Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Silk.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I actually got my start in photography really young—around seven years old. My uncle had founded a mail-order film processing company called Film Corporation of America. This was the early ’70s, when people mailed in their rolls of film and waited for prints to come back. The company took off pretty quickly, and Canon eventually reached out about working with them. One day my uncle was sent a camera bag packed with Canon bodies, lenses, filters—everything. That bag ended up with me, and that’s where it all started. At seven years old, I was experimenting, teaching myself, and just completely fascinated by the gear.
Not long after that, my uncle and my father sold the company and started a new venture called Hosiery Corporation of America, which manufactured the Silkies brand of women’s pantyhose. That business grew just as fast, and our family ended up moving to England. For the next ten years, my siblings, cousins, and I all attended boarding school there. Throughout that entire time, photography stayed with me. I didn’t have a clear goal for it—I was just constantly shooting and learning. The expectation was that I’d eventually join the family business, just like the older kids had done.
When I came back to the States at sixteen, everything changed. The company had shifted directions, and suddenly the future I had assumed was waiting for me wasn’t there anymore. After finishing a couple of years of high school, I decided to take a leap and enroll as a photography major at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Once I committed, I was all in. For two years, photography was my entire world—twelve-hour days in class, in the studio, anywhere I could be learning or shooting.
After graduating, I assisted for about a year before deciding to take another chance and go out on my own. I focused first on building a local client base, then slowly expanding beyond Florida. I ran my business in South Florida until 2003, when I relocated to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to be closer to family.
For the past twenty years, I’ve been growing Matt Silk Photography from Myrtle Beach, primarily working with clients throughout the Southeast, but also traveling as far west as Los Angeles and everywhere in between. I’ve been fortunate to work on resort projects in places like Belize, Aruba, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico—experiences that still remind me why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Like most small businesses, there’s been a lot of learning along the way—from figuring out how to properly value my work to dealing with copyright violations. More recently, the industry itself has shifted with AI changing workflows and advances in phone technology leading some clients to bring photography in-house. Each of those challenges has forced me to adapt, but they’ve also made me more resilient and more intentional about how I work and the value I bring to my clients.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m most proud of the diversity of work I am able to offer my clients. Rather than focus strictly on one type of photography, I’m able to market myself to a wide range of potential clients whether they be ad agencies, architectural firms, interior designers, or resorts. This is particularly helpful for example when a resort needs a multitude of things done: room interiors, lifestyle with models, food shot in their dining room etc. So instead of having to secure various photographers for each need, they can work with one that can handle the entire shot list.
My philosophy when it comes to being so diverse is that understanding light and composition makes the subject matter almost irrelevant. The principles apply across the board.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
If I’m being honest, starting out today looks nothing like it did 30 years ago. Back then we were shooting film, waiting on lab results, and learning by making plenty of expensive mistakes. There was no social media, no instant feedback, and definitely no phones shooting 4K video. It’s a completely different world now—but the fundamentals still matter.
My biggest piece of advice is to really ground yourself in the basics: lighting, exposure, composition, and visual storytelling. Those principles never go out of style, no matter how advanced the tools become. At the same time, you have to be comfortable with modern software—editing, color, motion, even design tools. Today’s creatives wear a lot of hats, and the more fluent you are across platforms, the more valuable you become.
One thing I’d strongly encourage is being intentional about the clients you pursue. General, easily replaceable work is becoming more vulnerable—especially as AI continues to evolve. Clients with proprietary needs, unique processes, or sensitive projects will always need a human touch and trusted expertise. That’s where long-term security and meaningful relationships tend to live.
And finally, don’t shy away from projects that scare you a little. Some of the biggest leaps in my career came from saying “yes” before I felt fully ready. Growth rarely happens in your comfort zone. You’ll figure it out as you go—just like we always have.
The tools may change, but curiosity, adaptability, and courage still matter just as much as they ever did.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.mattsilk.com
