of the best photo's i'll see that day, no doubt. the dude's got mad skillz, and i was very happy to do a flickr collaboration with him a short while ago. most definitely one of my … Read more
Matt has one of those photostreams which I constantly check every week for a new upload, if there's a new one up, then it's for sure one of the best photo's i'll see that day, no doubt. the dude's got mad skillz, and i was very happy to do a flickr collaboration with him a short while ago. most definitely one of my favorite photographers, but more than that, a badass friend who's always willing to help and give tips with great feedback too. huzzah my friend, stay awesome haha peace and love
Read lessSchmatty I am so proud to call you my flickr friend! You are seriously such an increedible photographer. Aside from leaving super sweet comments on everyone's photos, I'm so impressed you aren't totally overwhelmed from the large amounts of amazing feedback you get. But its all so well deserved! Seriously every time … Read more
Schmatty I am so proud to call you my flickr friend! You are seriously such an increedible photographer. Aside from leaving super sweet comments on everyone's photos, I'm so impressed you aren't totally overwhelmed from the large amounts of amazing feedback you get. But its all so well deserved! Seriously every time you upload something I get so excited.. because I know its going to be fantastic. Now go take some more selfies so I can compliment you on your handsome scruff :p
Read lessI just want to start out by saying Matt is a great friend, so easy to talk to, and easily one of the most modest Members of Flickr i have ever met. I also want to say, i missed his rise to fame. While i was gone for three weeks, Matt became a flickr sensation (which he should be) in that short amount of time. M… Read more
I just want to start out by saying Matt is a great friend, so easy to talk to, and easily one of the most modest Members of Flickr i have ever met. I also want to say, i missed his rise to fame. While i was gone for three weeks, Matt became a flickr sensation (which he should be) in that short amount of time. Matt and I are very different photographers, mainly because Matt has much more experience (and expertise ) using photoshop, and many other techniques using his camera. I've learned so much from matt, in the short time i have known him. Even though it disappoints me to see him going to college, with no photography major/minor, I still know his photography will take him places. So in short, Matt is a flickr sensation expert editor and good friend.
Read lessMatt I could go on and on about how awesome you are but I'm not going to do that right now. Your photography is amazing it blows my mind every time you upload a new picture. Your creativity is amazing. And I am glad we are becoming friends (even though you love cats) :D Thanks for helping me out when I need it. Well t… Read more
Matt I could go on and on about how awesome you are but I'm not going to do that right now. Your photography is amazing it blows my mind every time you upload a new picture. Your creativity is amazing. And I am glad we are becoming friends (even though you love cats) :D Thanks for helping me out when I need it. Well that's all I am going to say for now before I just start rambling on and on.
Read lessWow, Matt! I can't believe you only have 8 (now 9) testimonials! Wow, you are SUPER sweet and helpful! And your work? GORGEOUS! It is crazy how creative you are! If I even had half of your talent, I would be blessed. I am honored to have you as a contact. And even more than that, as a friend! You are a very inspiring p… Read more
Wow, Matt! I can't believe you only have 8 (now 9) testimonials! Wow, you are SUPER sweet and helpful! And your work? GORGEOUS! It is crazy how creative you are! If I even had half of your talent, I would be blessed. I am honored to have you as a contact. And even more than that, as a friend! You are a very inspiring person who is sweet, kind, and helpful. If you haven't already, check out his stream! But just a warning.... clear out lots of time! You will be amazed by his stream for hours on end... I know I have!
Read lesshmmmmm matt, your photos are amazing! i would comment on them more, but they take the words right out of my mouth. i love them all. you're so creative and talented, i'm sure you'll go far! also, for anyone out there reading this, matt's a great contact to have on here! haha, no matter how horrible one of my pictures… Read more
hmmmmm matt, your photos are amazing! i would comment on them more, but they take the words right out of my mouth. i love them all. you're so creative and talented, i'm sure you'll go far! also, for anyone out there reading this, matt's a great contact to have on here! haha, no matter how horrible one of my pictures is, he comments on it saying something positive, and it makes me smile. he really brings up my self esteem in photography! great person all around :) i'm looking forward to seeing more of your pictures soon soon soon!!
Read lessMatt, you pictures freakin' amaze the bonkers out of me! they're so great, i love your whole stream. yups, i said it--the whole dang thing. your marshmallow man makes me smile like no other. he's so adorable. point is, your an awesome contact. your photography makes me want to take amazing pictures and become anti-s'mo… Read more
Matt, you pictures freakin' amaze the bonkers out of me! they're so great, i love your whole stream. yups, i said it--the whole dang thing. your marshmallow man makes me smile like no other. he's so adorable. point is, your an awesome contact. your photography makes me want to take amazing pictures and become anti-s'more. ;)
Read less"Smackthatbird's" photostream is full of beautiful and artistic photos. I enjoy going through his photos a lot! Thank you for sharing your art with us all. I love it
so you're cute, and an incredible photographer, too. also an adorable contact, I think. I have nothing more to say. :) x
Matt, oh gosh, you are so amazing. I was waiting for the perfect day to write this and i think the bday works ;] you are such an amazing person and photographer and i love looking at your work and love reading comments you write. :) you really are an inspiration to me and i cant tell you how much i appreciate that y… Read more
Matt, oh gosh, you are so amazing. I was waiting for the perfect day to write this and i think the bday works ;] you are such an amazing person and photographer and i love looking at your work and love reading comments you write. :) you really are an inspiration to me and i cant tell you how much i appreciate that you take the time to check out my stream and other flickrroos cause you truly say the most positive things, :D your stream is amazing and full of fun and randomness and colors and mr marshmallow who i LOVE and i love seeing what you put up and im excited to see what you come up with next! i know it will be amazing just like you. matt you are so passionate about photography and I can just see it in your work so easily and it makes me so happy that you love it as much as you do! one day you will be famous and have to work with that dreadful Nikon camera :P hehe but you will do incredible things, I hope you are aware. there are so many people that you have touched through your photos and you better never let that passion go! you are such a wonderful friend and thanks for everything matt!! i hope you had the best birthday ever and i want to see more self portraits ya hear! ;) love, the strange girl, katie :)
Read lessMATT MATT MATT. your screen name is a juxtaposition and variation of how you pronounce your last name. i win :} anyway, you're just incredible. i mean, your pictures have that POW that draws people in, you're a spectacular contact (thanks for all those comments!), AND i love all those cameras that you own even tho… Read more
MATT MATT MATT. your screen name is a juxtaposition and variation of how you pronounce your last name. i win :} anyway, you're just incredible. i mean, your pictures have that POW that draws people in, you're a spectacular contact (thanks for all those comments!), AND i love all those cameras that you own even though you're a canon user >.> but that's completely ok, because mr. marshmallow makes up for it. I look forward to seeing you go pro soon... (obviously not on flickr, because that's already been achieved... rather so people pay you the big bucks for your creativity! YEAH!). stay ridiculously awesome dude :{D. i expect nothing less from you. PEACE! s h a r i ♥
Read lessMatt, along with having one of the most creative names on flickr, (Schmachtenberg, smackthatbird, bahaha!) is also one of the nicest I've met on this lovely site. He always has the nicest things to say, and always gives you feedback on little things in your pictures to help you improve. He's really one of the best fli… Read more
Matt, along with having one of the most creative names on flickr, (Schmachtenberg, smackthatbird, bahaha!) is also one of the nicest I've met on this lovely site. He always has the nicest things to say, and always gives you feedback on little things in your pictures to help you improve. He's really one of the best flickr contacts anyone could have, and I'm so glad to call him my flickr friend :D
Read lessMatt "Smackthatbird" Schmachtenberg could be one of the most modest Flickr members I've encountered. He constantly provides VERY meaningful and helpful criticism, as well as tremendous encouragement to mere strangers! He makes the best of being a group member and leaves unique feedback on the photos he stumbles upon.… Read more
Matt "Smackthatbird" Schmachtenberg could be one of the most modest Flickr members I've encountered. He constantly provides VERY meaningful and helpful criticism, as well as tremendous encouragement to mere strangers! He makes the best of being a group member and leaves unique feedback on the photos he stumbles upon. Being a newer member (joined April '10,) he has a great feel for what the Flickr community is supposed to be about. Matt also has an extremely unique perspective on photography. He already has a repeated character "Mr. Marshmallow," who's adventures are entertaining to follow. His HDR shots are extremely smooth, making up an admirable chunk of his photo stream. One of my favorite parts of Matt's photostream is the colors and perspectives he manages to pull from everyday sights, as demonstrated in "Evil eyes" and "Why hello down there!" Overall, Matt is a tremendous artist, and I personally cannot wait to keep watching his photostream grow. Due to a wonderful and friendly personality, I can easily say that Matt is one of my favorite people on Flickr.
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