Join us for the gallery opening of C’est la France!
Oct. 29 | Noon–1 p.m. | The Union, Taylor Down Under

Meet Matthew Brown, a junior History major at JMU. Matthew is excited to share his collection, C’est la France, inspired by his trip to France, where he visited several historic sites that have shaped the country. Matthew has captured the history, culture and significance behind some of France’s most memorable landmarks. 

Matthew was introduced to photography at a young age by family members who took pictures at family events and gatherings. His deeper journey in photography, however, began in 2024. His biggest inspiration is his girlfriend, who talked more about photography and gave him confidence. Matthew began to explore photography more seriously when it became his therapy. He loves the way he can capture the world and people in frames that tell a different story.  

This collection perfectly blends Matthew's hobby, major and love of rediscovering the past. His collection highlights the artifacts, nature and history France has to offer. Each image allowed him to put a visual to the history he has learned about, which gives a deeper understanding of events and places that were introduced so long ago. Through this experience, Matthew has developed an even greater appreciation for world history and architecture. 

Matthew captures the history of France through different lights and colors. Rather than simply photographing landscapes, which he is typically drawn to, he stepped outside of his comfort zone and captured different types of images that he really enjoyed. This allowed him to explore a new side of photography while still focusing on the history and locations that originally inspired him. 

Matthew hopes his collection encourages individuals to see a different point of view and realize that there is a story behind each image. Photography is not only about taking beautiful pictures. His collection serves as a reminder to appreciate the cities, history and landscapes around us, knowing that there is so much more to discover. 

View the full collection