My photography career started in Hawaii shooting large weddings and I loved it. But after 12 years on the island, my wife and I decided it was time for a change, so we packed up our things and moved to the high desert of Moab, Utah. Now we live on-site and manage the Red Earth Venue here in Moab.
I'm a wedding and elopement photographer with a passion for this industry and the outdoors.
I’m Matt, Your Moab Photographer
The adjustment of leaving the tropics behind and moving to the desert was a big one but came surprisingly easy for us which was how we knew it was right. We traded our surfboards and dive gear for mountain bikes and carabiners and are so excited about this new place we call home.
this desert is just incredible
My parents taught me from a young age HOW to think, not WHAT to think, to appreciate the little things, to value my experiences, and that NOTHING is more important than the ones we love. “Stop and smell the roses” was a phrase we heard almost daily in our house. These are the principles I live by. Growing up in the foothills of Lake Tahoe, I spent the majority of my time outside. I’ve had a thirst for the outdoors and adventure since I can remember. I moved to Hawaii when I was 21 and a few years later met my wife, Hannah while working at a restaurant in Waikiki. After 12 beautiful years on the islands, we made the decision that it was time for a change, so we relocated to the high desert of Moab, Utah.
I grew up in a small mountain town in Northern California where my family didn’t have much.
I like to live outside of the box
In 2017 I bought my first DSLR camera and a tripod before a long, international backpacking trip with my wife and it opened up a whole new world for me! I posted photos of the trip online and shortly after we got back to Hawaii, a friend asked If I would be interested in photographing her wedding. After a nerve-racking night of thought, I agreed. I shot the wedding, and 4 days later I delivered the photos. I was terrified that she was going to hate them but to my surprise she was ecstatic. The adrenaline I felt while shooting that wedding, and even more so the feeling I got from the couple's kind words after the fact, lit a fire in me! And that's where it all began. From there, I worked with Hawaii-based photography companies where I had the pleasure of shooting 50+ weddings over the course of the next few years. Grateful and humbled by my journey and newfound passion, in 2021 I started my own business and have never been happier :)
Remember disposable cameras? I loved those things! I must’ve developed 100+ at Walgreens before the iPhone came out lol.
A little more about my photos
After all, your photographer will be with you for most of your wedding day. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you pick a photographer who you connect with on all levels. My goal is to tell the story of your wedding day in its truest form. My galleries will reflect precisely as it happened! I take the time to learn a bit about you, your personalities, and the love you share, so I can do just that. You can expect your photos to be very authentic, intentional, and REAL. My style is slightly bold, yet true to color and timeless. I'll give you as much direction as you need but those emotion-filled moments will come naturally. I encourage my clients to be themselves, let loose, and enjoy the experience as it's happening. I got the rest covered.
Ideally, you and I are not all that different. This is a big, emotional decision you’re making.
What it's like working with me
We were backpacking through Southeast Asia when COVID hit and got ‘stuck’ in Bali, Indonesia for 6 months. To combat the isolation we rescued a stray puppy we found clinging for life in a rice field. We got her healthy, fell in love, and ultimately brought her home with us to the states Sophie is our lil Bali street dog, and we are OBSESSED with her :)
@coupleofcoordinates
- Patagonia
- Thailand
- Dolomites
- Lake Como
- Norway
- Iceland
- Greece
My bucket list
Matt's talent is unmatched in many ways. My husband and I recently hired Matt to photograph our wedding in Moab and he was wonderful at capturing us in our favorite red rock wonderland. Our sneak peek photos are really something special. He recommended an adventure shoot a few days prior to our wedding and it was a great option for us. It made our actual wedding day carefree, which is exactly what we said we wanted in our initial consult with him. He took time to understand our non-traditional vibe and made sure his vision matched ours. He's truly a professional in his field, but didn't hesitate to join in on our wedding day fun! Matt was a real treat and we look forward to having him photograph us throughout our lives!
jen & cam
"If I could give 10 stars, I would."
Matt was AMAZING! Our pictures exceeded our expectations and he captured our special day perfectly. He took us on an adventure shoot which was one of our favorite wedding activities. We went the day before our wedding so we were able to get to know him which made our wedding day even more comfortable. He was so easy and fun to work with!
karissa & gabe
"WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!"
Matt gave me and my fiancé a fun and professional photography experience! He is so talented and passionate about his work and cracks jokes while finding the perfect angles and lighting. I would HIGHLY recommend anyone who’s looking for photography in Moab to hit him up!!I mean look at these pictures!! Thank you, Matt!!!
sydney & tyler
"I WOULD ABSOLUTELY BOOK AGAIN"
Matt is a prime example of someone who has mastered his passions in life. He made our engagement shoot so easy. After a 14-hour flight from Hawaii to Moab, we rushed to get ready and met Matt as quickly as we could to capitalize on Sunset lighting. I’m huge on efficiency and he didn’t waste any time, we got to the site and before we knew it, we felt like models of a romantic Mad Max scene. We relaxed into being ourselves and knew he was there to coach us into looking our bests. The one thing no one tells you about being in front of the camera is what a mental game it is! Being on the side of a cliff with gusty winds is no joke but he made sure we were comfortable and coached us to lean into mother nature’s elements with grace...
Laurin & Ameed
"WE FELT LIKE MODELS."
Matt really helped ease my worries of the wind whipping my hair around and let us laugh into the moment. He found a way to move around us in such a way we hardly noticed we were in a photo shoot! He also kept US moving so nothing ever felt too posed or stale. If you are looking to capture your romance in an adventurous location, Matt Davidson is the perfect match. Not only was the shoot so easy, when we received the gallery it felt like our wildest dreams came true and I was able to order our save the dates based on the sneak peeks alone because he was that good at highlighting the best of the best (thanks for the efficiency Matt!!). He is one of those people that because he loves what he does, he will never charge what he’s truly worth.
Laurin & Ameed
"WE FELT LIKE MODELS."
So pay the price and plan to tip so he can chase his own travel dreams, we need more humans like Matt in the world and I’ll say it as loud as it needs to be said. I’m a wedding planner myself and experience, efficiency and easy going personality is super key when it comes to choosing a photographer. With zero hesitation, Matt was our choice. Thanks for capturing our Moab adventure!
Laurin & Ameed
"WE FELT LIKE MODELS."
My fiancé and I were visiting Moab for vacation and really wanted some engagement photos done. We searched and were connected to Matt. He was so helpful in identifying a location that he knew would work. He made us incredibly comfortable, as this was the first time either of us had gotten photos done. We had such a great time and absolutely love the shots he got. Matt’s photos capture us and the views perfectly. We would recommend him to anyone looking for a photographer!
heather & Mike
"we had such a great time."
Matt was so wonderful to work with. From the beginning of the process, he was so caring and mindful of everything we wanted. He made the whole process easy and stress-free from the first initial reaction to the very end of our wedding day. We are that awkward couple who doesn’t like taking photos, but we had so much fun taking photos with Matt! He captured our awkwardness to our happiness, perfectly! We were completely ourselves and he helped bring that out on our big day! Now we have the most perfect memories captured forever!
Brooke & Caleb
"perfect memories captured forever."
We had the absolute pleasure of working with Matt for our wedding. He was so fun to work with and made all of us feel very comfortable and at ease— it definitely translated into the beautiful photographs that we received. We will treasure these moments truly for the rest of our lives. I cannot recommend Matt enough for any of your photography needs.
ELISE & BRICE
