Wash Park neighbor and friend, Matt Draper has caught our attention. His professional photography work spans corporate events and headshots, but it is his street photography that really tells a story, one that is candid, human, and full of character. He has been in Denver for only five years, but has already made a name for himself as he captures our community behind the lens.

Your work spans polished professional photography and more spontaneous street photography. What do you love about each, and how do they influence one another?

I love both sides of what I do because they feel different, but they also feed each other. Professional photography is about showing up for someone else — helping a client feel confident, giving them something they’re excited to use. Street photography is more personal. It’s just me following curiosity.

But in both cases, I’m always trying to be present and leave room for something unexpected. I don’t like things that feel overly posed or planned out.

I started out in filmmaking and writing, so I’m always thinking in terms of story — even with something as simple as a headshot. Sometimes the story is just, “This person feels open and approachable,” and that has less to do with a perfect pose and more to do with helping them relax.

That’s really the goal in both worlds: getting people to forget about the camera for a second. Street photography keeps me learning constantly, because every time I go out, I’m meeting someone new and trying to capture something real, in the moment.

Much of your work centers on people and real moments. How do you build trust and connection with someone you may only have a few minutes with, whether in a studio or on the street?

Most of the time I’m photographing someone I’ve just met. That’s true with clients, and it’s definitely true when I’m out on the street making portraits. So learning how to connect quickly is kind of the whole job.

I also shoot a lot of events, where I’m basically walking into a room full of strangers who all know each other, and I’m the one trying to capture what the night actually felt like.

For me, trust starts pretty simply. People can tell right away if you’re unsure, and then they get stiff and self-conscious. So I try to show up with a calm confidence, a smile, and just a normal, friendly energy.

Once someone relaxes, it stops being about “posing” and it becomes more like a real moment between two people. That’s always what I’m looking for.

Your street photography captures everyday Denverites in honest, unguarded ways. What have these encounters taught you about the city so far?

Honestly, it’s taught me that people in Denver are incredibly approachable. I think out of the hundred or so street portraits I’ve taken, maybe one person has said no. 

Some are genuinely excited to see the photo, and others treat it almost like I asked them the time — they smile, pause for a second, and then keep going about their day. It’s been a reminder that this city is full of openness and quiet friendliness, even in the middle of a busy street.

As a photographer, how do you know when to quietly observe versus when to engage and direct a subject? Can you share a moment when that choice really mattered?

I pretty much always engage with people first. There’s always an introduction, a little conversation. But I don’t love giving a lot of direction. Most people, the second they see a camera, they start posing or putting on a face.

So a lot of what I do is just try to get them out of that mode. Sometimes that’s as simple as asking a question.

I remember one guy I photographed who I was honestly a little nervous to approach. He looked intimidating, but there was something really interesting about him, so I went for it. He agreed, but I could tell he was kind of guarded, like he was trying to look a certain way.

So I just asked him if he grew up in Denver.

And that tiny question cracked everything open. He started telling me where he was from, why he was named what he was… and suddenly he was just a person, not a pose.

That’s when the photo happened. It ended up being one of my favorites, and it had almost nothing to do with lighting or technique — it was just a moment of connection.

You’re a California transplant who recently put down roots in Denver. What drew you here creatively, and how has the city begun shaping your perspective?

I spent years working in the entertainment industry in California, mostly with actors and agents, and at a certain point I just felt ready for something different. I wanted a place that felt more grounded — more real.

Denver has been that for me. There’s a warmth here, and a creative energy that doesn’t feel performative. People are building interesting lives and projects, but they’re not trying to impress anyone while doing it.

Creatively, the city has pushed me toward paying attention in a new way — to everyday moments, to strangers, to light and space, to the stories happening right in front of you.

I didn’t move here thinking, “This is where my photography will evolve,” but that’s exactly what’s happened. Denver has started to feel like a place where I can do the work I want to do, and actually belong while doing it.

Has photographing people around Denver helped you build community since moving here? 

Slowly, yes, and in a way that feels very real. I haven’t been in Denver that long, so I wouldn’t pretend I’ve built some huge community overnight. But photography has definitely been my way in.

Even street portraits, which are such brief encounters, create these little moments of connection. I’ve run into a couple people I’ve photographed weeks later, and we’ll smile or say hello like we already know each other. It’s small, but it sticks with you.

And outside of the street work, I’ve started meeting more artists here, especially musicians, and those relationships feel like they’re beginning to grow into real collaborations. I’m also excited to be working with a past client on a nonprofit project soon.

So I’d say it’s still early, but the camera has been a kind of bridge. It’s helped the city feel less like a place I moved to, and more like a place I’m starting to belong.

Do you have a favorite image you’ve taken, either professionally or on the street, that feels especially meaningful to you? What’s the story behind it?

Honestly, one of my favorite images lately is a headshot I took of myself — which sounds like a Carly Simon song or something. I’m usually the guy behind the camera, and like a lot of my clients, I really don’t love being photographed.

But I was prepping lighting for a shoot with a musician who wanted to play with neon, and I took a quick test shot just to see how it was looking. And I ended up loving it. It felt like one of those rare photos where I actually recognized myself in a good way.

That’s why it’s the photo I’m using for this interview.

And for street work, I’d say some of my favorite portraits came from the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo — just honest faces, cowboys and city-slickers passing through, and a moment that felt very uniquely Denver.

As you widen your creative circle in Denver, what kinds of projects, collaborations, or connections are you hoping to explore next?

I just really love photographing people — on the street, in a studio, or anywhere in between. So I want to keep pushing my portrait work and making it better and more meaningful.

I’ve always been drawn to environmental portraits — that style where the person and the place are part of the same story. Arnold Newman is one of my favorite photographers for that reason. I enjoy studio work, but I really come alive when I’m trying to combine someone with a setting in a way that feels honest and memorable.

I’d also love to collaborate more with artists here in Denver — musicians, writers, creatives of all kinds. That feels like a natural fit for how I work, because I’m always interested in trying something new and making something that feels alive.

And I’ll definitely keep doing street portraits. They’re kind of my sketchbook — the place I go to stay curious, keep learning, and keep connecting with the city one face at a time.

You can view Matt’s vast portfolio at www.draperstudios.com or his street photography via his instagram @draper_studios.