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When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, Riley McCarthy ‘24 and Sydney Matysik ‘24 found solace in the art of photography–a passion they both share to this day.
At the start of the global pandemic, having nowhere to go, McCarthy found herself on neighborhood walks taking photos, she said. She had previously been involved in other art forms, including dance and theater, so photography captured her interest. McCarthy photographs mainly nature, but doesn’t confine herself to it, she said.
“It’s really cool to capture the little things that I’m seeing,” McCarthy said. “Sometimes it ends up even cooler than what I can see with my own eyes.”
McCarthy utilizes her photography not only for personal enjoyment, but business purposes as well. RKM Snapshots is an online based business that McCarthy herself started and manages. Instagram-based, the business sells cards and calendars with nature photos taken by her. Thank you notes, birthday cards, and various other celebratory notes are just a few of the products McCarthy specializes in.
“I think it has a bigger impact than I thought,” McCarthy said. “Everyone experiences nature and the world differently, so every photographer can take a picture of one scene, and they will all be different.”
Matysik is another photographer thriving online. After taking digital photography at LT her freshman year, she felt that the class had sparked her interest in the subject. Matysik emphasizes a focus on portraits, and often photographs friends in different backgrounds and photoshoots.
“I love taking portraits of my friends,” Matysik said. “I have the most beautiful friends and it’s so nice to see when they’re smiling and happy to see pictures of themselves.”
Matysik has an online photo gallery account, “SMAT Photography,” where she shares photos from photo shoots. Before the shoots, she plans out each portrait, where it will be, what the person will be wearing, and their makeup and hair, she said. While photography may seem as simple and effortless as clicking a button, there is a lot more work that goes into it, Matysik said.
Through her work, Matysik also strives to promote ideas of positive self image among subjects of her photos.
“Teenage girls really struggle with self image,” Matysik said. “Working towards ending that and seeing [people] happy with pictures of themselves is just my favorite thing.”
