Chase Jarvis Chase Jarvis
  • Photos
  • Projects
  • About
  • Blog
  • Book
Chase Jarvis Chase Jarvis
  • Photos
  • Projects
  • About
  • Blog
  • Book
ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

Turn Love Into Money — Matt Schwartz’s 8×10 Polaroids Kick Instagram to the Back Seat

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

The phrase “Old school” can’t do justice to New York photographer Matt Schwartz’s methodology. Lugging around an 8×10 Polaroid camera to shoot stylized surf-themed pics (that are pretty easy on the eyes) that could pass as faded stills from unused Endless Summer clips, Schwartz has eschewed the conveniences of the modern camera and smart phone camera apps for an approach that has never let him down. That he does it without commercial motivation may be exactly why he has had so much commercial success.

Matt’s story is hard not to love. When his first attempt at selling his work to an ad agency failed, he went completely DIY and hired his own models and bought his own props to realize his vision. That vision has since caught the eye of Billabong, Levis and Surfrider, to name a few. He has maintained the same process and style without conceding to more commercial demands (cue my always-running speech about personal work). It continues to pay off.

I reached out to Matt to share with you all a bit about his work and his vision.

Your work has long been lauded for its trademark style. What’s the process behind that style?

MS: I take 8×10 Polaroids, pull apart the film and rub the negatives onto watercolor paper. The process is called Polaroid transfer.

Your subjects are predominantly female. What’s the story there?

MS: They are prettier than boys. Ha. I actually shoot women for my fashion/whimsical shoots, but shoot men for most of my surfing images. There needs to be an attraction of some sort (face, hair, clothes, aura, etc.) for me to be inspired to photograph someone.

What are a few of your influences?

MS: I am influenced by the beauty of surfing, ballet, yoga and music. I love traveling around the world to surf towns and immersing myself in everything.

Are there artists whose work you pay extra attention to?

MS: I like Chaz Ray Krider (erotic photography), Leroy Grannis (surf photographer) and a bunch of random illustration (juxtapose). I pay more attention to music than photography or other art forms. I am so immersed in my own work that I need an escape through sound.

How do strike a balance between personal and commercial work?

MS: Currently all of my work produced is for the purpose of creating. Images that need to be taken. Once I fall in love with an image I end up including it in the collection of work being sold. A few companies such as Levis and Anthropologie have purchased work for their stores. I have also worked with some surf companies on commercial work. I am branching out into the commercial world more and more each year, though I am very specific as to who I work with. I have been fortunate with my work where I can say “no” to offers. It’s weird when you get to a point and you can just say no, while someone is offering a lot of money, though at the same time it would cancel out who I was if i did any job.

What makes these different from other Polaroids?

Everything, as each artist is different. I have never pressed the shutter on my camera thinking about selling my work. I shoot because I have to capture beauty. When my work started selling I was playing music in a band. All of images were and have always been taken from the heart. With music there was always pressure to try and get on a small record label or line up shows, etc. There was no goal with my pics. They were just a hobby. I guess that is why they worked.

Check out more of Matt’s work here.

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

ChaseJarvis_MattSchwartz_SheHitPauseStudios_AmyRollo-01

Related Posts

10 Things Every Creative Person (That’s YOU) Must Learn
051026_ChaseJarvis_einstein_writing_vlrgwidec
Writing Makes Photographers More Creative — 5 Easy Tips
Daniel Pink: The Power of Regret
Chris Hutchins of Chase Jarvis LIVE
Chris Hutchins: All the Hacks to Maximize Your Life
Chris Burkard on Chase Jarvis LIVE
The Wayward Path of Photographer Chris Burkard
Make Your Message Heard with Victoria Wellman

8 replies on:
Turn Love Into Money — Matt Schwartz’s 8×10 Polaroids Kick Instagram to the Back Seat

Comments navigation

Previous
  1. Javier says:
    February 16, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Extraordinarily educative thank you, I believe your trusty readers could want even more information such as this carry on the good effort.

  2. Jerry says:
    February 16, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    if we have just signed up but I really would like to see a specific letter (Lorelei Lee’s) is there some place i’m able to possibly look at it or obtain a copy somehow?

  3. tzSantos says:
    September 30, 2014 at 1:49 am

    Amazing Work!!

    If you talk about surf, our little garden by the sea called Portugal is an mandatory pit stop!

    Glad to see that the third image is taken here!

    Amazing job!

Comments navigation

Previous

Comments are closed.

BUY NEVER PLAY IT SAFE NOW!

Get weekly, curated access to the best of everything I do.

Popular Posts

20250702_CJLIVE_PillarsOfMastery_Micro_Thumb_16x9_v2.5Struggling to Improve? This Could Be Why Your Practice Isn’t Paying Off Yet
20241001_CJLIVE_GaryVeeShow_Syndicate_Blog_16x9How Self-Betrayal Is Holding You Back
20250611_CJLIVE_ToDoList_Micro_Thumb_16x9_v2.5What If There’s No Rulebook? Here’s How to Write the One You Need
A person standing on a rocky outcrop, surrounded by dense evergreen forest. In the background, there are snow-capped mountains under a cloudy sky. Overlaid on the image, on the left side, there is text in bold yellow and black that reads: "THE CHASE JARVIS LIVE SHOW". The text is stacked with "THE" on top, followed by "CHASE JARVIS", and then "LIVE SHOW" at the bottom.Silent Saboteur: Why You Keep Breaking Your Own Promises
A stylized illustration of a person in a hat and work clothes digging with a shovel, uncovering gold beneath the surface. The artwork has a rugged, textured look with earthy tones, symbolizing hard work leading to success. To the left, bold yellow text reads 'The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show' in a modern font.How to Tell if Your Hard Work Is Leading to Gold
On the left side, the show's logo is displayed, with "THE CHASE JARVIS LIVE SHOW" in bold black text inside yellow rectangles, stacked vertically. The right side of the image features a cosmic scene set in outer space. Two large dice are floating in space, surrounded by swirling galaxies and nebulae. The background includes vibrant colors, such as deep blues, oranges, and whites, creating a dynamic and mystical atmosphere. The glowing spiral galaxy in the distance adds to the sense of wonder and exploration in the image.Why Success Demands You Never Play It Safe
Dr. Tessa West and a title "This Is Why Connections Matter." Dr. Tessa West is positioned on the left side, smiling and wearing a burgundy top. The background has a dotted pattern with a gradient from black to blue. The title is prominently displayed in bold white and yellow text, with the word "Connections" highlighted in yellow. In the top right corner, there is a small logo for "The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show."Finding Meaningful Work is Harder Than You Think
a close-up of a bearded man with short, graying hair wearing a light blue button-up shirt. The text beside him reads "Mastering the 3 Types of Conversation" in bold white and yellow letters. In the top right corner, the show’s logo, "The Chase Jarvis Live Show," is displayed in yellow and black. The background is black, making the text and the individual stand out prominently.The #1 Mistake That Ruins Most Conversations
Illustration of a sheep breaking away from the herd, running in the opposite direction across a green field under a blue sky with clouds. The text 'The Chase Jarvis Live Show' is displayed in bold yellow and black on the left side.6 Unexpected Ways to Break Free from the Herd
A shattered red clock with broken glass pieces flying outward, symbolizing the concept of breaking free from traditional time management constraints. The image is paired with the bold yellow text: 'The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show' with the word 'Show' crossed out, suggesting a redefinition of the format.Time Management Is Dead—Here’s What Actually Works

Daily Creative Projects

© 2024 Chase Jarvis. All rights reserved.