PhotoLyfe: Matthew O’Brien

Welcome to PhotoLyfe, in which Stab‘s favourite photographers answer questions about themselves with their own images. It’s that old picture-tells-a-thousand-words chestnut but with more colour and pop. It’s a way to cut out all the bullshit. It’s like jacking into the main vein of those who supply us with exquisite surf imagery every day. Give thanks by studying each image with a more careful eye than usual! Today we breeze through the gripping work of Mr Matthew O’Brien. Ever since he won Stab‘s own Little Weeds back in 2009, Matty’s been a favourite in our Full Frames and site-wide, but mostly in print, because the quality of his work has generally stayed above the ever-blurring line of being ‘magazine-worthy’. Matty shoots sun-drenched moments within driving distance of the Sunshine Coast, where he’s from, but really gets his kicks shooting things like detailed portraiture in Asia or the Middle East. Which ain’t as frequent as he likes but suits us just fine, ’cause it means we get to see more of his visions of the surfing world… And, you could do worse than to follow Matt on Facebook and/or Instagram. 1. Describe yourself.   2. Where are you from? 3. What got you into photography?   4. Where do you wish you were right now?   5. What inspires you?   6. Who’s your favourite person to photograph?   7. What makes the best photograph?   8. What’s your favourite weapon?   9. Describe your mood right now.   10. What else should we know about you?