Takeaway 1: Curiosity Can Turn Disruption into Opportunity
When Matt first came across the phrase “photography without photographers,” it stopped him in his tracks. Having built a career defined by the craft of lighting, styling, and creative decision-making, the idea felt not just disruptive, but deeply personal.
“I found this weird blog on LinkedIn that said product photography without the photographer,” Matt recalls. “And I was initially offended. But then I thought, this must be some video trick… so I booked a flight to Holland to see it for myself.”
That trip marked a turning point. What began as skepticism turned into one of the most transformative moments of his career. When he arrived in the Netherlands, he was met not with gimmicks, but with innovation: a flat lay automation system that used an iPad interface to streamline image capture.
“I saw this flat lay table that used an iPad, and I was like, okay, it’s not a trick. That’s kind of cool,” he says. “I realized it could actually solve a lot of problems for studios.”
Rather than rejecting the technology, Matt leaned in, recognizing that it wasn’t about replacing photographers, but empowering them to focus on creativity rather than repetition. That mindset led him to help launch and train teams on the system globally, bridging the gap between technology providers and creative professionals.
It’s a lesson that continues to resonate across the industry: discomfort often signals growth. By staying curious instead of defensive, Matt turned what could have been a threat into a new way to contribute, shaping how automation integrates into the creative process rather than being defined by it.
“I was terrible at sales,” he laughs, “but I loved being with the customers, learning from them, helping them get the most out of the tools. That’s when I realized my curiosity had taken me somewhere new, from taking the pictures to helping others make them better.”
What began as discomfort became innovation, proving that curiosity turns disruption into opportunity.
Takeaway 2: The Best Work Comes from Sharing, Not Guarding
As Matt moved through different corners of the photography world, he noticed a stark contrast in how people approached their craft. In high-end advertising and campaign work, he says, the culture often leaned toward secrecy, a kind of creative gatekeeping.
“People could be quite rude and quite secretive about their process,” he remembers. “I liked the ones who were a bit more open.”
Knowledge was treated like currency, and protecting your “tricks” meant protecting your edge. But when Matt transitioned into e-commerce and catalog photography, the mindset shifted entirely. Success in that environment was about the collective effort to create consistent, high-quality results across hundreds or thousands of products.
“In catalog and e-commerce work, people had to make sure things were consistent,” Matt explains. “So there was a lot more sharing, a lot more learning, and openness.”
That collaboration became a creative strength. When lighting setups, styling techniques, and workflow tips were shared openly, teams grew faster, solved problems faster, and created better imagery. The studio became a space for experimentation and mentorship rather than competition.
It’s a philosophy Matt still carries into his work at Profoto, where knowledge-sharing between technology partners and creatives drives innovation. The willingness to collaborate visibly builds better images and stronger communities.
When everyone contributes, everyone gets better, that’s when the work and the people — really start to shine.
Openness builds trust, and that trust becomes the foundation for creativity that lasts.
Takeaway 3: Every New Tool Is Just Another Chapter
Over more than two decades in photography, Matt has seen almost every kind of transformation, from the slow magic of darkroom development to the instant gratification of digital capture, from the early days of Photoshop to the rise of automated image workflows.
“From darkrooms to iPhones, each wave of technology has brought both excitement and fear,” he says. “But the craft remains. It’s about the care for detail, the storytelling. If you focus on the craft, every tool becomes an ally rather than a threat.”
That mindset feels especially relevant now, as AI accelerates what’s possible in visual production. For many, AI feels like the latest existential threat: a tool capable of replacing workflows and the creative vision itself. But Matt sees it differently. He’s lived through enough technological leaps to know that innovation rarely completely erases craft; it redefines it.
We’ve been here before,” he suggests. “People said digital would kill film, or automation would kill studios, but what actually happens is the opposite. The people who embrace it learn to do more, and better.
In other words, every technological chapter in photography has expanded what creativity can look like, not diminished it. Where the darkroom once required patience and precision, today’s tools demand adaptability and intent. AI may streamline background cleanup, automate lighting adjustments, or even generate images from text, but it can’t replicate the human ability to decide what feels true to a story or brand.
“The tools will always evolve,” he says. “But it’s still the same questions: what are we trying to say, and how do we want people to feel when they see it?”
In that light, the history of photography becomes less a story of obsolescence and more a story of adaptation. Each new chapter adds a new language for visual storytelling. And for Matt, that evolution is something to welcome, not fear.
Explore the resources mentioned by Matt:
- Matt’s website https://mattbrasier.com
- Profoto’s: Youtube channel, “Share the Light” website and their Instagram
- Film Lights Instagram
- ISO1200 Magazine Instagram
- Sean Tuck Youtube
- Moment Youtube
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.