Featured Photographer | January 2010

In 1993, Sheri LaMagna founded Brett Matthews Photography, which resides in Roslyn Heights New York. Establishing itself as one of the top studios in the nation, Brett Matthews Photography has been featured in New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Knot, The New York Times, In-Style Weddings, and the list goes on.

To Sheri, it gives her “great pleasure and job satisfaction to have a bride tell me she has never taken or looked more beautiful in photographers then on her wedding day.

On the job, Sheri likes to shoot with a Nikon D3 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. Her trick to keep everybody happy, including herself, is to pack her camera bag full of candy. “Sugar makes everyone happy, and yes I hit the gym six days a week to work it off.”

Although candy might make everybody happy, until the sugar-high wears off at least, Sheri has a bone to pick with “Green-box Shooters.” Revealing some of her biggest pet peeves, Sheri explains, “Photographers who give away their images and sell themselves, and this industry short. If you are not confident about your work, choose another business venture. The back-end of photography sales is even more profitable than the front. If you are not charging big bucks for your photography and you are giving away your images, you are not making money. By giving a lot in a package, you appear vulnerable to your clients, they will not respect you or your work.”

Sheri also explains that another pet peeve is photographers who don’t ever use flash. “Bet I could find lots of raccoon eyes in your pictures. You would never work with or for me. Many times flash can enhance a photo. Educate yourself on using it!”

Speaking of lighting, Sheri has had the same lighting assistant for 6 years. "It’s like she takes over my right side of my brain and I can just use my left side to be even that more creative with out worrying."

So you might ask what is Sheri like when she’s not behind her Nikon? The Lab had the opportunity to play 101 questions (not literally) and get a better insight.

Music: Rock n Roll
Movie: Wuthering Heights
Magazine: RANGEFINDER
TV Shows: CSI Miami, Project Runway, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Chelsea Lately
Candy: Necco Wafers, M&M’s, Good & Plenty, Chews 4 packs of Trident Peppermint Splash gum a day.
Food: Lentil Soup
Color: Lime Green
Flower: Dendrobium Orchid
Restaurant: Yamaguchi (New York) Bradley Ogden (Las Vegas)
Drink: Ice Coffee
Love To: Run – 45 minutes a day

"I am just a hard working studio owner that is passionate about her work and passes this excitement on to my dedicated staff. Love them! They rock! If you are ever in New York, come and visit us. Studio tours are FREE when booked in advance."

Check out some of her work ...