Matts Photography | Matt Streatfeild

3 years ago to the day I completed the 4 day hike through the Andes to reach Machu Picchu.  It is probably the best travel experience I’ve had.  Hiking at dizzying altitudes, in rain hail and shine (literally) it was as much a challenge physically as it was mentally.  The reward however was definitely worth it.  Reaching the Sun Gate at dawn and looking down to see this once great Inca City be revealed by the morning light will be an image burned forever in my memory.  Truly one of the great wonders of the world.

Shot on a Pentax K20D w/ Tamron 18-250 & Sigma 10-20.  Re-editied with VSCO Film.

Who is “One In A Million”

This photo titled “One In A Million” is without doubt one of my most popular travel images and a personal favourite from my entire collection.  The image was taken in the busy Asakusa Street Markets, Tokyo, Japan at 12:52pm on December 17 2007.

My wife Kate and I were on the first leg of our honeymoon.  Having only landed in Tokyo a few hours earlier, we had to make our way through this bustling crowd in order to reach our accommodation.  With camera in hand I was impressed with the sheer volume of people walking through this market.

Thinking it would make a great shot to capture the depth of activity I pointed my lens down the market and happened to focus on the back of the young Japanese mans head.  As I pressed the shutter, this young man turned his head in an instant, flashed a glance in my direction and turned back and with a blink of an eye he was lost in the crowd.  The resulting image is what you can see.

I’m quite sure he didn’t see me taking the photo, but it appears as if he is staring down the barrel of my lens.  This shot was totally unplanned and I have no idea who he is, like I said, he was lost in the crowd moments after the shot was taken.

For some reason this image has an impact that can’t be described, many many people comment, many have it hanging on a wall in their house.

I named the image “One In A Million” not only because he appears to the the only thing focussed in a busy frame but also the fact that this image was literally a one in a million chance of taking it.  It can’t be replicated.

So after 4 and a half years I’d like to put a name to the face.  It’s a hard task but something I think is entirely possible and what better way to use the power of social media to find him and say hi.

So if everyone who reads this, please share it with as many as you can, on your wall, twitter, whatever!  I’ve set a goal to find his name in the next 6 weeks.  My deadline is the 14th June

So obviously this needs to reach Japan and I’m sure that can happen fairly quickly.

Leads, info and names can be passed onto my Facebook Wall or emailed to me at info@matts photography.com.au

Fingers crossed.

Thanks in advance,

Matt Streatfeild – Photographer.

 

Here is a tiny sneak peek at Jess & Dan’s wedding yesterday.  They had it at Riverwood Downs, an amazing location somewhere in the Upper Hunter Valley.  The weather was kind to us.  I can’t wait to get the rest of the shots up.  Awesome wedding.

Update:  The full blog post can be seen here!

I had this little booklet passed onto me – “All About Taking Weddings With Your Camera” written by a guy called Gordon Catling.  Looking through the booklet I found that it was printed in 1952, making it 60 years old.  My mum isn’t that old!  It is quite an interesting read and while wedding photography and photography in general has changed significantly over the last 60 years, there is a lot in this book which is just good old common sense.  So for those about to marry…