Documenting My Recovery // Mamiya RZ67 Pro II

[@michalt.2450]

Matt, in my opinion, one of the best photos you have taken.. what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.. take care..

[@coffeepyros]

Please make a coffee table book at the end. Medium format negs have tons of detail, that need to be seen. Buying the book would be an opportunity for us to help you out and to have a photo book, that actually *means* something. It's really great to see how you photographically deal with your current situation... always solving problems and looking for ways to work around limitations. Very inspiring!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

I second.

[@johnfrancis6660]

Agreed

[@yakattac78]

Take my money im in 👍

[@brechtvanhoutte4925]

Same here

[@Yeticomoelvaso]

I'm in line for one copy as well!

[@AndrewRock]

Hi Matt. Your review of an RZ67 ages ago inspired me to get one. What a tank. Great for weight training. Surprising choice for you now, but you're making great shots with it. Your hands broke me up.When you put it all together, in whatever form, it's going to be a thing. Best for your recovery, you, and family.

[@nelsonm.5044]

Just knowing that you were able to get the focus pitch perfect and those are self portrait, very impressive. Each shot must have take you some time in the preparation but the results are fantastic

[@ChrisRoutledge]

It's great to see you making such strong work from this awful experience. This project definitely needs to be in print--those images of your hands are really powerful.

[@ubongakpan5756]

One of the only photographers now that openly shows the emotional aspects of a photograph and the journey that lead towards his work. Thank you because (even though I just found out about you a few days ago) you've helped bring alot of things into perspective, showing the true essence of photography.

[@waynesimon2963]

Hope you're doing better Matt. I know you are not trying seem extraordinary but you are an inspiration to a positive outlook on life and its difficulties. Take care of yourself first. We will be here when as you improve....

[@Lindy77ful]

I'm glad you're back and recovering.

[@seansims2475]

Hey Matt, glad to see things are looking up. I wanted to comment and just say I really liked the shot of your shadow. I really felt that captured a lot of what you said you were wanting to convey with this project. Just showing us how you're actually working with your camera now as you work through your recovery. I hope things keep moving in the right direction for you.

[@sincerely_rosa_]

I just watched this...a friend of my sent me this link...I´ve been sick for a year now and have trouble using my arms and legs properly throughout my daily life. Hearing how you work with photography during your recovery while your hands dont work well, gave me some kind of hope that one day I could be back to normal. Thank you so much for sharing your story and I wish you all the best with your recovery!

[@lukewebster9905]

Matt, man you should just make a full photo book out of these, putting that up for sale would be a great way for people to keep giving. Glad you're doing so much better.

[@valentindarvenne3222]

Matt, this make me cry of joy, the fact you can take something like this and turn it into such a beautiful is so inspiring, showing me and hopefully others so much good can come from bad. These pictures are beautiful, and I would love it if you made a zine of this project, I would cherish it and study it to show me that I should just follow on with my passion as they might help recovery. Knowing that this is also how you started photography, documenting your life when your brother became paralyzed. I appreciate you so much and you inspire me every day. Thank you for being you, and thank you for sharing this to the world.

[@warboyssnapper]

Nothing much to add to the comments below except well done and so pleased you are on the road to recovery and able to make the most of your situation.

[@ericsaxton6032]

I encourage you to keep documenting your recovery. You and family will really appreciate it in 20-30yrs. Hope you have a speedy recovery, remember to be patient with your body and embrace the healing process.

[@antoniotomas425]

You're doing great Matt! So much progress already! Great news about your mom too! Like you she is a fighter and an inspiration. Lots of love to you and your family!

[@zguy95135]

I'm glad to see you're feeling better and in good spirits. The photos are really amazing

[@andrewbehrens9045]

matt, you are amazing. these photos are beautiful.

[@clayfisher3194]

I'm so inspired by your courage and humbleness in commencing this project of your recovery. I envision an exhibition that continually reminds us, especially those of us who are photographers how much we take for granted. The simple tasks in life like operating the camera or maneuvering equipment; tasks that seem so intuitive until we can't. Thanks again for sharing your story and much success in your full recovery and the outcome from this amazing project.

[@mynciee]

Funnily enough your RZ67 review from years ago was one of the reviews that pushed me to get my own RZ system this year. I watched it over and over dreaming of owning it. It's kinda crazy seeing you go from that review to using it in your recovery process. You are doing important work. If you are comfortable sharing, keep it coming!

[@mikemeyers6892]

You are growing as a photographer. Very nice pictures. The best I have seen you do. It shows that it is the make of camera that is important but the person using it. The camera will be a help to your recovery both physically and mentally. I look forward to seeing more great pictures and your full recovery!

[@dawgrules1]

Absolutely outstanding Matt. I had Bell's palsy and understand how slow recovery can be. One day at a time and when you look back over a week, then you see progress. Be strong bud.

[@stevewilliamson7264]

Lovely, expressive pics. Awesome spirit. Wish you well, and thanks for including us in the journey.

[@capetiene]

Hey Matt, you have been an inspiration to me and many others before all this, now you continue to inspire while going through a difficult recovery process. Love your work, the photos are great! Keep it up mate

[@linusloth4145]

Matt, in this day an age when everybody copies the photographic style from each other and you nearly see only small variations of the same your photographs stand out! In an artistic as well as in an existential matter. Thank you for sharing your exceptional work.

[@oopsydaisy74]

Excellent photos, Matt. This is a great way to help you recover and we thank you for sharing. Love my RZ, but I agree about the portability. Wishing you continued progress in your recovery.

[@SidVidZid]

You are an inspiration, fighting through the health related challenges in your family this year. Molly and you are lucky to have each other.

[@georgkoe]

Glad to see you getting better! The photos are phenomenal - not only considering the effort you'd to take with the setting but also your courage facing the difficulties of recovering from such a bad injury to your health with a camera. Reminds me very much of Sally Mann's bedbound photographs ... Best wishes and take care!

[@danielemilazzo432]

As usual, great work. Even with all the difficulties.

[@davideastham]

So glad you are doing much better Matt. Good luck to you.

[@b991228]

Matt sounds familiar. Doing landscapes I got one mosquito bit to many that went bad a few days later. I went into a seizures and then a two week coma. After waking up I had among other things, paralysis in my legs, balance issues and cognitive disabilities. The good news I can give you is my recovery was slow but now is impressively good. I have gone from talk about a nursing home to nearly full recovery. Hang in there; things get better. Circumstances like this gives you a new appreciation of life.

[@_Martincito]

Matt I love your outlook on photography and importantly, life. Please keep these photos and vids coming. Would definitely be interested in getting a zine in the future if you were to put one together. Good luck with the recovery man

[@loganme]

Not only great documentary work, but pretty fantastic given what you've gone through, Matt. Hope your recovery continues to progress!

[@BillMcCarroll]

One day at a time Matt. You're going to beat this thing. These photos will be a memory, well worth capturing.

[@rrmitch123]

MATT! Glad to have you back. Looking well!

[@MrDCB1234]

Great stuff! Praying for you and your family.

[@hmmmmmd]

Way to go, Matt! My KZbin felt nothing without your videos.

[@sullymcsullyface]

Love this and inspired to see you're using this as an opportunity to explore your photography and yourself - would love to see more and really appreciate the explanations of how you're setting up and the thoughts behind the compositions. all the best to you on the recovery!

[@101110110111]

I think, you really transport that "Lets live"-statement. It's super impressive! I think not everyone would deal with such a drastic situation in that kind of productive positivity. I really hope your recovery process makes big progress! Please continue your great work!

[@1989Goodspeed]

Glad to see you back Matt, saw your video about your tick born infection and I wish you a speedy recovery. Hang in there and you are in the right track with a Mamiya, that´s awesome camera. Beautiful immages! Oh, and a tip from a RN, there are exercise tools made for musicians (trumpeters in particular) made to exercise grip strength in individual fingers, might be of help. Take care!

[@nickd7050]

Hi Matt, as someone working in health and an amateur photy it's really interesting to see and hear what is important to you at this time. One of the things that psychologically affects so many patients is how their body changes, and trying to reconcile what they want from their body with what can actually happen. Something that shows in this video is how good a storyteller you are; not only did you manage to gauge that fine DoF for your shoulder, but also tie together all the messages and meanings that it has for yourself. I'd love to see more if you could make this a series!

[@SimCurves]

Good to have you back, Matt! Hope the recovery continues well.

[@plug256]

Glad to see you back!

[@terrywbreedlove]

We can talk about having photography in our life and using it to help recover from a traumatic experience. Bravo young man keep going.

[@AloeLover]

Glad you are recovering well. Bless.

[@Pentaprysm]

You should take a photograph to mark your return to KZbin! That's a huge part of the progression, especially as it relates to your viewers!

[@danielevan4564]

I love how the strong side is at the top right, and you weak side is on the bottom left.. beautiful photographs. Great work Matt

[@briansavage932]

Seems like this was just a couple of weeks ago. A year and a half+! I remember watching this at the time because your symptoms were similar to my step mom. Turns out she had West Nile Virus (I KNOW). It permanently handicapped her unfortunately. You made a full recovery which makes me really happy. Glad you're on the other side of this, brother.

[@kzed0]

That shadow photo rocks. I have a lot of respect for what you're doing with this

[@dennice2910]

Glad to see you recovering and in high spirits.

[@patcliffordfootballcoach]

great to see you on your feet and up doing what you like to do

[@adventuroustravelearth5493]

Wow! The Mamiya RZ67. I used the RB67 during the 1980'& 1990's Along with a Hasselblad 500CM & 500ELX Awesome cameras of that era. Wish you the best of recovery

[@jvrkruger]

Great images. These self portraits could become a very meaningful project. It is a wonderful thing to create an image that communicates your identity, your current struggle, but also hope. I had tick bite fever and pneumonia simultaneously a few years ago. I was lucky that the doctor's in our part of the world are much more aware of parasites, mosquitoes etc. It was a hectic experience. Very glad to see that you are in recovery.

[@trsc32]

So glad to see you’re doing better! My girlfriend and I were following along with the posts you and Molly put up on Instagram. We’re happy to see you doing a lot better and hope it’s a speedy recovery. Hopefully you’re still able to make it out to the B&C meet up soon! If not, we all understand.. health first!

[@MrNikkydems]

Hey Matt, thanks for the share. Very motivational and inspiring. Keep positive for your family, yourself and your followers.

[@CaptTerrific]

This was a very personal and intimate series; thank you so much for sharing it with us! The results have been fantastic

[@CaptTerrific]

This is also screaming for a set of 3-5 highly curated 8x10 prints as a final result

[@drfdwf392]

Learned about this on facebook. Wishing for your recovery. Beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing this journey. Stay well, Matt.

[@jacopoabbruscato9271]

In some years, those pictures will have an enormous memory value for you. Good job, and I wish you a speedy recovery

[@themikepadua]

Amazing to see how this project is taking shape. So stoked to see where it goes.

[@capturedbyannamarie]

Love these! Prayers for continued recovery!

[@danielvogl]

Wish you all the best. Great project under these extraordinary circumstances. Very impressing. Keep going man. Cheers

[@trueaquarius]

Your "Let's Live" photo is iconic!!! Love it!

[@gregcoatesphoto]

These photos are fantastic. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of this series as you shoot them.

[@channtron]

love the pictures and the story, keep working on your recovery and i hope to see more!

[@eeli808]

Welcome back man! Glad to see your getting better!

[@sonygoup]

Nice to have you back on your feet, got a pro S for 150usd today also.

[@alanholzmanphoto]

Matt, Great project! It is wonderful for me to follow your recovery and truly artistic, emotional and revealing of you.. Thanks for sharing and keep it up if it is beneficial to you. Your are an inspiration.

[@w0lfyovi294]

Happy to hear that you are getting better. Your struggle and commitment to photography is so inspiring, those shots are just efing amazing. Please do continue to document and I would love to see them, from an artistical point of view but also see someone I care (you :P) for overcoming this difficult moment. Be strong and stay photogenic my friend. PS: I would be extremely interested in a zine as well.

[@ddaly20111993]

More please! So happy to see you making videos!

[@ElroyBeezley]

Brilliant work. Speedy recovery!

[@hardboiledcraig]

Beautiful shots! Hope your recovery is going well!

[@Otokichi786]

Once upon a time (the 1980's) I worked at a photo portrait studio. The most used studio camera was an RB-67, which was equipped with 6X7 and 6X4.5 film backs and the usual Wide/Normal/Telephoto lenses. When the senior photographers were using it for studio portraits, they used a very long pneumatic bulb shutter release. This guaranteed "studio candids" as they interacted with subjects from 8 months to 80 years of age. The camera was mounted on a moveable stand with a pan head, which allowed one to cover subjects from high to low angles as needed. (Hasselblad 500ELs were mounted from time to time, when dynamic portraits sessions wee scheduled.) Ye Olde RB-67 was anything but slow for studio use.;)

[@TomKaszuba]

Let’s live. Very inspirational message. Thank you Matt.

[@AutoSugar]

This is definitely some of your best work!

[@thephotographerseye5184]

Glad to see you're back. Good luck with your recovery.

[@10Outta10Baby]

Matt you're the man! Keep up the inspiration.

[@klazorkin]

Hey man, big respect to you and get well soon, I really like that you don't give up and make stuff, this is awesome! Anything besides sitting around thinking about the problems you are going through will help you heal faster. I think you should do an E-Zine with the recovery photos and your story and sell it online. So you can get some money for your recovery and give people your awesome photos!

[@euanshields184]

Simply stunning. Love the shots inspired me for my college assignment

[@timmyd999]

Great to hear the recovery is coming along well, best wishes from London Matt

[@loeckli3015]

Keep up those kind of videos and more important those photos! Love them! And wish you all the best for your recovery! Cheers from Switzerland Michael

[@cameronstewart9959]

i hope you know these are incredible images, really glad to see you back and shooting. i would happily support y'all and buy a zine

[@waynedobie]

Great photos Matt 👍 Would like to see more definitely.

[@IainHC1]

Really glad you are getting better mate :-) Love the shots and looking forward to some more :-)

[@alexmonsterstonem]

I hope you get better soon so I send all my best wishes to you and your family, because I really enjoy your work and your videos I take your recommendations and advices really serious, greetings from a unknown friend from México ✌

[@mikenorm2002]

Keep em coming Matt! Your looking great!

[@joeplonsker633]

Your dedication is inspiring.

[@brunobear88]

Glad to see you back!! You can try to document the exercices that you are doing for the recovery!

[@mamboferido4741]

You got this, Matt.

[@Opleda]

Beautiful photographs.

[@warboyssnapper]

Definitely more please matt

[@FabrizioZago]

Hi Matt, first of all I'm glad you're on your way to a good recovering. I really like this first serie of documentary photographs, keep them coming! I would be very interested in a zine, I think it's a very good idea. It may push others in the same condition to do the same, to concentrate the power in a project that may help both phisically and mentally to come out of a situation like this. I wish you all the best!

Great job! Definitely worthwhile putting on a zine. All the best for your recovery process.

[@Raychristofer]

Really appreciate this Matt, I know it's not easy to document these type of things when you're going through hardship. One thing I can say about vintage film cameras doing is I would never buy one that doesn't have a self-timer for the reasons you mentioned, almost half of my photos are self portraits though maybe that doesn't apply to everyone. I hope you continue to improve with your motor skills I have no idea Lyme disease was so powerful

[@GerbenVanDyk1]

Pure inspiration Matt.

[@sandrag.3855]

Including the cable release into the picture is something that just shows, that you are on your own in this moment. Nothing that would bother me at least... Great pictures, great camera, interesting content. Love to see more and follow your healing process. Keep on going. :) (My man just broke his collarbone and many of your daily problems, like getting dressed on your own, are strangely familiar to me...)

[@EdwardIglesias]

Great work Matt. I've only done one self portrait on film and I found it challenging. The shadow shot it amazing.

[@AaronFleming]

This is really awesome! Glad to hear you're getting back to yourself

[@taylornoel]

This work is incredibly strong Matt. I’m super impressed and I all of a sudden want to start working on self portraits... haha Very happy to see you recovering :)

[@sebastianllavaneras8312]

This is awesome ! You gotta make a book with it

[@coastalartistlivingonislan8395]

Hi Matt, you seem in good positive spirits. After we face life changing illness, we tend to reevaluate our lives. This is normal. You mentioned not knowing where to go next with this photo project. If I may... You and the guy over at Smogranch should work together. He has Lyme from tickbite. You and others can work together and make a project about what happens after you are bitten and also how to prevent getting ticks on you while out in the back country, such as backpacking, hiking, boating, working, photographing etc. It seems to be difficult to get a diagnosis on this. I don't understand this in the 21st century. I have friends who have run into similar situations and finally after many painful procedures that turn up nothing, find out they have celiac disease. I live on the Gulf Coast- here we are dealing with mosquito borne illness. It gets worse after hurricanes and storms hit the area and we have standing water, which is a breeding ground for the larvae to hatch. My neighbor is an entomologist. Maybe he can teach me some things. He is in Panama right now, but I can email him. He is retired professor. I lived for 30 years on the NC coast, near where you vacationed. It is a place of healing for many. Usually more in your spirit and soul roughly speaking, but also physically. The negative ions help the human body. I am here at the gulf coast for a few more months, then back to NC if Hurricane Florence doesn't destroy my home. I have been here almost 5 years, and the Zika virus situation has been eye opening. Contact me if I can assist you with information. I think you have the potential for a great documentary project on your hands for the good of public education, healing and recovery. Re: tick bites and mosquito bites and the life changing events after being bitten and infected.

[@manoelalmeida4773]

Man! you need to publish a book after this. you diserve something big like the book, after all this path you are walking throught