Matthew Abbott (b. 1984) is an Australian storyteller and photojournalist. He specialises in identifying, researching and executing in-depth long form visual stories. He believes that storytelling is most effective and powerful when it is based on a close connection to the subjects and an understanding of the stories behind the lens.
Early in his career Matt reported from around the globe, but in recent years he has focused his attention on what he knows best: his homeland Australia and neighbouring countries. He regularly contributes to the New York Times, Washington Post and National Geographic. His images have become internationally iconic for sensitively depicting major issues of our time.
Matt has won some of the most prestigious domestic and international photojournalism awards: three World Press Awards, including Global Story of the Year 2022 and four Walkleys. He was the inaugural Oceania-representative for the World Press Photo Global Talent Program. In 2020, he was named the Walkley Press Photographer of the Year.
His prints have appeared in exhibitions and collections around the world, including in Paris, New York, Berlin and Daegu. In 2021, Abbott’s first book, “A Fire Inside” about the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires in Australia, was published by Thames & Hudson and went on to become a best seller and award winner.
Matt regularly lectures and presents storytelling workshops at corporate functions, colleges and museums. He also does commercial work for clients including Apple, Nike, Uber and NRMA.
He is represented internationally by Panos Pictures in London and is a current member of the Oculi collective, Australia’s leading co-operative of visual storytellers.
NB: Matt's presentation is part of Sony NZ's Alpha Community Event. If you book a ticket for this talk you can also attend the Alpha Community Event.
