Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Dingle.
Hi Matthew, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started out photographing my toys as a young child, and the photography obsession grew from there. I always had a camera nearby growing up and I loved the idea of capturing moments that I can look back on (being the nostalgic person that I am). In high school, I would photograph our football games while my friends would be in the stands. I didn’t care much for missing out because I knew where I wanted to go with photography. Towards the end of my high school career, I became very passionate about soccer photography. Being from England originally, I always had the knack for soccer culture however as my skill and business in photography grew I started to pay much more attention to the culture I was so engulfed in already. I currently shoot for Clubeleven magazine, which covers professional soccer across North America, and I also freelance for Atlanta United. The next step in my career is hopefully concert photography, as I have always had a passion for music and the creative process of making an album’s art.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to get here was anything but smooth. I’m my own worst critic, and I never give myself the credit others might feel I deserve. The battle of self-talk surrounding social media is something I think everyone deals with to an extent, and sometimes I wish I didn’t need it to grow my brand as much as I have. Finding work and “breaking through” the industry is something that takes a lot of patience and time and that’s something I had to learn just like everyone else also. It’s all about believing in yourself and understanding that no one is going to make this happen for you- it’s all centered around how hard and how fast you’re willing to work for both the work and for yourself.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My main body of work surrounds my coverage of soccer culture and photography. I shot the semi-professional team Georgia Storm during their inaugural season in the NPSL, and I broke through in the pro soccer scene. Some of my favorite work includes my personal projects on analog film. During Covid, I started a project called Pitch Culture, where I cover the culture surrounding soccer kits (jerseys). Through the course of that project, I gained the core base of my following on social media, and the artistic touch I can add to the jersey shoots is something I will never get tired of. Recently I shot a personal training camp with MLS players such as Mo Adams, CC Uche, and Jon Gallagher. Being able to capture more personal moments with these players is a highlight for me also, as it gives the audience a newfound love for their favorite players on a level beyond paying to watch them.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has a big part in my success. While it sounds cliche, reaching out to as many people as I possibly could seriously made my chances of getting somewhere higher. Whether that’s sending the odd email every day or just dming your favorite artist on Instagram- the idea of putting yourself out there and hoping for the best is exactly what I had to do. Everyone wants to be someone in the “industry”, so you have to do something that makes you stand out from what is ultimately the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: mattdingle0@gmail.com
- Website: https://matthewdingle.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nomadic_lens_
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nomadic_Lens
Image Credits:
Head shot photo by Dave Williamson (@davewphotography), The 4 shots of me shooting on various sets were all captured by Rachel Pearce. The remaining 4 shots are my own work, Matthew Dingle/Nomadic Lens
