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Matt Payne
Matt Payne is a landscape photographer and mountain climber from Durango, Colorado. He’s the host of the weekly landscape photography podcast, “F-Stop Collaborate and Listen,” co-founder of the Nature First Photography Alliance, and co-founder of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards. He lives with his wife, Angela, his son Quinn, and his four cats, Juju, Chara, Arrow, and Vestal.
Autumn Fall
The pursuit of nature and landscape photography can take on many forms and the paths we take can be about different things for different people. Some of us just like to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, finding relief and mental comfort in the solitude and serenity that nature offers. Others prefer the thrill of the chase, looking to enjoy the rare endorphin high created by those fleeting but memorable moments while in the landscape. Some find joy in the monetary success that can be found, albeit rarely, from this pursuit. Others use photography as a vehicle through which they may find a greater purpose for themselves and discover a means of personal artistic expression. Jeff Freestone blends two of these motivations – relief from the noise of civilization and pursuit of self-discovery in a way that makes his work stand out in a very crowded field.