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I'm a recovering CEO turned award-winning conflict photographer and visual artist. After spending most of my adult life in white collar roles, I’ve come to learn that my collar is actually quite blue. Though I projected the very image of success as a Harvard Business School-trained CEO building software companies for many years, I was far from happy.

Photography saved my soul. 

I pride myself on being a visual storyteller, and I’m most content embracing my blue collar, navigating high-risk conflict zones, and capturing images that tell the stories everyone should know. I prefer a photojournalistic aesthetic, and much of my work is focused on shining a light on the darkness of social inequality around the world. 

 

I've been fortunate enough to have my photos shown in Leica Fotografie International as Leica Master Shots, distributed and sold by Getty Images, featured in photography and fine art publications around the world such as ShotKit.com and The Photo Review Journal of Fine Art Photography, exhibited in galleries around the world, and featured in the Smithsonian Magazine

I've completed studies in Photojournalism with the New York Institute of Photography, Commercial & Fine Art Photography with SPEOS Photography School in Paris, France, am a member of the International Association of Press Photographers, am an Accredited Photographer with The Association of Photographers, and I am currently studying for my Master of Arts degree in Photography with Falmouth University in the UK. ​

Though I didn't seek out to become a professional photographer, I wouldn't change a thing. Photography feeds my soul, and has taken me around the world, meeting and photographing the beautiful, strange and interesting people that inhabit it, and then telling their stories. 

If there’s one thing I've learned as a photographer documenting global social inequality of the human condition, it’s that this world needs only one thing… more love. 

It is my goal to inspire that love. 

My current photographic project is named Lottery, where I employ high-concept portraiture, and immersive 3D photography to show the stories of people in conflict zones around the world juxtaposed with similar people in comfortable Western society. This project synthesizes evocative imagery to show how different our lives might be had we won or not won the lottery of birth. My goal is to inspire people to affect direct, meaningful change, and help others succeed where prosperity and peace might otherwise only be a dream. 

 

My life's been filled with adventures and experiences that I'm sure will send me to hell on a full scholarship. But for now... this is as close as it gets to Heaven. 

MAT CHACON

PHOTOGRAPHER/
VISUAL STORYTELLER

AS FEATURED IN

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LEICA Q
GALLERY

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LANDSCAPE

GALLERY

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PORTRAIT

GALLERY

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STREET

GALLERY

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EXHIBITIONS / AWARDS /
RECOGNITION /

2023

PHOTOJOURNALISMS - THE BOOK 

My first published book of my journal articles & essays as a recovering CEO turned freelance photojournalist.

Solo Exhibition - The Rainier Club (Jan - March), Seattle, WA

(r)EVOLUTION - A visual journey to democracy through conflict. 

Solo Exhibition & Featured Speaker - Columbia Tower Club Seattle.

Going From Downtown To Downrange 

My journey from CEO to Conflict Photographer. 

Keynote Speaker - NAMMBA Annual Meeting, Lumen Field 

Let Your Challenge Become Your Courage - Lessons From A Life In Conflict. 

Represented Artist - Decorus Art Prints, Framing, Gallery

Washington & Florida

Featured Artist & Exhibition - Frequency 

Freemont, WA. 

Featured Artist & Exhibition - Innervisions

University District, Seattle, WA. 

Featured Artist & Exhibition - Seattle Records 

Seattle, WA. 

2022

Smithsonian Magazine - The American Experience

19th Annual Photo Contest - Top 10 Finalist Winner

(beating out over 40,000 global entries). 

Solo Exhibition & Featured Speaker - Rotary Club Seattle.

My journey from CEO to Conflict Photographer,

going from downtown to downrange. 

Solo Exhibition & Featured Speaker -  Alderwood Terrace Rotary Club. 

My journey from CEO to Conflict Photographer. 

Solo Exhibition & Featured Speaker -  Cornish College of The Arts, Seattle.  

My journey from CEO to Conflict Photographer. 

Speaker and Lecturer

Category 6 Speaker's Bureau - Book Me

Group Exhibition - Glasgow, England, United Kingdom

IM/MATERIAL WORLDS Exhibition - Landings 22.

Solo Exhibition - Seattle, WA - Conflict Photography (Sold out). 

Solo Exhibition - SODO, Seattle, WA - Conflict Photography (Sold out) 

2021

Leica Fotografie International (LFI) - Leica Master Shot - Leica Q Gallery.

The Photo Review - Featured photographer. 

ShotKit.com - Featured Photojournalist. 

Solo Exhibition - Seattle, WA - Conflict Photography (Sold out). 

2020

Leica Fotografie International (LFI) - Leica Master Shot - Street Gallery. 

Solo Exhibition - Seattle, WA - Landscape Photography (Sold out). 

2019

Group Exhibition - Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). 

I was personally sponsored by the Leica Store Bellevue. 

Solo Exhibition - Seattle, WA - Street Photography (Sold out). 

Winner - 2019 Greenlight Insights Innovation Award.

Immersive photogrammetry, and spatial computing. 

2018

Group Exhibition - Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). 

I was personally sponsored by the Leica Store Bellevue. 

Leica Fotografie International (LFI) - Leica Master Shot - Portrait Gallery. 

Leica Fotografie International (LFI) - Leica Master Shot - Landscape Gallery. 

Solo Exhibition - Seattle, WA - Street Photography (Sold out). 

2017

Group Exhibition - Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). 

I was personally sponsored by the Leica Store Bellevue. 

CREDENTIALS

2022

SPEOS Photography School in Paris, France  

Commercial + Fine Art Photography

(Ranked a Top 5 Photography School in the world)

Falmouth University, United Kingdom

Master of Arts Degree in Photography 

Trafalgar Cohort - Graduate May 2024

(Ranked No. 1 Arts University in the UK

by The London Times & The Sunday Times)

The Association of Photographers 

Accredited Photographer (Member ID: 14482)

2021

Getty Images

Stock Photographer (Contributor ID: 691210)

2020

New York Institute of Photography

Photojournalism (Credential ID: DL1800013)

2019 

International Association of Press Photographers

Photojournalist (Member ID: US/8-l-39623)

2018 

Harvard Business School

Mergers and Acquisitions, Strategy, Execution, and 

Post-Merger Management  

2015

Rutgers Business School 

Executive Education Mini-MBA in Social Media Marketing 

2014

American Military University

Undergraduate in Counterintelligence  

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