Find Your Next Adventure

It took over a decade of adventure and exploration to find our true mission. Since Matt Gove Photo formally launched in January, 2009, there are three events that really stand out as shaping our mission and purpose.

The 20 May, 2013 Moore, Oklahoma Tornado: Telling a Story Through Photography

Watching firsthand a horrific EF-5 tornado tear a deep 4-mile long gash through the heart of Moore, Oklahoma is hard to put into words. It was a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and helpless feeling watching so many people's lives get turned upside down in a matter of minutes. Yet at the same time, being so close to something that powerful was easily one of the most awe-inspiring, memorable, and incredible experiences of my life.

Photography really helped capture and process all of the different emotions I felt during both the tornado and the recovery. It let me tell the story in a way that's so much more powerful than words. The outpouring of support for Moore from all over the world was truly amazing, and I take an enormous amount of pride in being able to participate in both the support and the recovery. Ever since that day, I try to tell a story with every photo series I produce.

Routine Trips to Mexico Provide an Introduction to Becoming a Global Citizen

After moving to Arizona in 2015, I wanted to expand my horizons even further. To immerse myself in a new culture, and my third language, I started taking routine trips to Mexico. Stepping across the border and looking at your home country from the outside is a truly eye-opening experience. You'll gain a new appreciation for the good things you have, and expose societal and cultural flaws you thought were completely normal. That's actually the first step to becoming a global citizen.

A global citizen is someone who is aware of the world and has a sense of their role in it. They are involved as members of the international community and are committed to building on this community in a meaningful and positive way. Becoming a global citizen will broaden your global perspective and allow you to bring fresh, new views back to your own community. Photography is an incredibly powerful means to engage communities and raise awareness both at home and abroad.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Changes Everything

You don't know how good something is until it's gone. That saying could not be more true after losing our traveling and photography adventures to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Being shut down for over a year makes you question everything that's brought you to this point. But rising defiantly from the ashes of the pandemic is my biggest adventure yet.

With a newfound appreciation for just how precious my travel and photography adventures are, I've decided to seize the moment and set off on the adventure of a lifetime to travel and see the world. If I'm not gonna do it now, when am I gonna do it, right? And I'm doing it in a truly special way.

Pangea: A New Chapter. The Ultimate Adventure.

As exciting as it is to set off on the adventure of a lifetime to travel the world, it gets even better. Born out of an incredible wildlife safari through southern Africa, I've partnered with one of my best friends, Dani, on our travel blog, Pangea. Our incredibly special and unique friendship allows you to experience the world from both the male and female perspectives, regardless of whether you're traveling solo or in a group. Our goal is to inspire you to push yourself beyond your comfort zone through travel. You'll discover things about yourself you didn't know were possible.

To follow along, please bookmark the blog and subscribe to both our YouTube channel and email newsletter. We can't wait to share this adventure of a lifetime with you.