PhotoWings spent the day with documentary photographer Matt Black in Firebaugh, California as he made images for his body of work in the Central Valley. While on location, he provided insights on his photographic philosophy and how he connects to the people, communities and landscapes that he encounters. He shared tips about critical thinking, resilience, and how to tell complex stories using photographs.
Matt Black grew up in a small town in California's Central Valley, a rural agricultural area in the heart of the state. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Latin American and US Labor History.
Matt's work has chronicled the decline of traditional farming life and the rise of its modern replacement in rural California and southern Mexico. Exploring the changing human relationship to land, food, farming, and community lies at the core of Matt's twin documentary projects The People of Clouds and The Kingdom of Dust.
His work has been honored by the World Press Photo Foundation, the Alexia Foundation for World Peace, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, Pictures of the Year International, and others.
mattblack.com