Matt Raimondo: Travel filmmaker talks about finding spirituality in nature
Somewhere between watching clouds caress the mighty Mt. Everest in Nepal and experiencing Africa’s fascinating flora and fauna, travel filmmaker and photographer Matt Raimondo had a revelation; he would spend the rest of his life documenting mother nature’s spectacularly varied landscape and the creatures that live in it. The 38-year-old’s journeys from Asia to Europe and beyond, also helped him cultivate a spiritual bond with nature – a connection he deems profoundly personal and one that cannot be replicated. This mystical interpretation of our environment lends a uniquely whimsical quality to Matt’s pictures and films where the natural and human-made worlds seem to merge harmoniously.
Through his works, Matt strives to reveal a world that is colourful, abundant and yet is tinged with a sense of longing. His unique storytelling ability that beseeches aspiring travellers to explore more caught the eye of Tourism Queensland, and together the duo have created many incredible advertisement campaigns.
Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.
In conversation with TAL, the Australian speaks about his love for filmmaking over photography, having an avid interest in the outdoors and why travel is the perfect antidote for weariness.
Before we talk about your passion for filmmaking and photography, please tell us something about yourself.
I’m 38 years old. I grew up in Geelong (near Melbourne) close to the surf beaches and the stunning Great Ocean Road. At 20, I moved to Queensland, and have since called the magnificent Sunshine Coast my home.
Hiking in Swiss Alps.
Other than photography and filmmaking, I enjoy rock climbing and hike the Glasshouse Mountains and Mt Coolum regularly.
I also love yoga, cooking, gardening, playing the guitar, and tinkering around with some woodwork projects. Most things I indulge in have an element of creativity to them. Even rock climbing is creative as one needs to figure out how to piece together a climb and work their way through what might - at first- seem like an impossible idea.
Cinque Terre, Italy.
What attracted you to travel photography and filmmaking? Which country did you visit first as a travel photographer?
I have always been creatively inclined and started experimenting with filmmaking, art and design from high school. I worked as a video editor for some years but never had the opportunity to travel until I was in my late 20s.
My first overseas trip was to Nepal, and I wanted to photograph every minute of it. I was quite the novice – never having used a DSLR or any other photography equipment, but a friend lent me their camera. Before my journey, I spent a couple of months wrapping my head around the technicalities of my friend’s old Konica Minolta digital SLR.
Cinque Terre, Italy.
Nepal - though I didn’t know it then - was the catalyst that initiated my entry into the world of travel filmmaking and photography. I spent a couple of weeks completely immersed in the snowclad mountains of that tiny country and found a new, strong connection with nature. Suddenly there was this urge to travel more, experience different cultures and relish in the varying landscapes of the world. New Zealand, Japan and Africa followed Nepal, and I eagerly documented all those trips.
It may sound like a cliché, but travel changed me. I found a new appreciation for the outdoors, and along with my adventurous spirit, this combination took my creativity to a different level. After seeing my travel documentaries and pictures, many tourism and travel brands approached me for collaborations.
Morocco.
Travel has also made me more conscious of how I interact with the environment. Understanding how some of our actions can have a negative influence on our world inspired me to produce work that tackles more eco-friendly topics.
Was it easy to get started as a travel filmmaker and sustain your career over the years?
I think having a diverse set of skills – knowledge of Graphic Design and Video Production – made it easier for me to start my filmmaking career. Before becoming a freelancer, I combined my creativity with my passion which manifested in documentaries that depicted a unique brand of storytelling, attracting potential employers.
Morocco.
I am not encouraging anyone to work for free, but it is imperative to get out, explore and create a portfolio of projects that reflects your distinctive style. It will enable you to stand apart in a crowd.
In 2013 during a trip to Africa, I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and encountered Mountain Gorillas in Uganda! I documented these experiences through films and pictures and later entered them in a travel competition and won. Soon, Tourism Queensland discovered me, and we have been collaborating for the last six years. I still try to do one passion project a year.
It’s not all roses, though; some years are tougher than the others. I’m still learning to juggle my creative projects and films I do for business purposes. Honestly, I am not sure if it gets any easier. There’s always the next challenge or goal that needs to be met. It is an endless journey, and I quite like the upheavals that come with it.
Morocco.
As a filmmaker is there a particular narrative you want your work to communicate? What type of landscape attracts you the most?
All of us have a unique connection with nature; it is a bond that cannot be imitated or lived by someone else. Through my works, I want to encourage my viewers to actively find and nurture that connection, for it will enrich their lives immensely.
Every natural setting moves and inspires me, but remote landscapes – mountains, deserts, wild coastal areas – have a special place in my heart.
Swiss Alps.
Another passion of mine is documenting wildlife. I have spent a lot of time filming and photographing turtles in Queensland both underwater and while they are nesting/hatching on the beaches. Moments like those – when I am alone with a wild animal in their habitat – make my profession so exciting and satisfying.
In the last ten years or so your travels have taken you to Asia, Europe and Scandinavian countries, among others. Is there a destination that is a particular favourite?
It is impossible to choose a favourite; every place has left an indelible mark in my heart.
However, Nepal is more special than others. It is where I rediscovered my love for travel, cultivated an inseparable bond with nature and was encouraged to take up filmmaking. Also, the place is breathtakingly beautiful and is home to a fascinating culture and wonderful people.
Turtles in Queensland.
I have also enjoyed my trips to Norway, Switzerland, Africa and Morocco.
Which photographer’s work has influenced and inspired you and why?
I gravitate towards photographers who inspire through their way of life, adventures and passions. Renan Ozturk, Jimmy Chinn, Chris Burkard and Shannon Wild are a few that come to mind.
If you had to choose between being a photographer and a filmmaker, what will your heart opt for?
I can see myself taking photos forever, and they are less stressful. Filmmaking, on the other hand, is more complex, comprising various layers and requiring more collaborations. But, It is also more rewarding as you get to tell a story in a more powerful and emotive manner. So I would say filmmkaing has a slight edge over photography in my heart.
Turtles in Queensland.
Any advice for aspiring photographers and filmmakers?
Never stop exploring! Seriously, invest your time and energy into things you love and inspire you. When I started filmmaking, I was driven by the urge to get paid to travel the world. But soon, I found that my travels led me to have deeper connections with the natural world around me. Though money is still an essential factor, the spiritual connection I feel with nature eclipses the former.
So keep trying, you never know what you will find at the end of the tunnel!
Venice.
