Vewd - For documentary photographers

Vewd

About

Staff

Who runs this?

Matt Blalock

Founder/CEO

"For about three years I worked at becoming a "documentary photographer." I tried to shoot the way I thought I was supposed to. By "supposed to," I mean the way others shot since that seemed to be what gets published. But I liked shooting another way. I liked my way. But nobody else did. I became fed up, tired, exhausted. I'd been shooting for months only to have it all stolen from my apartment in late 2007.

I decided I would start shooting my way, shooting the shots I wanted, and well, still nobody published it. I guess I should have gone back to shooting the "National Geographic way," but I could not let myself do that. Call me stubborn, but instead I began flirting with the idea of building something that completely disregarded the notions of traditional media, something that would allow a new and diverse interpretation of images, themes, and projects.

I sat, listening to speakers at the Full Frame Documentary Film festival. First Elizabeth Edwards, wife of John Edwards, and then Nancy Buirski a founding member of the festival. I consider it one of America's best documentary film festivals, thousands of people attend each year. Nancy Buirski was describing the role her organization has played in so many lives throughout the last few years. It inspired me deeply. It is crazy to think how much of an influence the time I spent in that dimly lit room had on this project. It was ultimately the inspiration I needed to create Vewd.

I wanted a place that allowed creativity to bloom, to break a norm or two, and do something different, without having to fear the repercussions. There were (and still are) a lot of changes happening in all forms of media. I was so afraid that the documentary and photojournalism industry was going to choke entirely. I was afraid this valuable part of our culture would disappear. I still do not know what Vewd’s impact is going to do for our little part of the world, but I'm taking a step for each of us in hopes of catalyzing creativity, meaning, and the power to move viewers through the genre of documentary photography."

Keep in Touch!

E-mail Matt

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Matt’s Lightstalkers

Matt’s Flickr

Charlie Clay

Managing Editor of VewdPhoto

After gradating from Guilford College in December of 2007, Charlie headed west. As a photo editor, he has worked on staff at the Guilfordian newspaper and as an employee of ZUMA Press in Southern California. He is currently living in the Pacific Northwest, where he excitedly edits submissions for Vewd.org. Charlie aspires to increase the quality of photography in media through editorial commitment to excellence. When he's not editing, Charlie enjoys cycling, snowboarding, automotive safety and electrical engineering He loves the smell of solder in the morning and can be found behind the lens of a Nikon D50. "I love Vewd because we embody a reverence for pure, synaptic vision. I'm not concerned with arbitrary beauty."

Keep in Touch!

E-mail Charlie

Gabriel M. Ortega

Editorial Assistant

Gabriel M. Ortega was born in Valdivia, Chile and grew up in the United States. After receiving a BFA in Photography from the University of Connecticut, he left the comfort of the US to go explore his roots in Latin America. Previously, he worked as a photographer in Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia while publishing in travel magazines in Chile. He is currently living in Mexico City.