Meet Matthew Miramontes | Photographer, Web Designer, Music Enjoyer, Do-er of Things

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Miramontes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Support what supports you”

It originally has been said for thousands of years since any form of community existed, but really I first noticed it from a clothing company, Born X Raised from Los Angeles. Their brand while in a different field than photography and live music, that’s a truth that stuck with me ever since first reading it back in high school.

Now, more than ever; there is a sense of community within art and the lines between genres have become more accessible than ever due to the internet. While it is impossible to wear all the hats for one person, the community built around that person has to be a system that accurately fits one or multiple goals. Almost like a coalition, having those words implemented into daily life from my hometown of Pittsburgh all the way to my current location in NYC. Community and perspective have always been the most important part of my creative outlet.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I mainly stick to photography/videography and web design / managing my own blog with album reviews and streams. I took the first break in my life this year after starting in 2016, mainly just to start focusing on hunkering down on exactly what I want to focus on within art.

The competitive factor in NYC is one of my favorite things about the city and I am constantly learning new techniques and styles. I always had my own style of photography, with framing a shot and configuring the main elements of the image. Truthfully, I am self-taught in everything I do and there is both a satisfying nature to it and almost a human element to it. Some of my favorite shots come from knowing the techniques and then immediately doing the opposite to get an unhinged and impossible-to-replicate photo.

While there are other artists that do what I do, I am one of the few that I have seen where in a lineup I wouldn’t be able to recognize my own work. Photographing mainly in black and white, my photos have intense contrast and harsh line work, but then there are moments where I can get shutter drag effects and pull off some truly ethereal shots. Really, it’s all about having fun and being more into the idea of creating rather than trying to make everything perfect. Perfection is so boring in an art field.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Any time I am in Miami, I have to hit Sweat Records or Technique Records. I’m fairly spoiled being in NYC, but truthfully those little mom-and-pop independent stores will always have my heart.

Ignore the tourist traps of the beach but the one museum I can’t recommend enough is the World Erotic Art Museum. It’s great for a first date or just trying to kill some time in between being crushed by the sun.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout Hannah Hunter from Swishh Dreams for the many, many times. Also shoutout to Justin (@Cheapwork), Cirsty Burton (@CirstyBurton), Dre (@Skum_King), and all the other creatives I know in my life.

Website: MattsMusicMine.com

Instagram: @MattsMusicMine

Twitter: @MattsMusicMine

Facebook: @MattsMusicMine

Youtube: @MattsMusicMine

Image Credits
Portfolio Photos: Matthew Miramontes (Matt’s Music Mine) Personal Photo: Dre (Skum King)