“I’m always looking around for pictures,” says Chelsea Matson, a 2011 graduate with degrees in Human Services and International Affairs. As the proprietor of her own photography business—capturing weddings, family sessions, brand photography sessions, and more—it comes as no surprise to hear that Matson has always viewed the world through a photographic lens. “With my friends, I was notorious for always having a disposable camera with me…I still have shoeboxes of developed photos,” says Matson. “Even whenever I’m driving down the highway, I’m gasping, like, ‘Oh my gosh, those wildflowers are so incredible!’”
Matson’s journey towards becoming a professional photographer was, by her admission, a rather convoluted process. At Northeastern, she began by majoring in criminal justice with a minor in business. Not finding this to be the right fit, she shifted to pre-med, then general art, and finally to a dual major in human services and international affairs. Ultimately, she decided to procure a master’s degree in special education. Her passion for photography, however, never left her.
Eventually, while working as a teacher in New York City, the thought occurred to her—“What if I got people to pay me for taking photos?” Almost immediately, she dedicated herself to learning the tricks of the trade through a photography apprenticeship—all while continuing her career as a teacher and starting her photography business. After getting married and moving to Milwaukee in 2014, she decided to spend another year honing her skills before finally taking the plunge and picking up where she left off . Her calendar has been booked ever since.
However, running a business by herself comes with its own share of difficulties. “Being my own boss is pretty amazing…and exhausting,” says Matson. “Some days, I’m just sitting here on my computer editing for eight hours straight.” According to Matson, what makes it all worth it is her investment in serving and understanding people. “I luckily have really incredible clients,” says Matson. “I love getting to know all these different people at different parts of their lives. Some people are about to have a baby, some people are getting married, some people have five kids and they’re wrangling them…I think people are super interesting, [and] I think that photography gives you an opportunity to build different communities.”
Matson expresses her gratitude to Northeastern for giving her the tools and experience to start her own business. “Being able to graduate with that [co-op] experience is so incredibly valuable,” says Matson. “I left Northeastern with four jobs on my resume…that was huge.” Beyond that, she credits her Northeastern experience with giving her the confidence to pursue her ambitions. “It’s a big deal to be able to feel like you have the tools to leave your full-time benefits-paid job and go start a business, and I think a lot of that comes from my courses and my relationships I built at Northeastern.”
Ultimately, Matson’s hard work and dedication to her craft has paid off—in fact, this year marks the conclusion of her tenth full season in the business. More so than her remarkable business success, Matson is perhaps even prouder of the strides she’s made over the years in terms of setting a manageable work-life balance. “During my first three years, I was doing 20 to 30 weddings in a season, which was beautiful and amazing, but also really grueling.” Part of her growth, she says, has been figuring out the importance of valuing her time. “[Nowadays], if I’m not doing an in-person session, then I’m with my family,” she laughs. “Know what makes you feel happy and joyful, set boundaries, learn from people who do what you want to do, and then just have fun.”
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“Walking into a job after [graduating from Northeastern], I felt like I had all these skills: time management, people management, human interactions — without these, I would have felt way more timid.”
Chelsea Matson ssh ’11