About

Matt Willette is a San Diego-based photographer and filmmaker whose work is shaped by outdoor culture, movement, and travel.

He first picked up a camera through surf and skate videos, filming with a GoPro as a teenager, and has been drawn to visual storytelling ever since. Growing up around surfing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, and other outdoor pursuits gave him an instinct for energy, environment, and timing that still carries into his work today.

Before pursuing creative work more seriously, Matt served in the United States Navy in cyber operations. After leaving the military due to injury, photography became more than a creative outlet — it became a way to rebuild, find direction, and engage more deeply with the world around him. Travel has played a major role in that process, shaping both his perspective and the style of work he continues to develop.

His work now spans portraiture, lifestyle, travel, landscape, street photography, wildlife, and action sports. Whether he is photographing people, places, or brands, he is drawn to images that feel immersive, honest, and rooted in lived experience.

He is currently focused on building work across travel, outdoor, portrait, and brand storytelling.