Who is Matthew McClelland?

Matthew McClelland is a Fredericksburg native, born and raised in Stafford county just minutes from George Washington's boyhood home of Ferry Farm. Matthew has had a passion for art his entire life, though his journey to becoming a photographer is quite interesting. After years of searching for peace in life, he obtained a DSLR camera from a friend. During a New Years trip to Boston with some friends, he ventured around the city taking photos and discovered he was pretty good at it and really enjoyed it. Over the next few months he got in to hiking and mountain climbing, and his camera gave him an excuse to go to venture in to nature, while nature gave him an excuse to take photos.

As the months went by, he learned how to operate the camera and to see the world in a different light, all the while he started to find that peace he had been searching for. An injury led to the loss of a job, vehicles, and a home, and he was left wondering where to turn. He applied for a job as a photographer to learn more and to chase his passion. After a year of shooting real estate photography full time and building a brand, he hit the ground running as a full time photographer and digital artist.

Today, Matthew shoots freelance for the local newspaper, portrait sessions, weddings, events, and landscapes and cityscapes. He still climbs mountains in his spare time, raising money for suicide prevention and sharing his personal story of hope and faith. His photography fuels his passion to climb, reminding him that no feat is too large when you change "I can't" in to "I can".