DREAMSTOCK1982: Luis Manuel Matías lives his dream

Spanish photographer Luis Manuel Matías has supplied us with royalty-free images under the pseudonym DREAMSTOCK1982 for quite some time. At first mainly a wedding photographer. He has increasingly moved into stock images and commercial productions. Some time ago, we already presented a wellness production of him in our blog. We thought it was time to knock on his door again (even if only virtually) and ask how he is doing. He also told us how he got into stock photography and Westend61 in the first place.

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Tell us a little about yourself. Who are you?

My name is Luis Manuel Matías, and I live in the south of Spain. For some time, I have been a professional wedding photographer. At the moment, I dedicate myself to stock photography and the creation of advertising content for companies. In other words, I am passionate about the audiovisual world.

Your alias on Westend61 is dreamstock! 1982 – is there a story behind the name?

Becoming a part of the Westend61 photographer community has taken me closer to my recurring income goal through photography. As I am still new to the stock photography industry, the acceptance was a bit of a surprise. I knew I wanted to use a pseudonym and combined the facts described above with my birth date: DREAMSTOCK1982.

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Find more images of Dreamstock 1982!

How did you get into the world of photography and stock photography in particular?

I discovered stock photography through a blog on the internet. The possibility to create a continuous flow of income, passive, so to speak, triggered my curiosity. When I signed up with some distributors, I soon realized that labeling the photos to publish them takes some nerves. I admit I am thrilled Westend61 works in a different way.

What is your favorite theme to photograph?

Above all, I like the photography of people. Usually, I work with several models who always supported my work from the beginning. I am a very social person, and I like to work with all kinds of people to share experiences!

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Do you follow other photography projects outside of stock photography?

I also work directly with companies, especially in the hospitality industry. On the other hand, I d a bit more individual work in fashion photography and social documentaries. Nevertheless, stock photography is my main focus.

Did the Covid 19 Pandemic affect the way you work? Do you take other pictures etc?

Covid 19 has dramatically affected my content creation. I have almost always worked with family members during the pandemic, especially my son! I took a lot of stock photos of him. Step by step, everything is returning to normal, but it has been a very negative circumstance for productions. I hope it will all be over soon!

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Tell us about one of your images or a special moment

Oh, I have some stories: from dropped camera batteries in hot tubs, broken diffusers, forgotten lenses in hotel rooms. Sometimes, I am a pretty absent person.

The following image will show you one of my favorite productions. As said, I am a social person, and in this case, it is simply the wonderful friendship I established with both models on that day.

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What made you start working with W61? What do you like the most?

I learned about Westend61 through a stock photography blog. When I learned they demand high-quality work from their photographers and create remarkable income, I knew I had to sign up. I did not have any hopes, so the acceptance was a pleasant surprise. I started uploading all my content to Westend61 and quickly established great friendships with other photographers like Alvaro Hernandez and Manuel Padilla. Many colleagues helped me to improve. It’s a lot of fun to be part of Westend61.

Let us know about your future plans!

I plan to continue creating content exclusively for Westend61 and work a lot more on stock video content. I hope to do stock video productions for Westend61 soon, and I think positioning myself now is ideal!

Is there something you want to say to photographers that want to start working in stock photography?

Above all, you need to have patience. At first, stock photography is a tricky business, following references while concentrating on creating content with sales potential. Self-criticism about your work is very important. When you do not work well within this market, you need to recognize it, forget your ego, and adapt. The ego is probably the biggest enemy of a stock photographer. The best photographers I’ve met are the ones who are the most humble. Something to keep in mind 😉

Sebastian Bentzin

For over ten years Sebastian works in the digital media field. The Hamburg-based social media manager combines his professional background with his interest in photography contributing to the Westend61 outlets.