Goodbye Aretha

On August 15th, 2018 I called my long-time client and friend for the last time. The next day, August 16, Aretha Franklin passed away.

For the last 14 years, I have photographed Aretha and shared many wonderful moment along the way. Since October of 2017 we tried several times to arrange a photo shoot for her final CD cover (she was planning on retiring) however, each time the photo session had to be canceled at the last moment.

Over the last year we had a lot of opportunities to speak over the phone and many of those conversations were spent laughing and planning for the day she was strong enough to shoot. In November of 2017, she told me about her schedule to do an Elton John event in New York along with a late night talk show. We discussed doing the shoot while she was in New York but decided it would be too much and opted to wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving but the day before Thanksgiving she was admitted to the hospital. Sadly, our shoot never took place but I am grateful for every second I spent with Ms. Franklin forever.

Goodbye my friend!

Love, Matthew

Japanese Star Becky

I recently photographed one of the most famous people in Japan for a series of beauty images. Today, the images are all over Japanese TV, Instagram, Yahoo news, LINE news, and other media outlets. 

While most people outside of Japan may not know Becky, many have made comments on her remarkable beauty comparing her look to a young Isabella Rossellini.

All I know is that I enjoyed working with Becky and her sister and can't wait to do it again!

Becky photographed by Matthew Jordan Smith