DISCLAIMER: SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES WERE FOLLOWED CLOSELY AT THE TIME OF THIS PHOTOSHOOT WITH ALL THE SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MATT.
The next subject I have photographed for the series is Matt Luke Spike Taylor.
This photoshoot is the first photoshoot in five months since the first photoshoot I did earlier this year with the actor, Oli Regan, and it feels good to be getting back to doing photoshoots, though this time around, it has been remarkably different considering we’re still in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which has mentally affected us all, though I’m pleased to say we’re all protecting ourselves a lot more than we used to, and this photoshoot, for me, was a welcome release of emotions after five months of being unable to meet up with friends due to the lockdown rules that were put into place on the 22nd March.
This photoshoot was produced in two different locations in Croydon.
I’m Starting to Have Second Thoughts About This. 
I’m Not Really in A Good Place at the Moment. 
I Feel Like Everything Has All Become Too Much For Me to Deal With. 
Wow! I Was Definitely Not Expecting That! 
You’re Making Me Laugh & I’m Trying to Be Serious!
I’m Hiding From The Emotions I Feel From Within. 
Yeah, That’s Right! Jog On! 
I’m Finding it So Hard to Keep a Straight Face Because You’re Making Me Laugh!
I Find What You Just Said Interesting! I’m Fascinated Too! 
Is That What They Said?
I Embrace My Inner Goofiness With Style!
This is My Mischievous Side & I’m Not Afraid to Be My True Authentic Self! 
I Don’t Know If I Can Do This Anymore.
I Wonder What The Future Has in Store For Me. 
This is Me! This is Who I Am! I Was Born to Be Me! 
Things Are Slowly Turning a Corner for Me, But I’ll Be Taking Things Slowly From Here. 
Things Are Slowly Turning a Corner for Me, But I’ll Be Taking Things Slowly From Here. 
I’m Trying to Think About What I Can Do.
I’m Feeling Good! 
What On Earth is Going On? 
You Will Never Change Who I Am. You Will Never Break Me, But You Will Never Replace Me.
The Queen’s Gardens was the first spot for the photoshoot which is where a mass fraction of the photoshoot took place, while the other fraction of the photoshoot took place outside Fairfield Halls & Croydon College.
Matt was so confident and wasn’t afraid to express his genuine emotions as we did a massive catch-up baring in mind we last met up on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2020 at Funhouse, and it was nice to converse and chat about stuff openly, especially chatting about the pandemic and how it’s affected all of us mentally.
What’s interesting is how five months of no photoshoots and exactly six months of bottled up emotions of missing friends makes you realise and appreciate everyone around you more, and these photos I produced and turned to black and white were a way of helping me to let go the emotions I bottled up and Matt felt exactly the same like everyone has been because you never think a pandemic like this could affect and greatly impact the world on such a devastating scale, though to do this photoshoot and this being the first photoshoot in five months since the first shoot I did with Oli Regan back in February proves that I was able to let go the emotions I bottled up, while also being able to shift past the mental block this lockdown put myself and everyone else in for months, not to mention the writer’s block I’ve had on and off over the course of the past five months.
What I love about this photo-set is that it shows the vulnerabilities and genuine emotions Matt has uncovered as mental health is more widely talked about now than it was around 10-15 years ago and it’s so refreshing to see Matt showing that like all of us, he’s only human and he’s being true to who he is, which is the inspiring drive and positive energy we all also need to feel more at peace with ourselves, both mentally and authentically.
If you felt this photoset of Matt inspired you, please don’t hesitate to reach out, as I would love to hear from you.
Alex Smithson
Equipment Used:
- Nikon D3300
- 18-55mm NIKKOR Lens
- TAMRON AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2
- iPhone 7 Plus
- Apps Used: Apple Camera/Photos & Instagram (Free)
- Filter Used: Inkwell
Location of Photoshoot: The Queen’s Gardens
Date of Photoset Produced: Saturday 4th July 2020
