All right, guys, this is episode five on the Nick amp podcast.
I'm here with Matt couch, the Michigan vagabond Instagram.
He's also on Tick Tock.
This guy is one of the most awesome photographers I know.
He posts some of the most low key spots in Michigan.
Most people don't know about Michigan.
That is awesome.
If you're in the area, I like when visiting Matt couch.
It also does with the Scots, and we'll be talking about that today.
So, Matt, it's good to have you on, man.
Hey, thanks for having me on Nick.
I appreciate you.
So generally when I have people on, I just ask them
some basic questions to get the conversation going.
So who was Matt couch?
How did you get here?
I don't know.
I don't know where here is.
I don't I don't I don't think I'm necessarily anywhere.
Oh, but I mean from, I guess from the start of it,
if I have to say anything, I just.
My wife and I love the outdoors.
We used to hike a lot when we would still do.
But I think that's what brought me
to photography, you know, at its core, basically, because,
you know, we started visiting all these amazing places.
And I was like, well, I kind of want some memories, you know, like,
I mean, other than, you know, like your iPhone photos or anything like that.
Like I want, you know, something that I could hang on the wall.
So I picked up a camera and I guess now we're here.
So are you born and raised in Michigan or are you from somewhere else?
No born and raised in Michigan.
Actually, I was born in some place that most people know about.
I was born in Flint, Michigan.
Flint, Michigan. OK.
Yeah. So most people know about it because of because of the water.
But yeah, that's where I was born and I was I was born in a hospital
that doesn't exist anymore. So yeah.
So you started from old.
You started photography in Michigan.
Did you only just pick up a camera when you met your wife
or were you taking photos before that?
I mean, I picked up.
I picked up a camera, I think, well into well into our relationship,
because, I mean, we had been a couple of different places and, you know,
and seen, you know, a lot of stuff all over Michigan.
And it was just a kind of just it snapped in my head, you know,
we were sitting on a beach on the West Coast and the West Coast of Michigan,
might I add.
And the sun was going down and people started to clap.
Now, my wife hadn't been used to this before, and she was like,
what are they clapping for?
I was like, they're clapping for the sunset.
Like, these are sun towns. These are summer towns, you know.
So people come alive, basically, in the sun.
And the summer months.
And it's just, you know, it's fantastic.
So I think it was like that moment that I just kind of I was like,
man, I really want to start remembering all these trips.
You know, even if it doesn't, you know, go anywhere further than, you know,
my documentation of our trips and our life together, I'm OK with that.
That's awesome, Matt.
So you're probably more of a late bloomer than I feel like a lot of people who
start photography.
Some people started when they were a kid.
Some people started that right when they started college for you.
You started that more into your adult life.
And that must be interesting taking on a new hobby at that point,
because you're already doing other things.
And I'm sure you've already experienced the outdoors in Michigan before you
were doing photography.
So adding that camera to your arsenal of being out there,
enjoying Michigan, was just probably another fun element for you, right?
Yeah, it definitely it definitely gave I would say gave me a new purpose
as far as like, you know, going out there and like at first it started with,
you know, showing my wife things that I grew up doing and
just basically, you know, sharing things with each other.
And then that definitely spurred something in me.
But like, I'm not a stranger to taking on like new things that I I don't know
necessarily.
I mean, I love I love taking on new hobbies because I feel, you know,
if you fill your time, life kind of seems fulfilled, if that makes sense.
Yeah, that's a good point.
So Michigan has some of the best outdoors.
Nobody knows about it.
And you said that you showed your wife some of the things that you were
growing up.
So does that mean that you grew up going to the outdoors?
Oh, yeah, definitely.
We spent a lot of time in Patwater, Michigan, when I was a kid,
which is on the West Coast.
Some it's if you're going to use my hand, I don't know if it's this way or not.
So I spent a lot of time in Patwater, Michigan,
which is on the West Coast, which is on the West Coast,
which is on the West Coast.
If you're going to use my hand, I don't know if it's this way or not.
So it's basically right around here.
So there's like Luddington,
uh, mirror State Park,
uh, Patwater, Michigan, that's all in there.
And there's a whole bunch of campgrounds there.
Mirror State Park is, uh,
one of my favorite campgrounds actually is tiny, but it's, it's beautiful.
But it's a very small campground.
And I was introduced to photography about 19, 20 years old.
And I wasn't introduced to photography first. Okay.
So I always brought my camera with me,
always knowing that I wanted the document being out there.
So I think that you kind of had a leg up on a lot of people who are in
photography and outdoors because you were able to experience the outdoors
first before the camera.
I'm telling you, man, the first time I went to the mountains,
I didn't have my camera.
And I, I like to say something like amongst like our group of photographers
within Michigan.
I literally tell people if Michigan had like a high mountain range,
we have, we have the Porky's, um, but like a high mountain range,
like you'd see in Montana, we'd have, we have everything.
There'd be no reason to leave the state.
I agree.
I don't know if you've been to Lake Tahoe.
I have not.
So Lake Tahoe.
I've not been to any Northern Cali actually.
You got to go.
Lake Tahoe.
I know.
As Tennessee or Nevada, right?
So it's surrounded by big mountains.
So I just imagine Lake Michigan being in the same kind of environment.
If it had those types of mountains that Lake Tahoe has,
it would be the same type of tourist crowds.
It would be, it would be absolutely wild.
Don't, I mean, don't get me wrong.
I think the lakes have their share of tourists.
They definitely do.
There's no ancestor butts about that.
I mean, most people don't realize, like when you say lake, you know,
I feel like I really feel like most people don't realize like it's not a lake.
Like it's just what we call them.
If anything, they're small seas.
You can see them from outer space.
Yeah.
They're huge.
Like, and it's, it's baffling to me that like, cause like, you know,
I've seen stuff,
I've seen stuff from the West coast and stuff from like, you know,
like far East coast and stuff.
And it's, it's weird that nobody talks about Michigan and nobody talks
about, you know, certain States in the Midwest, but man, like, I mean,
we, we are, I would say we're the lower half of Michigan is only landlocked
by Ohio, Illinois, Indiana.
But I mean, if you look to the left or look to the right, you got water.
Yeah.
Hours either way.
I was looking at the major water too.
I was looking at the map and I was like, okay,
where's Michigan exactly at?
I didn't realize you were literally encapsulated enclosed by both lakes on
both sides.
Yeah. Yep.
And then they meet, they meet up at the top.
And then obviously we cross the bridge into the UP and then the UP has
superior above it.
And that is a whole different beast right there.
So I have a question.
You're the lakes are in technically both the United States and the
United States and Canada.
So technically if you're on a boat, you can cross over to Canada in the
lakes, right?
Or is there border patrol?
Yeah, you could.
Yeah. You could technically, yeah, you could definitely do that.
I mean, if you, if you look at it close enough, if you wanted to,
because Canada comes between superior here on,
you can cross over to the other side of the ocean.
And then you can cross over to the other side of the ocean.
So that's pretty cool.
I mean,
I don't know how we kept Ontario because that lake is so far away from
Michigan, but I guess it's ours. So then we claim it.
But if you go down through here on through.
See Claire and up through the other great lakes, you can technically.
Make it all the way out to the ocean. If you wanted to.
So that's pretty cool.
Being on the.
My question is, so like,
since you can just have the access to Canada,
is there people like monitoring, like people going over both sides?
Well, I've never, I've never been that far out on here on or superior.
So I don't know if they monitor it heavily.
I mean, I would assume so. I would assume they have, you know,
their own coast guard.
Yeah.
But I know, you know, the ports are heavily monitored.
And I mean, I would imagine the waters are, I know.
On our side, they are so.
That's interesting. Cause I mean,
Like you said, nobody talks about it.
So as I was just doing research today on the lakes,
I was like, those are the things that come to mind.
It really is surprising to me that most people.
I don't know.
And that's like, I mean, obviously that's.
Not just that's not just local to the United States, either.
That's overseas.
So that's like, I mean,
I don't know if they're going to be able to do that in the future.
But I mean, I think that's, that's not just local to the United States.
That's overseas as well too. Like most people just don't know.
So your lakes.
Legit have waves.
And when you watch the sunset.
At least what I've seen from your stories.
It seems like you're literally at the beach of a California beach
because the lake's that big.
It's fantastic.
I mean, it's a really good place to be.
And I think that's really interesting,
because I don't think it's a bad thing to be at a travel ed
store though. You know, I mean,
They're absolutely beautiful.
But because we're not used to that West, like I feel like.
I feel like people like on the West coast of the States.
Are very used to like, you know, like.
Riptides and different forms of currents that are kind of dangerous.
Yeah. I mean, you can get, it can get pretty dangerous. And I mean,
it's just, man, when a storm kicks up.
You can have 12 foot swells.
What?
Yeah. On a lake.
I mean, because people, people think about it's not,
it's not technically a lake. It's, it's a sea, you know, I mean.
Yeah.
They're huge.
Yeah. Do people serve on it?
Oh yeah.
Yeah. People do serve on it.
I would have more pictures of that.
If I have, if I had a longer lens.
Which is on its way, might I add.
So yeah. So look forward to that in the future.
But a lot of people, a lot of people, believe it or not.
Surf in the winter.
Because the storms make bigger waves.
Yeah. And it is just a thing.
Like you'll get guys with beards out there that are just covered nice.
And they'll be in wetsuits and it's fantastic to watch. And they.
They jam out.
And they're just like, dude, and you live in the North.
So surfing in the North in the winter.
Yeah.
That is pretty, it can get pretty cold.
That's gnarly.
Yeah.
They can get pretty cold.
So what about you?
Are you going to end up surfing out there? One of these days?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, that's a, that's definitely way out of my skillset.
I'm more of a blue floating down the river kind of skillset.
Like on my back, jungle booking it.
So yeah, no, that's the surfing is definitely not for me.
Well, anyways, if you ever like, if you would ever like to surf,
I would like to be able to be one of the ones who watched this happen.
Oh, fantastic. Fantastic.
So you just, you want to, you want to encapsulate my horrible fails over and over and over.
I got you.
I want to photograph it.
Well, I guess, yeah, no.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You won't photograph my fails. That's what you want.
Oh man.
A lot of pictures like, oh no.
So tell me about, it says that, I think it's called, is it called Huron National Forest?
Is that the one where the portfolio is at over in Michigan?
Oh, Huron, Manistee, Ka-ha-na-k-ha-um.
Cheese O' Peets, I'm blanking now.
Uh.
Oh, I'm pulling it up now because I'm blanking.
Um, because we have three major national forests.
It looked huge.
Yeah.
Oh, let's see.
Man.
I frequent Huron Manistee a lot.
Um.
Uh.
The reason I'm asking is because I know Michigan is a lesser known area for fall foliage.
Which is surprising.
Uh, yeah, Huron Manistee National Forest, uh, and then Hiawatha, excuse me.
So there's Huron Manistee, Huron Manistee is split between both East and West.
So you have it on the East side of the state and then you have it on the West side of the state.
And then up in the UP is Hiawatha National Forest.
Um, and then you obviously have, you know, picture rocks and all that up in the UP.
And then you have a national park, Sleeping Bear Dunes, on the northwest side of the lower peninsula.
Uh, yeah, but I don't understand why, like, I mean, don't get me wrong.
Like I've been to Maine in the fall and it's absolutely beautiful, but it's, it just reminds me of home.
Colors wise, colors wise, you guys get the same colors of the East coast.
All day. All day.
That's the difference between over here on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
That's where you get the most fall foliage and you get Aspen trees, which turn yellow.
Occasionally they do turn an orangish color, but not very often.
So I've never truly experienced the true fall foliage, which I'm hoping to experience one of these years.
Maybe go out to Michigan, maybe go out to the North.
It's only a plane ticket away, man.
You're right.
And I know Colorado also was an Aspen town.
So you truly don't get a fall until you're in the East coast.
But I don't know if you heard about Utah's fall.
I haven't.
Dude, they get reds. They get reds.
I didn't know that.
Oh, really?
So do Salt Lake City.
They have a lot of mountains over there and apparently they have some trees that turn red over there.
And it's one of the most low key spots I've ever known that have good fall foliage.
I'm going to have to look into that.
Salt Lake City is in like a big and upcoming city.
And a lot of photographers are there right now and they've been showing off those beautiful locations.
So if you're looking for a fall foliage place to go to with huge mountains with red trees, Utah.
I think I'm going to be there a little too early this year because I'm actually going to Salt Lake City in May.
Dude, Salt Lake is beautiful.
Yeah, I've never been.
I've flown in and then flown to Southern Cali.
But I've never stayed.
So I think it was time to stay and kind of figure out my path in northern Utah.
Because I've been in southern Utah with all the red rocks and everything.
But I haven't really traversed northern.
So I think it's time to see that.
You will enjoy that a lot, man.
I'm looking forward to it a lot.
We will, however, we will, however, be maybe I'm hoping I'm hoping we'll be on point.
But we are headed to Maine September 28th through like the beginning of October.
Yeah. So I'm I'm hoping for some color out there, too.
You might be able to do some.
Yeah.
So tell me about this, Matt.
Are you more into video or photo?
I know you shoot a lot of video for a Tiktok and for YouTube.
Is that your main thing or would you say photography is?
Honestly, I if I had to say anything, I'd say like I'm pretty much right in the middle.
I think it's easier to tell a story with, you know, video.
But like, man, like if you look at a photo and it makes you feel something like, I mean, green, it's it's it's easy to pull emotions out of people with music behind the video.
It's easy because, you know, I feel like if you were to watch like, let's say like Interstellar without that score behind it, it doesn't you know, it doesn't hit as hard.
Exactly. You know what I'm saying? It doesn't hit us hard.
But, you know, if you don't do that with a photo and that photo is still able to like pull emotions out of somebody, then I mean, man, that's that's a killer photo.
You know, like I've seen a few from like just people that I follow on Instagram, like, you know, Michigan photographers who take, you know, just amazing photos.
And I'm just like, I mean, do you like that? So you just stop for a second.
And I'm just like, it's it's amazing. And to think, you know, like, especially like I live in the state, you know, so especially to me, like being kind of taken back over something that I've seen probably, you know, a thousand times.
Right.
But, you know, there is what it is, man. So I think I think I sit like firmly in the middle. But I believe I believe it's easier for video.
But I think it I think it's more. It's it's more. But it means more to me if I can affect somebody with a photo.
For me, I feel like I have to tell a story through multiple photos, like a little storybook. People who post on Instagram, they post like a set of three to five photos and like, yeah, through that whole three to five photos.
It's a whole story. But if you can do it through one, man, you're you're on a different level.
Yeah. And I and I try to stretch it out like that. I don't I don't I don't usually post more than one photo.
Unless it's like a split landscape rather than portrait. Right. And that's so you can get, you know, you can get the whole feel of it.
But other than that, I usually just try to post one photo and just let it go from there.
I mean, Instagram these days kind of really knocks down photos, but I'm not concerned with that. I don't I don't mind that stuff.
I that's not and that's definitely not what I'm in it for. No, if that makes sense. So good. You shouldn't be those numbers that determine your value.
Exactly. But a lot of people do a lot of people let it determine their wealth or value or, you know, however you want to put it.
But I I look at it as more as like, hey, I'm sharing my experience with you, you know. Exactly.
So now you recently just went to Scotland and I know you've talked to me about it before, but you didn't really tell me like what happened, where you went, how it was.
I want I want I want to know. Wait, is Scotland in the UK? Right. Scotland is. Yeah. So they speak English.
Yeah, I've never been out of the country. So is it crazy going to some it's not really different. It's not. No, no.
No, it is not. Honestly, to tell you the truth, like, and this is how I explained it, because the first thing that comes to anybody's mind is driving on the left side of the road.
Oh, no, we're going to drive on the left side of the road. And I like I said, like I said to my wife, I said, I said, well, how do you drive in the States?
And she was like, well, what do you mean? I was like, well, your steering wheel is on what side of the car? She was like on the left side of the car. So you're driving on the right side of the road, right?
I said, how do you make sure that you don't go into the other lane? She was like, well, I don't I just don't go in the other lane. I was like the middle line, just the middle line.
So just think of it the opposite way. You're on the right side of the car and then you just lining up on that line and you're just fine.
It's just it's normal. It does get a little bit tricky with light turning that that might that kind of threw me for a loop a couple of times.
And my wife did drive instead of right turns, left turns. Yeah, my wife did drive in in Edinburgh.
Oh, nice. And and she did absolutely fantastic. I will say that. And then I drove for most of like the country stuff, most of that, like, you know, most of the small roads. So the one track roads, which are, you know, they're pretty simple because we've got them in Michigan, too.
So it's basically, you know, whoever gets the right away in this, it's it's basically kind of kindness based on kindness. So like, hey, I saw you coming. So I'm going to turn off.
You can go around and then I continue on my journey. And then likewise, you know, if someone sees me coming, they do the same thing.
So it's pretty simple. But, uh, yeah, I I honestly, if I had the time, I would go back right now. Really? Yes, I would go back right now.
It is. It's so beautiful. And and the people, the people are really the people are really, really, really, really, really kind.
I asked I asked a waitress, oh, I were there because I'm I'm a fan of honesty.
And I I wanted to know, I was like, how do we sound to you?
And she she kind of like dodged the question. I was like, you tell me the truth. I was like, I just want to know.
And she said, we sound nasally. And I mean, most Midwesterns. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes.
So I just I just laugh. But we flew into Edinburgh and we stayed.
I want to say two nights, three nights in Edinburgh.
And then from there, we went up to Inverness and Inverness is.
Like that's that's the equivalent of Michigan's Traverse City. So like it's just it's a northern town.
It's not in that northern, but, you know, it's just north of Edinburgh.
So it's a northern town and it's just it's beautiful. It's kind of it's kind of small for what it is, but it's it's quaint.
So like I enjoyed I enjoyed my time there. And that's where we're right around the area where like lot and that says.
So you do get a lot of a lot of tourists and stuff like that.
And, you know, but we were I don't know if we were slightly out of season because we went.
I want to say it was. I want to say it was mid September.
I can't remember the dates. They're kind of fuzzy in my head.
But, um, there wasn't that much tourism going on.
So we got to enjoy a lot of stuff, which was cool.
And then from there, we drove a lot. We drove around a little bit.
We went to St. Andrew's Cathedral and Castle, and it was absolutely beautiful.
Oh, yeah, there's castles over there. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. I didn't get to see a lot of that, which, you know, if I'm telling the honest truth,
that kind of gives me a reason to go back.
Oh, we didn't have a lot of time over there.
We want to go back.
So from there, we went up to Isle Sky and we stayed in Uwik.
And I hope I'm pronouncing that right.
I'm pretty sure I'm pronouncing it right.
But it was a tiny little town. And if you look from where we were staying in a B&B,
if you look down, there was a tiny little drive and it was kind of s-curved up.
And then you were out and then you were basically on the coast.
And if you've seen some of my pictures as of lately, that's most of most of that is where that is from, the Isle Sky, which is
the only thing I can suggest is if you're driving up that way, don't be the driver because you really it's hard not to be
distracted by the environment that you're in because it's absolutely beautiful everywhere you look, no matter where or what you're looking at.
That's just, you know, it's just baffling.
And I've been to, you know, like I've been to some beautiful places, but man, Scotland is definitely rating pretty high on my list right now.
So why does that sounds amazing, dude. I'm glad you had a great trip.
Why does Isle Sky sound familiar? Is that like a pop? Is that like the scenic area?
Isle Sky is super popular. Yeah.
OK.
But it's it's I would probably say it's one of the most popular destinations in Scotland.
It's and it's the one that most people know.
So, you know, that's why we went there the first time.
I will. However, when we go back, I will be taking more time on the eastern side.
It's of Scotland because it is it's just as beautiful and it has beautiful, small, little like fishing towns.
And they almost kind of remind me of the coast of Maine as well, too, like beautiful, small little fishing towns.
And it's just everybody knows one another.
We got to sit down and, oh, I can't remember the city that we were in.
And someone pointed out I had my Death Valley. Sure not. And someone pointed out this is there like California.
I was like, yeah, I'm not from there. I was like, I'm from I'm from here because like every Michiganer does that.
And so we have a good talk and we talked for about, I'm saying, hour and a half before we parted ways with them.
So, you know, it was cool. I would say it was cool to pick up local history and and just, you know, actually have a conversation and kind of, I think, squash the stereotype that most countries have of Americans.
Right. Now, it's interesting, like a lot of things that you've said.
The one thing that they know is you guys sound nasally.
I had a teacher in high school who was from Chicago and she always made jokes about how she talked like I talk like this.
She has that nasally sound.
It's like, yeah, I think it's because most of us are just plundered.
Like most of us just have sinus issues.
So here in California, I probably I talk way different.
I know east to west coast, west coast is all improper. East Coast talks more like proper language.
No, I don't. I don't even I can't even differentiate between like that.
To me, you sound normal. I don't notice anything about.
Exactly. You know, I just I guess I I guess I'm a good middle ground for most.
Like I just I really don't I can't I mean, don't get me wrong when you get far east coast, I can I can hear the accent.
But like as far as like Cali goons, I don't I don't really hear you sound like me as far as I'm concerned.
But part of it is all people move to California from all those states.
Yeah. So it's kind of mixed. Right. Yeah.
It's good mixture. So I'm looking at one of your photos and I pulled up your Instagram because I remembered photos of you.
Posted this photo of the Red Barn.
I don't know if it's a red barn. It's it's red with a pier with snow and water.
That is an epic photo, the conditions of the stormy conditions in the back, man.
Well, it's Michigan. That's a Michigan post.
That's not even a Scotland. But is there a mystery?
There's a Michigan post. What's going on here? Where you at?
December 29th, 2022. Oh, oh, that's Grand Haven. Dude, that's yeah, that's Grand Haven's lighthouse.
I thought of a movie. Yeah, it's it gets wild.
A lot of people I flown my drone out there. Yeah.
Well, because because of the waves, you know, in the wintertime, it hits the back of the building.
Yeah. And that whole that whole building can be encapsulated in ice.
It's absolutely gorgeous. But yeah, it's super cold.
Actually, I have a photo.
I think it's from the very same day, actually.
And I'll share it with you on I'll share with you on TikTok of me walking out to the lighthouse.
And you don't think like you would think, you know, Michigan winters and how cold it was that people wouldn't be at the beach.
But it's actually quite the opposite. People are at the beach.
It's weird, man. We're a weird breed up here in Michigan. That's OK.
I like the cold. I like the cold, too. I know. I love it is a little bit more moderate compared to the northern cold.
Like we on average get to like 13 degrees on the low.
You guys probably get lower than 13. If you scroll down right past Death Valley.
Yeah. You see a little lighthouse. Yeah, that was negative.
Eight or negative 16 at that moment when we were out visiting Harbor Beach Lighthouse.
Geez. Yeah. Yeah. And it's I mean, it's something else, dude, like in my beard.
My beard was frozen. And of course, you know, I had I had icicles all in my beard.
But I love it. I I would take the cold over the heat any any day of the year.
Do you got some bucketless shots on your profile?
I appreciate that. I really do appreciate these are all getting put up on on this video.
So they'll be shown there. So moving on to this,
would you say you've been to Cayuga National Park and or Indiana Dunes because you're kind of close to both of them?
I have been to Indiana Dunes not to take pictures.
I have not been down to Ohio yet. I do.
It's on my list, I would say.
And that was Hocking Hills to Hocking Hills is just is.
Wow, that's a gorgeous, gorgeous park.
But like, I mean, it's it's hard because like I love I love stuff like that.
But I'm such a water guy, like I'm such I'm such a like a sea going person that like I love the coasts of Michigan.
So like I'm extremely I think biased.
And it's I think for any photographer or videographer, for that matter,
who, you know, does things in like landlocked states like I think they're way better than I am because it's I mean, don't get me wrong.
I appreciate all the praise, but it is definitely way easier to take a picture of a beautiful sunset over a big body of water, you know, and make it look gorgeous.
When like, you know, if you were doing stuff from landlocked, you really got to keep an eye on like light and stuff like that.
And if you could play with light in those situations, I've seen some beautiful photos that just blow me away.
And I'm just like, man, I could never do something like that.
I tried and I just I don't know. I can't.
That's a good point. You know, I live in California where I have the option to go to the beach, to the mountains.
I don't ever go to the beach. I used to go a lot, but I just like the mountains more.
And even being there, like shooting sunset can be a lot harder unless, unless you know which exact mountains are going to light up.
Or if you're on a peak, being at a peak just trumps everything because you're going to see the sunset sunrise no matter where you're at.
I always say sunrise is better in the mountains and sunset for the most part, because when the sun rises over the mountains,
you can kind of look around, OK, see this peak glowing up, this peak's glowing up.
At sunset, it's a little more unpredictable because the sun goes down and it gets dark after that.
So you definitely you definitely have to be paying attention. I would agree. Right.
Obviously, when you go to a place like you said, we spent the last sunset.
The last sunset I did in the mountains was that bad water in Death Valley.
It got dark fast. Yep. And that was yeah. Oh, like real dark in light.
Yeah. Like dark. I wasn't used to like it is.
Beyond it's beyond dark. And it's because it's because you're so close to that mountain.
So that sun goes behind the mountain and honestly, the sun doesn't even set.
You just can't see it. Yeah, exactly. So being out there is a lot harder.
That's why I say sunrise in landlocked states is a lot better because you have more availability to take those photos.
And even if the sun rises, you have like that little 30 minute window after the sun rises for good light,
before everything starts getting super harsh. Yeah.
Instead of running around, you know, trying to find that great light at the end, the failing light. Yeah. Yeah.
It's tough. But I've seen some people who photograph at the beach in California,
they're like fine, fine art photographers. I don't even know how they do their photos.
It looks like a straight painting the way they take them.
I where was we were at home. We were in SoCal.
Oh, and I took a full I took a phone photo and it's honestly it's it's got to be the ocean.
That's the only thing I can think of. It's got to be the sea spray rolling off the ocean
and it gives it this beautiful, magnificent, like faded look.
And it's just like I took it with my I took it with my phone and it was like instantly good.
And I was like, yeah, that's unfair.
That's on because we definitely don't have that even though we have big water.
We don't have that, you know, that faded look.
And man, it's just gorgeous. We were out there for a wedding, actually.
That does make a lot more sense. So I know I'm telling you.
Yeah, I know. Sorry. I know, Matt, you had a YouTube.
Are you planning on revamping that this year? Twenty twenty three.
I am. But it's I think it's it's a little bit difficult for, I think,
long form content that isn't necessarily this.
I think podcasts are doing really well right now.
Video podcasts in general, too.
But I don't know, like a long form content.
I guess maybe it's just me kind of like psyching myself out,
like looking at all of the people that like I look up to and seeing how far, you know, they are away from me.
I really didn't do anything with it when I started.
And I'm not really sure where I want to go with it,
but it's definitely in the back of my head.
Like, it's definitely, you know, a thought that I want to do a little bit more with it.
But I mean, as any kind of social media, it has to be a frequent thing.
I'm trying to, I guess, tie in, you know, small videos with, you know,
my larger like travel videos that I want to share with people.
But I really haven't found my my niche on YouTube yet.
And I really want to. But, you know, there's always this year.
What is your I'm just curious, what is your idea of long form content?
What is that? How long? What what does that start at to you?
As far as like YouTube long form should be?
No, no, no. How long is long form content to you? Is it longer than 30 seconds?
Is that what you're considering long form content?
I would consider long form contact anything over three.
OK. Right.
Anything over three minutes and you're starting to get into long form contact.
OK, I agree. Because I mean, if I mean, if you think about it, look at, you know,
look at Tiktok seven second videos blow up one point three million views.
And I'm like seven seconds. Right.
I mean, personally, I think that you would thrive in the long form content space
because you have that casualness about you, a conversationalist.
I appreciate it. So I think on YouTube, I have been told that on YouTube,
I think that would be your best route to go.
But you're also good at that while on the short form media.
So I think that if you just funneled it right on social media to funnel all that to your YouTube,
to all your conversational stuff and look, you don't have to be out traveling for all your videos.
Like you you voice in your story can carry a lot of it.
Like I know you were telling me that you were want to take photography more serious this year.
Yeah, definitely. I think that would be a great thing to document.
And even the boring stuff is interesting to people because people are nosy.
Yeah, fair enough. Hey, I'm I'm completely open to any ideas that you even want to give me,
because I mean, I mean, let's face it, you know, if you're not open to constructive criticism
or someone willing to guide you, you know, like, and that's and that's definitely that's definitely me.
Like, tell me like that's that's me. So yeah, I would love to.
Matt, I'm just waiting for you to start going off because I know what to start being consistent with your stuff, man.
You're going to you're going to get bigger.
And that's definitely the key. And I'm not looking for that. Yeah.
But that's definitely that's definitely the key is consistency for everything.
But, you know, nothing expensive getting burnt out either, because for sure.
I think if you start to I think if you start to, you know, I guess I don't want to say stay consistent.
But like, I think if you start to do that after a while, it kind of takes away from that, you know,
that part of you that was inspired to begin with to do it.
And and I'm worried that sometimes, you know, if if I were to, you know, dive off the deep end
and if I would lose that spark and I don't know, I don't know that I would.
But I think I like I love to teach people as well, too.
It's fulfilling. So that's that's a big thing for me.
And I love to I would love I think a great niche for me would be connecting people with that,
connecting people with that feeling of, you know, getting back to nature and enjoying it, loving it.
And and just because you know, and you know this, too, when you get up really early,
you hike into the mountains and you get out there and then that sun rises over.
Before you even snap that first picture, I guarantee you, you take a deep breath and go, wow,
because it's just it's that part.
You know, it's that part of us that that drives us to do that.
Like and then we're not, you know, we're not the only ones there are there are hundreds of thousands of people who do it.
And yeah, and they know that feeling.
But then there are so many other people that don't understand.
And I've had friends who who said to me, like, why do you do it?
You know, why do you do that?
Like, why are you waking up at, you know, four thirty in the morning to drive two and a half hours to a lake in the freezing cold?
And I'm like, because it's gorgeous. Why not?
You know, it's normal to us.
Yeah, exactly.
And I think it's I think it's weird opposite why I'm like, why wouldn't you do that?
Yeah.
And they always say the same thing, because I like sleep.
I'm like, I like sleep, too.
But a chance to take a deep breath from all of the distractions that the world brings these days.
It's it's it's nice.
So you brought up being afraid of being burned out in.
I've been burned out before.
And so you're conscious of that.
I wasn't. I think part of that.
Yes. My my journey right now, I'm a younger person.
So those are things I wasn't aware of that you can't do everything for a long period of time.
Always. So after being burned out multiple times, now I'm conscious of that and I'm not working 24 seven like I used to.
And therefore, I'm able to I've been able to gain back my inspiration consistently, like the last four months.
So sort of my business, sort of my business, I've been able to gain inspiration back.
I need to write. But yeah, yeah, I gained it back because
I've allowed myself to just enjoy it.
And I've been able to turn off that work switch sometimes.
So I try to tell myself that you can't work past eight thirty.
And that sounds crazy. I know. But like I'm working all day.
But I take breaks in between, like throughout the day.
But like I set a hard, a hard deadline. All right.
You have to stop working at eight o'clock at night. And that's smart.
Right. Because if I was at what you need to do,
if I didn't do that, I would go to my night.
Yeah. I'm in that every day.
And where that's where that's terrible is because I wake up at four a.m. every day to go to the gym as well.
So imagine me going looking at three a.m. to the mountains and then going four a.m. to the gym.
I wasn't understanding or being conscious like you were mentioning the burnout part,
because not only are you trying to go hard in this photography stuff, you also have a life you have for you.
You have a wife, you have a house, you're managing things. Right.
And you're like, those are the number one priority.
This right now is coming secondary. And so, yeah, you've already understood that.
And in my part of my journey, I finally come to that realization after a couple of years.
So hearing you say that, I think, though, with all the excitement you have,
I think that you're it's really conscious of I don't think you would.
I mean, I mean, don't get me wrong. It's my personality is such that, you know, like
I can get burnout because like you, I would do that, too.
Not only are you physically burning yourself out, but you're also mentally burning yourself out.
And it's rough, man. Like and I think people focus on the wrong things when it comes to social media
and sharing your photos or sharing your videos or sharing your creative side at all.
Yes. They focus on being like being like being like it doesn't.
It doesn't matter how many people like your stuff.
It's a creative outlet for you. So whether you know it or not, you're nurturing your soul.
But on the other hand, the social media side of it can also very much hinder that.
It can crush people. And it's just like, you know, it's not it's not your it's not your worth.
And it drives me insane because like I will get frustrated with that point of it, like not so much for myself.
I like I said, it's not about that for me.
It's more about like sharing my journey with people and like answering questions.
When somebody asks me a question like I'm I've had hundreds of people, you know, message me,
ask me what camera I use or what camera would I recommend or this and that.
And I mean, realistically, if you're just starting off any camera, any camera, it doesn't matter.
The camera definitely doesn't make the photographer. That's for sure.
So and I think we've talked about this before, too.
I think what drew me to you, like your account, is the authenticity.
And that's something that I've always tried to be myself.
But this year, 2023 is my year of being intentional even more.
I'm posting I'm not I'm refusing to post trending stands for the most part.
If it's if I like it, if I want to partake in it. Yeah, sure.
But I'm trying to be more creative versus just following along with everyone else is doing.
Yeah. Whether that gets four likes or a hundred likes, you know, like it don't matter
because that one comment is gold. That one person, that one person that you affected is gold.
And ideally or realistically, as someone who's doing this now full time, I'm not going to have a million clients.
No. And also, let's stop right there.
I will wholeheartedly applaud you because that's absolutely fantastic
that you've been able to do this now full time. It's it's a dream of mine.
So your hero to me and that's the himmels.
No, and that's what I've realized, man, that I have the power to lead by example.
So in high school, I was a really outgoing person after high school, college time.
I got really introverted. Wasn't talking to nobody. I think part of it was 2020.
And I kind of just I forgot like the power of connection.
So starting this business, you have to be talking to people all the time.
So being able to be with this full time has been a blessing in my life because now I'm connecting people a lot more
because if you truly look at the businesses that are succeeding, they're connecting with their audience.
Yeah, definitely. Definitely. People want to connect with people.
Yeah, it's I think, you know, I think when you reach a certain point, it does get a little bit harder.
You know, I mean, I mean, nobody I don't feel like anybody's reaching out to Peter McKinnon and saying, hey, you know, right.
But I, you know, I just I do. I thrive on that connection.
That is definitely one of the connections that, you know, keeps me kind of moving forward or kind of continuously wanting to share photos.
I don't I'm not a really I'm not a real fan of negative vibes, man.
Like I'm just like, you know, I it doesn't matter what kind of photos you like, whether it's moody photos or sunset photos or feed photos or, you know, old school photos or you're taking Polaroids.
You know, it doesn't really matter. I mean, for that matter, I'll branch off into any subject of creative idealism that people just love.
I wouldn't I would never squash somebody's dream just because it didn't align with like mine.
So like I'm very positive, vibe oriented, like, hey, you do you.
And that's awesome because it's fantastic. Right.
I believe I believe everybody should be. I never saw when you climb the ladder.
OK. I I never saw the ladder as something that you would look down and not pull people back up.
You know what I'm saying? I'm always I've always got to a point and I'm like, OK, now it's time for you to get to this point and kind of like, get people up to it.
You know, like, hey, this is what we need to do is keep pushing each other forward, you know, for success.
I mean, I was taught that at a very young age to do that.
So in high school, I was more known at that time, but I made it a point to make sure I said hi to every single person whenever I saw them,
no matter who they were, because my mom taught me that they're important to when you need to make sure that you're friends with them
because they might not be having a good day and people put them on all day.
Right. And after that school, I grew up a little bit.
I lost that part of me because of the shutdown.
So now I'm coming back to my roots and like being intentional again, creating videos, affecting people, getting them to all get excited and go outdoors.
That's my thing. Right. So getting excited, go outdoors, all their dreams.
That's getting me stoked. So hearing you sing, you've been able to branch out, talk to people about any type of art.
I've talked to people about music. I love music. I don't know.
I don't know it that well. I don't know if you can see that. Yeah, I can.
Yeah, like every inch of it right there. I played music. I played music all my life, actually.
Yeah. So we're on the same boat here, man. I 100% agree with you.
You've got to bring everyone back up because they helped you get to a certain part, too, if they were in your life.
They helped you get there, too. Yeah. And you know, and that's it.
And I've said it. I've said it on multiple platforms, too.
Like I'm. You never know what they think.
I mean, it doesn't it doesn't excuse a bad day like Nick, you found a bad day.
I know I've had a bad day. So those are one offs.
But like, I feel like I feel like, you know, where I take it out there is I just I kind of just.
You just never know who who is going through water, what is, you know, going through someone's mind, especially of a stranger, you know, and it's just why be why be a negative force in a stranger's life when you could just be a positive force or random positive force.
That's fantastic, Matt. Let me read you this script I have.
I'm making a video. It's going to be a short film video. I'm going to post it soon.
It's a part of my series that says things I've learned about my life since chasing my dreams. So this is part three.
And this goes along with people having empathy for others goes a long way.
We're all human. We all make mistakes because we all face temptations in life and have bad days.
Once you understand that people fight their own demons every single day becomes a lot easier to become more compassionate for them.
Be nice to your neighbors. Yes, sir. All day, all day.
I believe it 100 percent wholeheartedly. There's nothing to convince me otherwise.
I and like I said, it doesn't even saying that.
So like someone would hear it and think that's what I have to be 100 percent. No, you don't.
Everybody is excusable. Like people have bad days, bad weeks, bad months.
Like it's bad years. What it is. Exactly.
Exactly. That's life. You know, where options all day long.
But if like if you think about it like, OK, if you're walking past me ahead,
you're having a bad day and like that random Midwestern charm comes in and it's just, hey, how you doing?
It's a soft smile. Doesn't have to be anything here again.
Doesn't have to be anything like that. And it almost I feel like it might change somebody's mind for a second.
Like stop for a second. And wait, matter of fact, we when we got back from Scotland, we got off the plane, onto the bus.
We were the only two on the bus with the driver and headed back to a car park.
And and I was just like I was I was gabbing.
That's what I do. Like I'm a talker. So like I was just gabbing, gabbing, gabbing.
And we got out of the van.
I took our stuff and threw it in the back and I tipped him.
And what you know, you don't have to do what I tipped him.
And literally he said he was like, you are the best part of my day.
And it was just a stranger. Like it wasn't it wasn't for the tip.
I mean, we talked we talked sports all the way out of the airport.
And like, I mean, I'm obviously I'm a talker, so I'm loud and I'm boisterous.
So he I mean, it was it was just nice.
It was nice to be one home back in the States and then to immediately given the love by a stranger.
But that's that's something that changed my mind. Like, you know what I'm saying, because coming from a seven hour flight, being a like not so small man.
You know, let's just say that my my attitude wasn't the best.
So I was having a day and my wife knows, especially when we're in when we're in like transit, they can be.
I want to say less than ideal for me sometimes. So but that moment in that moment, he he changed my mind
because like we got in the car and then we drove off and my boy's car had been sitting for a while.
So, you know, sometimes when you sit in Michigan for a while in the car zone drive, you know, you can get just sounds creaks, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, coming out of the car.
And, you know, she has a relatively new car, a 16.
So we pull out, heard something stopped and I checked it out and I said, don't worry.
I said, you know, we'll figure it out. Let's just get it home.
So he changed my mentality just in time for a situation to arise for me to take it smoothly and change my attempt at, you know,
or my reaction to what that situation could have posed, which is a bad reaction.
So it's it's it's funny how it works.
But that's I mean, I wholeheartedly believe what you just said.
And I will preach it until the day I die.
No, Matt, that's fantastic.
But the way we can influence people in the sense where both creators we do video, we do photo.
I have always said that photography is just an outlet for me to reach more people.
It's an it's an outlet for me to connect to people through this medium.
And I always told my girlfriend photography was not the end all be all for me.
It was all about what it could bring me. Yeah.
And now I'm trying to teach life through photography and through videography.
And that's one of my new goals to do.
And like this whole thing, things about my life I've learned since chasing my dreams, making it a series.
I'm using cinematics. I'm telling a story to connect with others.
And just you saying all this is the connection part is huge.
And I think I keep saying I lost that part.
And like, I didn't realize, like, I lost it till I got it back.
And I was like, Whoa.
Yeah, adulthood tends to beat that idea for a minute.
And you got to come back to it.
But I think I think coming back to your roots was probably the best thing for you.
It's been the best thing I used to not.
I wasn't excited for a while to go take photos.
And like, I'll tell you, I told a story I was saying the night before I went to the mountains.
I'm excited now and I just want to go to bed so I can wake up in the morning to be there.
That's how powerful this connection has brought me.
It's been able to bring back that inspiration.
And so this podcast, talking with you, talking with a bunch of other creatives and just people who are just fans of the outdoors is going to be a good thing for me and a good thing for other people who I talk to, who I talk to and who are listening.
Because I agree.
I want them to people who are listening to understand other people's experiences and other people's perspectives because there is not just one way to do it.
And if they're a professional in their field that they can give their knowledge, whether it's photography, videography, life.
Some people are just wise.
Whether it's their mountaineering, whatever it is, I want people to take something from it. Life experiences, knowledge from their field.
So talking with you, I think a lot of people are going to take a lot from this.
And closing out with these last two questions.
What is some advice to someone who just picked up their first camera?
Advice for somebody who just picked up their camera.
Or thinking about it.
Focus on the basics first.
Don't worry about edits.
Don't worry about edits at all.
I would focus on the basics.
Do not be swallowed whole by, you know, you've got to buy this camera.
Or this is the best camera or Canon is the best camera or Sony is the best camera.
Nikon is the best camera.
Don't be swallowed by that.
I've taken plenty of photo and video with this.
That worked just fine, especially for social media content.
I would say.
The triangle is probably your best place.
It's the best place to start.
ISO, help me out, Nik.
Shutter.
Aperture.
F-stop.
That's the best place to start.
And that will teach you the basics.
And then from there you will be able to expose your photo correctly.
And then from that point, you can worry about edits.
Don't buy presets.
It's a waste of money.
It is.
It's a waste of money.
You're not that person who is selling you presets.
So you don't take photos like them.
And that's okay that you don't take photos like them.
And I know, like, I was saying that kind of makes other photographers mad,
especially the ones that are selling presets.
But it's like, you know, you're selling somebody your style.
And photography should be about you.
Developing your own style.
An expression of you.
So always focus on yourself, the basics,
and don't let numbers basically get you down.
Because it's not about that.
Matt, fantastic question.
Where can the people find you on social media?
And what platforms are you on?
I am on TikTok.
I am on Instagram.
I am on YouTube.
And it's all the Michigan Vagabond.
Why the Michigan Vagabond?
Because I'm not centralized to Michigan.
Like, I liked, like, it was, it was young Matthew for a long time.
And that's because a group of buddies that were all younger than me.
Yeah.
And they called me young Matthew as more of like a dig, like, hey, old man.
But then I changed it.
So I changed it to the Michigan Vagabond because I, I really just float a lot, man.
Like, I float a lot.
Like, I really feel, I don't mean to be wrong.
Like, I'm very much connected to Michigan.
It's my heart. It's my love.
It will always be my home.
But, you know, I float a lot.
We're going, oh, man.
This year, we are headed to Utah, back to Maine.
I'm flying to South Cali to visit my brother.
Next year, might see you actually next year, if you would like.
We will be outside of Sequoia National Park.
Yes.
So and then the year after that, we're headed to Germany, Austria and Switzerland for three weeks.
You know, we're, you know, it's so that's where Vagabond came into my head, because I'm more of a drifter than like being connected.
Like, I guess.
My heart will always be here, but my soul will always belong to the world.
Like those beautiful places that just kind of just make you take that deep breath.
That's definitely, definitely what it is.
And I think that's I think that's why I stuck on that name.
And I think that's why I will continue to use that name.
For those of you listening, I think that was the best explanation of a username.
Most people just pick one and they just run with it.
Matt has a fantastic story behind his username.
So if you're not following Matt Couch, the Michigan Vagabond on social media, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, hit that follow button now.
And if you're not already following this podcast or on Instagram, we're on TikTok, the Nick Amp podcast, we're on YouTube, we're posting videos on there.
If you want to follow my account, I'm the Nick Amp on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube.
And on there I post mountains, photos, videos. Want to see all that stuff? Follow me there.
And thank you for listening, Matt. Thanks for coming on.
Thanks for having me. I look forward to seeing your work in the future.
Later, guys.