vancouver photographer Michele Mateus

Framing
the beautiful
chaos of the
human EXPERIENCE.

Hi, I’m Michele!

Collector of cookbooks, lover of music and a wanna be minimalist.

Selected work published in

– Rangefinder Magazine
– Impact Magazine
– Georgia Straight
– The Juno Awards
– The Portrait System
– West Coast Foods
– The Tyee
– See Change Makers
– Vancouver is Awesome
– Rhythm Changes
– Stir Arts & Culture Vancouver
– The Ubessy
– Vancouver International Jazz Festival
– SAD Magazine
– The Armenian Weekly
– ABC Bookworld
– Rocky Mountain Bride
– BC Wedding Awards

I’m Michele Mateus, a Vancouver based portrait photographer, and multi-hyphenated creative, speaker and activist. I have a rebel heart and care deeply about humanity and our planet. I’m often told I have the kind of energy that lights up a room, which I attribute to my insatiable curiosity and the music that is always playing in my heart.

Think spirited Pisces meets part old soul and one part badass (according to my son).
I also have random letters that come after my name, but to me those are not as important as all the rest of me, so in celebration of ditching conformity I am leaving them out.

I’m powered by my AuDHD brain (that means I am Autistic & ADHD) that sees the world in vibrant technicolor and then turns it into black and white to calm the noise and zone in on the details One of my super powers is connecting dots others miss and finding beauty in the details that many overlook, seriously folks stop and smell those damn flowers already!

I’m that friend who’ll dance with you in the kitchen, champion your wildest dreams with a standing ovation, and remind you of your magic when your personal soundtrack is stuck on repeat.

You’ll find me starting ambitious projects that I might not finish, cooking barefoot to groovy playlists, and preaching that a bold lip color can change your whole composition.

My life plays like an eclectic mixtape, jumping between tempos and genres, rich with improvisation, and always led with heart. I am not for everyone,
and I am ok with that, keep reading to see if you think we might connect!

Let’s chat

my vibe

In my work, you’ll find a mirror of our shared humanity. Beautiful, raw emotions that make the soundtrack of who we are. I see each person as an intricate harmony of resilience and grace, beautifully flawed and perfectly imperfect.

When not photographing humans, I find rhythm in the meditative practice of photographing flowers, plants, and still life, finding the beauty in everyday things around us that we often take for granted.

I believe beauty lives in the most unexpected places, like that perfect bridge in your favorite song, life is truly about more than just the chorus. We just have to be brave enough to see it… and bold enough to embrace it.

my work is
informed by

The art of simplicity
Music, I can’t imagine life without it
The complexity of the human experience

fun facts

I have the cutest rescue pup named Cupcake!

My temperament is enthusiastic, encouraging and playful

I have zero tolerance for hate of any kind

I love making playlists for every mood

Cooking with plants is my jam

Red lipstick and sneakers are how I roll

If I could be an instrument I would be the bass cause I love me a groovy bass line that hold things together, that or a sousaphone because it’s fun to say and looks pretty cool!

am I for you?

Maybe, and maybe not.

If you’re done with conformity and crave portraits that have that indefinable je ne sais quoi , then I might be the right Vancouver portrait photographer for you.

If you want prefer play it safe, you may be happier with someone else, and there’s no shame in that.