Matthew Serrano Interview - Respect the Shooter
Where are you from?
I was made in Brooklyn but refined in New Jersey. I am a living embodiment of the Verrazzano Bridge. I have the high speed energy and grit of the city that allows me to recognize the 'real' moments. That is paired with a Jersey perspective on how to slow down and match the soul with the scenery
How did you get into photography/videography?
It started with these boxes of old photos I found of my parents and their siblings as kids. Looking at them, I realized a photo is basically a time travel device. It transports you back to the vibe of a specific millisecond, and I wanted to understand how to wield that kind of power. I eventually took a film class in college where I’d spend hours in the darkroom, blasting Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth while learning how to turn an intention into a physical print. But the real turning point was the iPhone 7 Plus. I remember capturing a trash can choked with graffiti and realizing that if I could make a piece of junk feel that evocative, I was doomed to the craft. There was no turning back.
What was your first camera?
I spent my early years messing around with my cousin’s Polaroids. They were these ghost-white frames of instant gratification, but they were essentially toys. The real initiation happened when my mother handed me her Nikon N75 for a college film class. That machine was a fragment of her history that became the foundation of my own. It was the first tool that felt like a weapon in my hands. I still keep it today as a sacred relic. It marks the exact moment I realized photography wasn't just a credit to earn in school. It was a way of life.
What camera do you currently use?
My primary tool today is the Canon R5. It is a piece of gear with a heavy soul. After my father passed away eight years ago, a final gift from him allowed me to invest in a professional setup. It serves as a constant reminder of his influence. He was the one who taught me to ignore the noise and tune into the creative frequency. This camera is how I keep that signal alive.
How did you learn your craft and advance your skills?
Learning the craft was a process of breaking down the world and rebuilding it. College gave me the fundamental understanding of how to bend light and surroundings to my will. However, my real growth happened on the pavement with an iPhone in my hand. I begged friends and family to spend hours in front of my lens so I could find the rhythm of a shoot. I learned that a photographer has to be a director as much as an observer. I owe a massive debt to my brother Mike and my chosen brother Marini for being my first models.
I filled the gaps in my knowledge by obsessing over photobooks and cinematic frames. I took notes on every beautiful scene I encountered and tried to recreate that magic with my own signature. Even my editing process was born from intuition. I learned Lightroom through tutorials, but I mastered it by learning to trust the specific spark I felt with every tweak of a slider. There is no shortcut for the work. I advanced because I was willing to put myself out there and practice until the vision was sharp
Do you have any nicknames? How did you get that name?
I have a collection of nicknames from over the years, but the one that truly took root was simply just Serrano. Growing up in a sea of Matts and Matthews, the name was an epidemic. Every time someone called out for 'Matt,' a dozen heads would pop up like meerkats scanning the horizon. It was a total glitch in the system. We eventually started using our last names just to maintain some sense of order. That name stuck so firmly that it actually rewrote my identity. I even had a friend's parent who was completely flabbergasted to find out my first name was Matt after fifteen years of friendship. Today, Serrano is the only name I use. It is my handshake and my brand as Mr_Serran0
If you could take photos of any 3 people that are alive today, who would they be?
There are three individuals who represent the specific frequencies I am always trying to tune into with my lens. Mike Tyson is at the top of the list. He carries a global weight that very few people on earth can match. You can see his entire journey etched into his features. I want to document the duality of his spirit. On one side you have the baddest man on the planet, a pure warrior frequency. On the other side you have the man who loves to laugh and protect his peace. My goal is to find the sliver of soul that connects those two extremes. It would be a study in the architecture of a human life
Second is Erykah Badu. She carries a sense of mysticism that feels prehistoric and futuristic at the same time. Her aura is a completely unique signal. I want to see if I can create a visual vibe that matches the weight of her presence. It would be a study in unfiltered energy.
Last is John Leguizamo. This choice is deeply personal and goes back to a report I wrote when I was just a kid. Growing up, he was the only Latino from New York I saw who had a platform that commanded the attention of every race and nationality. He provided a blueprint for what was possible for someone like me. It would be a full circle moment to honor his work and his legacy through my own art.
If you could take photos of any 3 people that are no longer living, who would they be?
If I could pull three ghosts back into the frame, the first would be my father. I have the boxes of old photos of him, but I want to capture him with the eyes I have now. His presence is still a heavy signal in my life. He was a master of the dual frequency: absolute respect on one side and a total, beautiful clown on the other. I want to use my craft to stop time and find that specific mixture of gravity and laughter. I want a print that feels exactly how he made us feel.
Next is Anthony Bourdain. He is the reason I ever looked past the horizon. He painted pictures of the world that convinced me to leave home and seek out the truth in the static. I set a life goal because of his influence: to travel the world and get paid for the journey. I have hit fifteen countries and counting since then. Every time I’m in a new city, I’m trying to master a style of street photography that matches the visceral vibe of his voice. I want to capture the man who taught me that the world is worth the trip.
Last is Freddie Mercury. He possessed the most tectonic voice in rock history and a personality that could fill a stadium before he even sang a note. It would be the ultimate session. I want to see if a still image could actually contain that much electric energy without shattering the lens. It would be a study in pure, unadulterated performance.
If you could take photos in any 3 cities what would they be?
Tokyo is the first destination. It is a siren call for anyone who believes that life must be a total surrender to the craft. The city is built on the idea that if a path does not consume you completely, it is a pointless pursuit. I love that philosophy of monolithic obsession. I want to lose myself in the neon and the nightlife to see how those contrasts shaped my own perspective. It is a place that demands you throw your entire being into the frame.
Bali is next on the list. My interest started with the cinematic landscapes of the movie 'The Fall.' It is a place that feels like it was painted rather than built. I am drawn to the vastness of the space and the sharp contrast of the colors. I want to see how the local culture and the natural landscape interact. It is a dreamscape waiting to be documented by a lens that understands how to handle that much beauty at once.
The final stop is Hong Kong. I have a deep hunger for the chaos of that city. Some of my favorite work came from the sensory overload of India. In that environment, the challenge is finding the single grain of salt in the ocean. You have to find the one quiet story hidden inside a deafening roar. Everything I know about Hong Kong suggests that same beautiful frequency of madness but with its own color palette. I want to see if I can find the heartbeat in the middle of that stampede.
What is your goal when you capture photos of someone?
I want to capture the truth of an existence. My goal is to pull the soul of a subject into a photo so it can be shared with the world. I am chasing that single millisecond where a person is truly themselves. I want to position people in a way that forces the viewer to stop and wonder. I learned the true weight of this power when I took the final photo of a man who died in a car accident only hours later. He posted the image as his last act of sharing himself with the world. His family was forever grateful because he was someone who avoided the lens, yet he felt safe enough to let me in. That experience sits with me every time I work. It reminds me that I am not just taking a picture. I am creating a relic for the people who are left behind
What is your dream as an artist?
I aim to create a legacy of images that force people to see the world differently. My dream is to produce work that acts as a portal. I want to transport the viewer into a space that is purely unique to my perspective and their emotional response to it. In my street photography, I am looking for the elements of humanity that never change. I want my work to stand the test of time. I want to capture the kind of beauty that remains timeless regardless of the era
What music do you listen to when you edit photos?
I listen to everything because I am always chasing a specific feeling. My editing sessions are fueled by a chaotic, beautiful mix of sounds. There is no such thing as a typical playlist for me. I need the freedom to move from Jim Croce’s nostalgia to the heavy rhythm of the Wu-Tang Clan. I want the neon energy of Daft Punk and the modern pulse of Bad Bunny alongside the gravelly soul of Shakey Graves. I often find myself lost in the atmospheric strings of Hermanos Gutiérrez while I’m fine-tuning a print. Music is the essential ingredient. It is how I tune into the frequency of the image on the screen.
What is your dream as a photographer?
I am working toward a legacy of photobooks and art shows. My goal is to move my vision out of the digital static and into the physical world. I follow the blueprint of silent instructors like Steve McCurry, Danny Clinch, and Jonathan Mannion. I see my future in published archives and on the walls of galleries. But the real ambition is more intimate: I want to capture something so visceral that someone decides it belongs in their home or their office. I want my work to take over a wall and become part of the architecture of their life. I am chasing a specific feeling that exists outside of language. I want to create a visual experience so powerful it leaves the viewer in a state of pure, silent recognition. To me, that isn't about ego. It is about the ultimate form of connection
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream to be a photographer/videographer?
Start by stealing the fire from the people who inspire you. Copy their style and dissect their methods. Eventually, your own signature will bleed through the imitation. You have to be fearless because the ghosts of the shots you didn't take are much louder than the ones sitting in your portfolio. Mastering the rules is only useful if you intend to shatter them. Put in the hours until the process is purely intuitive. Do not stop. And for the sake of the craft: put the work out there. I struggle with this myself, but keeping your vision in a box is a mistake. The world is waiting for your specific frequency. You have to let them hear it.
What's your favorite app on your phone?
I am torn between Spotify and YouTube. Spotify provides the continuous soundtrack for the hunt. It is the rhythmic pulse that dictates the mood of my edits and my walks through the city streets. YouTube is the infinite classroom. It is the modern syllabus where I find the teachers and the lessons that bridge the gap between my current skill and my future ambitions. One feeds the soul while the other feeds the craft. I cannot imagine navigating the world without that specific balance of inspiration and education.
http://www.instagram.com/mr_serran0
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