Matthew Dodd has traded tools for a camera as he goes full-tilt into photography.
Fully committed to his photographic pursuits, Matthew Dodd is reaping the rewards.
Matthew said photography has provided him with plenty of pleasure and happiness, eventually leading to the launch of a website three years ago and opening a studio at the start of 2024.
His passion first transpired when he travelled overseas.
“It’s great to be able to photograph those locations and once you leave you can look back at those pictures and be reminded of those memories,” Matthew said.
“That transferred to exploring and appreciating my backyard a lot more once I had returned home.”
While he was working as a carpenter, the Port Lincoln resident decided to dedicate more time to photography, but found he was often trying to juggle the two occupations.
“It started as just a bit of an after-hours job and I’ve always been a carpenter – photography has been a bit of a side business,” Matthew said.
“I was trying to juggle two different jobs and probably wasn’t performing at either of them to the best of my ability.
“I then decided to concentrate on photography and give that a shot knowing that if it didn’t play out, I would always be able to return to carpentry.”
Finding a studio space had been difficult, along with financing his fondness for the camera.
Having thrown himself into Doddlife Photography, Matthew is happy with his decision.
“A challenge has been to try and fund that passion of photography off of a carpenter’s wage, while still trying to fund life,” he said.
“It wasn’t a profitable exercise at all until I committed to it. I can see a lot of up and coming photographers and artists who are battling away and trying to make a living out of their passion but it’s costing more than it’s making and it can be disheartening.
“If it’s your passion and you keep persevering you will get there eventually and there will be some hard times, but the good times will outweigh them.”
