The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition when they asked a photographer, who has never captured royalty before, to take the official birthday portraits of their son Prince George. The honour fell to Jersey-based professional Matt Porteous, who came recommended to William and Kate.
Kensington Palace released four images that were taken at the Cambridges' family home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, with Matt commenting that he "really enjoyed the opportunity" and the "relaxed atmosphere".
Matt, the director of his company Studio_M, is based in Jersey although he works with a small team of photographers and film makers in London and the Channel Islands. He specialises in sports, travel and wedding photography, for which he has won UK awards.
Matt Porteous was recommended to Prince William and Kate
Several of his photos have been taken from the water and capture the crashing waves of the sea to perfection, a testament to Matt's talent.
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From a young age Matt was inseparable from his yellow, underwater Minolta and it was through that simple lens that he learnt to capture the beauty of nature.
From a young age Matt took his yellow, underwater Minolta everywhere
His passion for photography was clear from a young age when he would pour over his parents' photo albums. Over the past 20 years his mentors, close friends and travel experiences have influenced his work.
As his online biography states, Matt's images are "alive with emotion and movement" and they allow us a "glimpse of his excitement, his humour, his soul".
He specialises in sport, travel and wedding photography
Matt's expertise also extends to wedding photography and he explains: "What do I love? Colour, natural light, people… and photography of course. Photography is my passion, it makes me smile. I'm lucky in that weddings bring all of that together."
Matt, who won Professional Photographer of the Year in 2014 in the wedding category, added: "I never have a set way of shooting. Every couple is different, so every wedding shoot will be different. After all, my role is a storyteller, focusing on the story of your day, with all its unique atmosphere, fun and beauty."
