Professional Photo Printing at Scale: Matt Hofman's Workflow and What's in our HQ Gallery
- TeamBay
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Ask Matt Hofman about the moment everything changed, and he doesn't hesitate.
A client had commissioned a 24x78" panoramic MetalPrint of Capitola Village - five frames stitched together, printed large, hung on a wall where people could stand in front of it and just take it in. Matt had never printed anything close to that size. "Seeing it hung on a large wall, at that size, with all the fine detail and perfect color rendition," he says, "just reinforced how important it is to print your images large." Something about seeing his own work that big - really big, the way a painting commands a room - opened a door he's never closed.
Matt is a professional landscape and wildlife photographer based in Capitola, California, where the coastline has a way of making photographers out of people. His approach to professional photo printing is as deliberate as his shooting - and the results are currently on display in the Bay Photo Lab headquarters lobby exhibit in Scotts Valley. His work takes him from the Okavango Delta to the remote canyons of New Zealand's South Island, and back home to the shores of Monterey Bay, where he's been known to photograph humpback whales from a kayak. We sat down with Matt to talk about his craft, his creative process, and his genuine love for what happens when a beautiful image becomes a beautiful print.
Background & Origin
You grew up right here on the coast - how did photography find you?
I was fortunate to grow up in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area. Even as a kid, I really appreciated the beauty of this place and was naturally just drawn to it. Being a visual person, having a camera along with me just made sense. That comes partly from watching my dad lug his old video camera to our sporting events. His interest really fueled mine and gave me an opportunity to explore a creative hobby that has ended up becoming a rewarding career.
I didn't start out as a still photographer - my first love was video. My brother and I used to make short films on a Canon Hi-8 camcorder, editing between two VCRs. Today, we both work professionally in TV and video. My love for still photography began when I first started traveling. I've been lucky enough to visit South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, New Zealand, Scotland, Fiji, Italy, and areas throughout Indonesia. Back home, I love the Sierra Nevada, the Desert Southwest, Big Sur, and the many beautiful places right here in the Monterey Bay Area.
Creative Process & Shooting Style
Walk us through a specific image from the Bay Photo exhibit that sticks with you.
My favorite photos aren't always the most spectacular or colorful images. Sometimes it's all about the moment and the experience I had while taking the photo. One of those is in this exhibit - a small slot canyon along Haast Pass on the South Island of New Zealand. The canyon is right along the main road, but if you don't know what to look for, you'll drive right by it.
We received several inches of rain the first day we were there, and it wasn't safe to enter, so we waited a day for the water to recede. My wife Kathy and I were lucky enough to have this location entirely to ourselves for nearly an hour before anyone else arrived. These are the moments that really stick with me.
What's the most memorable experience you've had leading up to a shot?
My favorite experiences have always come from shooting wildlife. In the Okavango Delta of Botswana, we came across a young leopard perched on a tree branch, backlit by the setting sun. By overexposing by a couple of stops and blowing out the sky, I was able to expose the cat properly - and that one small decision in the moment gave me a beautiful black and white image. I love how the curves of the leopard's body match the arch in the tree, and how the flick of the cat's tail mimics a small branch. The sighting was over in seconds, but it has resonated with me ever since. I've had similar experiences right here in the Monterey Bay, shooting humpback whales from my kayak. Being that close to these animals is truly something I'll never forget.
On composition - how do you approach it?
I try not to overthink it. I start with what my eyes are drawn to and let compositions appear naturally. I do enjoy the challenge of finding that perfect foreground element or leading line to really bring you into or anchor an image. Finding that special frame has always been one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole experience - and the right comp can really make a great print stand out.
What are you shooting with, and what's your favorite lens?
I'm primarily a Canon shooter - currently an R5 Mark II and a 5DSR with Canon glass. I usually reach for my 16–35mm or 24–105mm, but my favorite is actually my 100–400mm telephoto. Even for landscapes, the longer lens provides a completely different look. I love how it compresses the subjects in a frame, bringing everything that much closer to the viewer.
Professional Photo Printing Decisions: Format, Color, and Large Format Results
How much of those vibrant colors are happening in the field versus in post?
I try to do the majority of the creation process in camera. I shoot with a polarizer and graduated ND filters to balance the foreground and sky - I still try to capture everything in a single frame instead of bracketing and blending in post. My favorite time to shoot is during very low light with a longer exposure. The longer exposures and the ND grads really saturate a sky due to the amount of time the light is being exposed on the sensor, and that's where a lot of my vibrant colors actually come from.
My post-processing is a repeatable formula I've developed to create my own style. I shoot RAW, make foundational adjustments in Lightroom, then finish in Photoshop. In the end, photography is just a series of creative choices we get to make to hopefully create an image that others love to look at.
How did Bay Photo earn your trust on color?
Color accuracy is very important to me. Bay Photo's color accuracy is top-notch, especially when using a calibrated monitor and Bay's ICC printing profiles. I've found a workflow that allows me to trust that my prints will come out as expected every time. That consistency is everything.
For photographers thinking about making the jump to large format - what's waiting for them?
The size alone brings a viewer right into the image. A large, well-made print has a wow factor that a smaller print just can't deliver. I probably sell more MetalPrints than any other format - they're strikingly sharp, clean, easy to hang, and very affordable. But when top-of-the-line quality is needed, nothing beats an Acrylic Face Mount. The depth and color an Acrylic delivers is something a traditional print just can't match.
The Gallery Exhibit
Anything surprise you once the work was actually on the wall?
Of all the prints, my favorite was the image of Shark Fin Cove just up the coast here in Santa Cruz. The detail and color just worked for me - it's definitely one I'd be happy to hang on one of my own walls.
Advice & Craft
Someone comes to you tomorrow and says they want to start printing and selling their work. First thing you tell them?
Start developing a following - whether through social media, local art shows, or any other way to get your work in front of lots of different eyes. Keep working on your craft, developing your style and portfolio, and if your work is worthy, the people looking to buy prints will find you. Go out and shoot for the love of it, and the good images will come.
Photography is a pursuit that rewards the people who love it most - the ones who wake up early, wait out the weather, and feel something genuine when the light finally does what they hoped it would. Matt Hofman is one of those people, and his prints show it.
Seeing his work in the Bay Photo lobby is a reminder of what this craft is truly capable of when the image and the print are both given everything they deserve. That's what Bay Photo Lab has been about since the beginning - giving photographers a place where their best work can become its best self.
Explore the full range at bayphoto.com.
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