TESTIMONIALS
OUR CLIENTS EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS REGARDING MATTHEW’S WORK
ANGELA WILSON
It’s not often in life that someone exceeds your expectations – thank you Matthew and Anne-Marie you truly exceeded mine!
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t stop and stand in awe at the images that have been captured of Troy and Merlin – they are just magnificent.
I consider myself truly blessed to own such incredible works of art and nothing could have prepared me for the emotions they stirred when I looked at them for the first time. Choosing the final ones that would hang on our walls was incredibly difficult as they were all so amazing.
Even my husband who is not horsey at all admitted feeling very emotional about the portraits and commented on how much he had enjoyed spending time with people who are so professional, knowledgeable and passionate at what they do.
From start to finish the whole process was fun and enjoyable – I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Matthew and Anne-Marie and thank them for the priceless works of art I now own.
TUPPENCE SILVERIO
Dear Matthew & Anne-Marie Both pictures have arrived safe and sound.
I opened the box with trepidation, a little dry in the mouth, with my colleagues gathered around me, hoping they were going to be as amazing as I remembered…. Slowly unwrapped the outer box, heart beating a little faster now, peeled back the bubble wrap of the larger frame…. as it emerged… gasps from all those around followed by stunned silence into widened eyes absorbing every detail.
With everyone commenting, how stunning it was and Diemer looking magnificent. Then moving onto the smaller frame, peeling back the bubble wrap, thinking can I be so lucky to have two perfect pictures???… again as it emerged… this time straight to the soft spot with ‘ah it shows how much you love him’ (cough cough clear the throat – hold it together), tilted heads in pure admiration… Wow… that’s all I can say, they are magical both for very different reasons and have stirred my emotions.
They are currently sitting behind me at work, just a sigh every now and then and glance over my shoulder thinking of my darling horse.
Thank you so much, they are so much more than I expected before the shoot and have surpassed the building expectations since the viewing. He looks worthy of being on in Ralph Lauren advert!
PAULA MCNEILL
Matthew is hugely talented and possesses inspirational creative vision.
We commissioned Matthew Seed to photograph several of our beloved racehorses and were absolutely blown away with the stunning results.
These incredible images provoke true emotion each time we view them and we shall treasure these beautiful works of art forever!
VIKKI HAYWARD SCARBOROUGH
I cannot thank Matthew and Anne-Marie enough for the wonderful portraits of our boys and the care that went into every single step of the process! A truly unforgettable experience for my mums 70th birthday with the most beautiful pieces of art now hanging on our walls.
The day of the shoot itself was such fun, Matthew and Anne-Marie instantly putting us at ease and stoically dealing with the muddy working farm!! Not the most glamorous location!! The time Matthew took getting to know each of the horses and familiarising them with the equipment meant even the young green Arab stayed settled, responsive and attentive throughout the shoot.
The real jewel in the crown of the whole experience was going to the studio for the viewing! This was truly unique! And overwhelmingly beautiful. Seeing the true character of our boys shining through in each shot. Matthew’s experience guiding us through the many, many beautiful images, sorting and comparing as we went to finally settle on the short list and make our selection. And Matthew had a surprise for me here, despite intending to have a horse only shoot he’d taken a few frames of me with Dutch when I thought he was resetting and captured a beautiful quiet moment of us together.
When I saw this I knew this was my portrait, it moved me to tears as it perfectly captured my Dutch, my horse, my best friend. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Matthew to anyone, if you aren’t sure, just do it, you won’t regret it!
ANNIE HUGHES
I had always wanted a bespoke painting of my wonderful horse, Andrew, but had never found the artist who I felt could create the vision I had in my head and capture the true personality of my boy.
I saw Matthew’s work at Burghley a couple of years ago and as Andrew was growing older I wanted to try and find the perfect artist for his portrait and in my continued quest to find said artist I then remembered Matthew. I called and spoke to Anne-Marie who was amazing, I loved her non-pushy approach, she was so helpful. It was a few months later and after Andrew was diagnosed with a growth on his larynx I knew I needed to get on with it so I booked a photoshoot! WOW, what an amazing day we had!
Matthew is a perfectionist and his attention to detail is reflected in the results he achieves. Anne-Marie and Matthew make a perfect team with their gentle and patient approach towards both humans and horses! Andrew was an absolute star.
I booked my viewing a few months later and sadly knew time was ticking for Andrew and I would soon have to make the dreadful decision to say goodbye to him. I didn’t know if he would still be with me at the time of the viewing but luckily he was as it was emotional enough! Each and every image were stunning.
After several hours of indecision (once again Matthew and Anne-Marie showed such patience!) I finally came to a decision and picked my favourite image of Andrew, it’s perfect and just what I had imagined! Sadly that dreaded day came at the end of November 2015 and I had to say goodbye to my special friend of 20 years. Thanks to Matthew I now have a unique and stunning picture of Andrew to treasure forever. Thank You XX
CATHY THORBY
When I started researching photographers I knew I need look no further than Matthew. My decision to choose him has paid off in the most spectacular way.
The whole experience from the beginning was exciting and enjoyable. To me the most memorable part of the journey was the viewing in Matthew’s lovely new gallery. To see all the best shots of my horses on a large screen almost life sized, was not to be missed. It made the difficult decision making process easier. I knew the results would be good but I was not expecting how incredible they were and how deeply they would affect me.
I did not think it possible to love my horses more but Matthew has done just that. It feels as I have my horses physically at home with me. He has captured the essence of them. Their beauty takes my breath away. I could not recommend Matthew highly enough. Both him and Anne-Marie are professional yet delightful to spend time with. Thank you for giving me something unique and priceless.
VICTORIA CROFTON-WADHAM
It is difficult to find the words to describe Matthew’s photographs of my horses.
To say that I am thrilled with them is inadequate. I absolutely treasure them. They speak to me in a way that no other person could truly understand because Matthew has captured the very essence of all my horses. I have one of the photographs on my desk and as I look at it now it makes me grin and brings a lump to my throat all at once.
I will always remember the first image I saw at Matthew’s studio; it literally took my breath away and there were lots more to come. Even my totally non horsey husband was speechless and he loves the images. Matthew and his assistant Anne-Marie were extremely professional and a pleasure to deal with.
I was completely confident that Matthew understood how to best photograph my horses and the end results are simply stunning. There is nothing generic about Matthew’s work. Each image is a unique work of art.
FIONA & SHANE
After looking at numerous equestrian photographers’ work and then at Matthew’s, we realised a good photograph of our horse was just not going to be enough for us.
We wanted something much more than that. And what we now have are timeless pieces of art that we will never stop loving. Matthew, we cannot thank either you or Anne-Marie enough for instilling the confidence in us during those first conversations to know that, although we would need to come to Cheshire (from Surrey) for our viewing.
Matthew was the man to photograph our horse (and in turn our dogs). Quite simply Matthew, having pioneered the way in which you achieve your end results, we consider you a photographic genius.
We cannot wait to get the finished photos of our dogs to add to our Matthew Seed collection and we only hope many, many more people are as savvy as we were in choosing you.
JULIET GLANVILLE
I had known for some time that I wanted to have a wonderful image of my lovely cob, Geoffrey. I knew too, that I wanted that image to be something special; something spectacular; something unique.
In addition to all those qualities, it was essential that the wonderful personality of my best friend and soul mate was captured for all to see, enjoy and appreciate.
I’d spent many months admiring fabulous portraits and speaking to incredibly talented artists, but nothing quite got me to pick up the phone and commission them. That all changed one day at Blenheim Horse Trials. I was irresistibly drawn into the magical world of Matthew Seed’s incredible work and I knew that I’d be making a phone call once home to secure a booking.
We spent a fabulous 2-3 hours capturing Geoffrey in all his glory. It was a fabulous experience, made all the more fun by the friendly, relaxed and professional approach taken by Matthew and Anne-Marie. The empathy that Matthew showed around Geoffrey, the patience demonstrated as we waited for Geoffrey to look in the right direction, the laughter as we got people to jump around waving carrots to get Geoffrey’s attention all made for a really wonderful and memorable afternoon.
We waited with great trepidation to get the call to go and view the end result. I spent an incredible few hours achieving the seemingly impossible … choosing which images to have. The final stage of this incredible process , Geoffrey’s images had arrived! They are now scattered all over the house. When you commission Matthew (as I strongly recommend that you do), you will have the most incredible experience.
JOHN READER
Dear Matthew and Anne-Marie, I just wanted to say a very big thank-you for the quite amazing photographs resulting from the shoot with Lena and Sovereign.
My aim was to find Lena a special gift that would show the true bond that she has with her horse.
I could never have imagined the outcome and the truly stunning photograghs of them both. They completeley blew me away and I know Lena thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and is absolutely thrilled with the results.
She cannot wait for the final pictures and I suspect she will make a special trip to collect them. Matthew you are a master of your trade and I count myself very fortunate to have discovered you. You have produced something we will treasure for our lifetimes.
BARBARA & KATE LIVSEY
From the the first email , through to the viewing of the photographs Matthew & Anne-Marie have been professional, knowledgeable and above all passionate about what they do.
My horses are mother and daughter and I wanted Matthew to capture the special bond they have, but I also wanted a photograph of the relationship my daughter has with them.
I can hardly believe the results. Viewing his final selection was an emotional experience and the two pictures we chose were incredible.
The photograph of the two horses is amazing a work of art, the relationship between them is obvious. The picture of Kate and Maggie is truly stunning and we were lost for words when we saw them.
To be able to capture the essence of that connection in a single moment takes incredible skill, a skill that the photographer Matthew Seed possesses. Thank you so very much for your patience, ability to listen and above all our truly beautiful pictures.
HARRIET CHARLES
I came across Matthew Seed via the internet and looking to purchase horse photography. I particularly liked the style of his photography and thought what better way to buy some art, than to buy photographs of our horses.
When I called Matthew I was a bit surprised that he said that he would visit me to take the pictures of the horses but I would need to travel to Cheshire to look at the final photographs. I live in Sussex and if I had not been planning a weekend to Cheshire for some years I may not have proceeded and of course preferring his photographs to any others I had seen by a long way helped.
The shoot was great fun – Matthew took a lot of pictures of both horses and I was completely confident that there would be one or two good ones. At no point did he seemed rushed or there to just take a few shots – I think the shoot lasted at least 4 hours.
When, my partner and I arrived at Matthew’s studio to view the photographs we were really impressed – I had not really known what to expect. You sit on a sofa and look at a huge screen and then Matthew will show you the fantastic pictures of your horse. We had about 60 photographs to choose from, cut down from about 1000 shots I think Matthew originally took. My advise is that if you choose to ask Matthew to take photographs of your horse (and you really really should) you should schedule enough time to look at the pictures at his private gallery to get the full benefit of what he can do – at least 2-3 hours.
If you are in any doubt my recommendation is that it is well worth the effort of travelling to Cheshire to choose. The whole experience was a pleasure from start to finish and we have ended up with some truly amazing pieces of art which have the added advantage of being of our own horses.
MITCHELLE CLAYTON
A truly professional experience all round. From start to finish Matthew took the time and patience to work with my ponies in their photo session.
It was a thoroughly rewarding experience and the images captured are superb works of art through a camera lens.
During the viewing of the images I was blown away and they exceeded all of my expectations. It made me very emotional to see my horses being portrayed in this way.
A very special day indeed. A huge thank you to Matthew and his team for their empathy and professionalism
CLAIRE FORSYTH
Working with Matthew is a great experience from start to finish.
Matthew exudes an air of quiet confidence and calm around the horses that seemed to settle my three, often neurotic chaps, almost immediately.
The end result is amazing – I wanted to show the relationship between me and my horses, and one of the very first shots he showed me brought tears to my eyes – says it all really!
I have never seen such beautiful and unique photographs – they are in a league of their own!
JAYNE BOWDEN CLARKE
Dear Matthew and Anne-Marie, Its arrived!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! The photograph of Escort is just perfect, you have captured him beautifully, the backdrop is dramatic and the whole image encapsulates so many emotions and memories for me.
Thank you for coming all the way to my parents in Wales to photograph him and for being so patient while I chose this image from the 30+ you had for me to view. I cannot recommend your commissions enough as a gift for a loved family member or friend.
I really hope that one day I can buy the 2 remaining shots from my top 3 as they also were truly magnificent works of art and quite simply breathtaking. Thank you for capturing Escort spectacularly in all your photographs, they are works of art all showing the true spirit of the horse. I think this beautiful poem ‘Tribute to the Horse’ is exactly what you capture with your photography:
Where in this world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity? Here, where grace is laced with muscle, and strength by gentleness confined.
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity. There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent; there is nothing so quick, nothing more patient. England’s past has been borne on his back. All our history is his industry: we are his heirs and he our inheritance. The Horse BY ROBERT DUNCAN
JAYNE MIDDLETON
A few years ago I came across the stunning work of Matthew Seed in a magazine. I dropped many hints to my Husband, which I thought had been in vain, until last year, for my birthday, I was presented with a black envelope!
It was a real surprise and resulted in the most breathtaking photographs of my much treasured horse Lanmire. The shoot was organized for what turned out to be a glorious day in June.
It was a fantastic experience, Matthew and Anne-Marie were an absolute pleasure to spend time with and Lanmire was so relaxed in their presence. After much eager anticipation we were invited to Matthew’s most elegant studio for the viewing. The images were just outstanding, full of such presence, personality and with the most amazing backgrounds. To see them on such a large scale was so moving and impressive.
I have hundreds of my own photographs but nothing on the scale of what Matthew had captured from just one afternoon! The most difficult part was narrowing down the images one by one, it almost felt an insult to Matthew’s work but to choose just one from so many seemed an impossible task. It was, so eventually it was decided to have two! The unveiling of the portraits, back at the studio, left me speechless.
Now back at home everyone who has seen them has had the same reaction. They are beautiful works of art which will be forever admired. Thank You so much Matthew for your patience, the results speak for themselves, you are a genius. Thank you to Anne-Marie for your help in making my present a surprise and for all your hard work on the day, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
DIANNE FREEMAN
My shoot with Matthew was a very special occasion. My horse Mac had been taken seriously ill the year before, and I wanted these photos to be a celebration of his return to good health. Matthew has a real affinity with horses and he photographed Mac and I in a very natural setting, just interacting as we would normally do.
The result was that Mac was very relaxed and not bothered at all about what was going on around him. He relished being the centre of attention. As Matthew had taken the time to quietly observe Mac and to listen very carefully to his story, the 30 or so photos he selected for the viewing were just amazing. I had no idea what they were going to be like, but I was blown away.
I was with Matthew for over 3 hours as I was finding it difficult to narrow down my choices, but he helped me work through several scenarios and combinations of photos. I drove away really happy with the choices I made. When the framed pictures and canvases arrived I was really delighted with the exceptionally high standard – they are immaculate.
I am sitting in my lounge writing this, looking at a canvas of Mac on my wall. There is a lot of emotion and happy memories tied up in that picture – which is exactly what I wanted.
JEN & MUM
When I was handed a stylish black envelope from my mum… she eagerly awaited my opening of it…. It was a unique gift – a one off photo shoot to share with my beloved, faithful four legged friend – Flash.
Coincidentally I was aware of Matthew Seed and the way he captures that effortless emotion and drama using his creatively skilled flash technique. From start to finish both Matthew & Anne-Marie have been absolutely amazing in the whole of our process really kind, caring and professional – we have never felt like just a ‘client’ this experience was very individual and personal to me – especially having being blessed & already shared 17 wonderful years with my pony it was fitting to have that ‘special moment’ captured – something that I will truly cherish.
Thank you Matthew & Anne-Marie for moving me to tears and creating that forever moment, both my pictures have different meanings to me & are now etched for a lifetime of happy memories. Best wishes to you both & thank you again.
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