Matthew Wilks

Hi, I’m Matthew! I’ve been behind a camera for most of my life; my photography journey began decades ago when I was just a kid and unwrapped an SLR camera for my birthday. Not long after, I built a darkroom in my parents’ garage, and that magical moment watching an image slowly appear on paper set the course for everything that came after. I have been creating images ever since.

As digital technology evolved, I transitioned from film to a fully digital workflow. I launched a youth action sports photography business and worked with the CBS Sports website MaxPreps; over time, I shifted my focus to nightscapes, chasing the Milky Way across interesting foregrounds, and eventually expanded into deep-sky photography. Today, I shoot both widefield nightscapes and deep-sky objects, blending decades of experience with a strong technical foundation.

Over the years, I have become deeply experienced with single-shot images, blends, multi-row panoramas, stacked and tracked images, and timelapses using LRTimelapse. I have also spent considerable time photographing wildlife with long telephoto lenses in environments ranging from tropical rainforests to rugged, frozen landscapes.

I bring a calm, supportive teaching style to every workshop. I am patient, thorough, and happy to answer questions at any level. I enjoy helping participants understand concepts at their own pace and love seeing the excitement when someone captures a shot they did not think they could achieve. My goal is to build both competence and confidence, so students leave feeling capable, inspired, and eager to keep exploring the night sky.

Outside of photography, I am a university professor with extensive experience leading groups, mentoring learners, and managing complex situations under pressure. I also volunteer with an international disaster relief organization in roles ranging from medical team leader to liaison officer, deploying to emergencies across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. When I am off duty, you will likely find me racing a MINI Cooper with my family or exploring remote trails in my 4×4 truck in search of solitude. That mix of long-term experience, preparedness, and love for adventure is what I bring to every workshop, making sure participants feel supported and excited to capture the night sky, no matter their skill level.