We had the good fortune of connecting with Mat Schramm and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mat, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Most of my couples have never planned a wedding before, so I like to be a resource to my couples as they plan for their day. From the moment a potential client reaches out to me all the way through when I deliver their images, my intentional process lets my couples relax and be fully present on their wedding day.
I want to make sure my clients have the best experience working with their photographer, so I do everything I can throughout a couple’s engagement to make them feel really special. I love to give thoughtful gifts, send my couples handwritten notes, and chat on the phone with a few of their biggest supporters before their wedding… I even throw an in-person reveal celebration for my couples when they see their images for the first time. There’s champagne, snacks, candles, and even a few prints for them to hold in their hands.
I’ve found that when someone has a really exceptional experience working with their wedding vendors, they love to tell other people about their experience. This has been one of the biggest keys to my brand’s success.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Before I started my photography business full time in 2019, I was the creative director for a national nonprofit organization that focuses its efforts on diversity and inclusion. I worked on the organization’s marketing team, and tried to absorb everything I could from my teammates about marketing and communications. The organization had a very entrepreneurial spirit and its leadership encouraged me to try new things, but then also expected me to honestly assess the effectiveness of each new project we tried. It taught me so much about the importance of learning about success through failure.
My brand is about letting my clients experience love in front of a camera and creating real, heartfelt moments for adventurous, down-to-earth couples. Most of the couples I talk with worry that their wedding photography will end up looking awkward or too posed. That’s why I get to know each of my couples long before their wedding day so their images will reflect the magic of their love.
My style is different than other photographers. I focus less on posed images and instead try to capture active, genuine interaction that creates authentic expressions and strong connection. I tell each of my couples that I want them to be able to look back on the images from their wedding and be reminded of how they felt, so I do everything I can to make sure they’re able to relax and be fully present on their wedding day.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
While I love hanging out in Denver (day drinking in RiNo, thrifting/antique shopping on South Broadway, or going for a walk or jog around Sloan’s Lake), usually in my free time I’m headed into the mountains. When friends and family come into town, I love to show them how beautiful Colorado is. We’ll watch the sunrise or sunset, go on hikes followed by a trip to a brewery, or explore the shops in a mountain town we haven’t been to yet.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I grew up in a family that didn’t show up for me. Since a young age, I have been involved in music and the arts and was often met with disapproval from my father about that, so it was always a special treat when any of my family decided to make an appearance at my school functions.
That all changed when I met my wife Jenny. A little over 4 years ago we discussed whether it would be possible to leave my full time job to pursue my photography career full time. Every step of the way she has encouraged me to pursue my dream of running a successful creative business. She’s often at photography sessions with me helping couples look their best, giving me style and design recommendations, and thinking strategically with me about the business itself. I’m so lucky to have Jenny in my life. She and I are only a few months away from becoming parents ourselves and I can’t wait to see the incredible mother she’s going to be.
Website: www.matschrammphoto.com
Instagram: @matschrammphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/matschrammphoto