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Heather Gano Mattera

@heathermattera

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Award-winning photographer | Educator | Advocate
Creating space for connection, vulnerability, and healing through art and emotional expression.

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“Weight of it All” grew out of my family’s intimate struggle with eating disorders and body dysmorphia. At its heart, this project was an effort to dismantle the stigma surrounding eating disorders and bring visibility to a disease that is so often suffered in silence.

Through this project, my hope was to offer a window into the challenges of parenting a teenage boy through an eating disorder and provide a safe space to guide others through a journey that is rarely spoken about openily.

I’m honored to share that this body of work has been featured in the @royalphotographicsociety Women in Photography April issue, which was dedicated to exploring the shadows of history and personal leacy.

To read the full story, check the link in my bio. by @heathermattera

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6 months ago

I’m excited to share that a collection of my images have been published in @wildeyemagazine, alongside a story chronicling my journey in Death Valley. Thank you to the team at Wild Eye for inviting me to contribute to this beautiful magazine. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity, and to be included amongst this group of incredibly talented storytellers!

Be sure to check out Issue 4 of Wild Eye Magazine - out now! I’ve shared a link to the magazine in my story, which includes an annual subscription discount. by @heathermattera

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a year ago

I’m so honored to share that my image “Serenity” was featured at the @photovogue Festival in Milan earlier this month as part of “The Nature of Hope” exhibition presented by the incredible non-profit @vital.impacts.

This moving exhibition was created to showcase and inspire connections to the beauty of our planet through featured work from renowned artists around the world. As human incursions continue to disrupt the balance of the natural world, we must all work to deepen our awareness of the impact of our actions. It’s my hope that this image and the others presented at Photo Vogue ignite a feeling of connectedness to planet Earth and the creatures who inhabit it.

I am forever grateful to @alessiaglaviano, the talented creator of this experience and to @amivitale for supporting me as I spread my wings on this new journey.

#photovogue #featuredartist #conservationphotography #wildanimal #artinphotography #wildnature #artist #wildlifecaptures #naturephotography #sony #sonyalpha #femalephotographer #femalephotograhers by @heathermattera

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2 years ago

Stones have always held a special place in my heart, especially the colorful, gem-like ones pictured here. That love began as a child, when I would visit my grandparents, who were avid rock hounds. They could spend hours digging, collecting, and polishing stones, and whenever I visited, they would let me choose one rock from their enormous piles.

From them, I learned the process of transforming rough, ordinary stones into something extraordinary. More importantly, they taught me from a young age to look beyond the surface and to recognize that every stone has potential. I have them to thank for my enduring fascination with rocks and my belief that within every ordinary stone is the possibility of something extraordinary.

Each stone pictured here comes from my personal collection and represents just a small handful of some of my favorites.

#photography #gemstone #memories #naturephotography #details by @heathermattera

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16 days ago

Spiders are masters of engineering, combining complex geometry with surreal beauty. Their intricate, extravagant, yet functional webs have a strength-to-weight ratio equivalent to steel, while at the same time remaining flexible and elastic. To the human eye, spider webs appear shiny, which actually serves to attract insects who are drawn to the UV reflection. Some studies have also suggested that spider silk contains antimicrobial properties, although other scientists have suggested that more research is needed in this area. There’s so much to discover in a spider web, and I love taking the time to slow down and truly examine its intricate details.

#amazingnature #naturephotography #natureupclose #dailywalk #detailsinnature by @heathermattera

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21 days ago

The landscape of Iceland is shaped by glaciers. Here the texture of glacial rivers just before they enter the ocean. Here are some photos I took when @heathermattera invited me to tag along in a photo trip she had planned for her upcoming book - Geography of Awe. By coincidence I had a journalist from The Observer, Miles Ellingham with me so his first view of Iceland was the most grand you can possibly get, from a doorless helicopter. Miles kind og gobbled up Iceland in 10 hours. His article was published today - check it out! Link in bio. We flew over Ölfusá, Þórsmörk, Fjallabak, Tungná, over Jökulheimar the cabin my grandparents built 1955 and spent a honeymoon night in 1956. We went all the way over Vatnajökull and down into Eyjabakkajökull and back via Ódáðahraun, Herðubreið, Sprengisandur, Hofsjökull, Þjórsárver, Kerlingarfjöll Langjökull. Doorless. It was crazy, like a flying dream. It was very interesting personally for other reasons, I have walked and camped in most of these areas with friends and family, I could retrace my footsteps, I had also written about many of them in my book On Time and Water and Dreamland - a self help manual for a frightened nation (2006) as many of these places have been threatened by power development or global warming. Heathers book should be out in the next months, I will have a chapter about Awe in it. Easy as I overdosed on Awe flying over our land and recalled the awe of hiking and crossing many of these areas. @obsnewreview @miles.ellingham And thank you Heather for a great day! by @heathermattera

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25 days ago

Reflecting on a trip to Kenya a few years ago, I’m reminded of the incredible sense of awe I felt there.

The psychology of awe suggests that experiences of extraordinary beauty, wonder, or vastness can have a meaningful impact on our well-being. Research has found that awe can reduce stress and rumination, strengthen our sense of connection to others, and shift our attention beyond ourselves. Perhaps most importantly, moments of awe can change the way we see the world by reaffirming or sometimes revealing the values and beliefs that matter most to us.

Kenya was filled with moments like these...from watching a coalition of cheetahs work together in an attempt to hunt, seeing a giraffe curiously interact with a bird, or simply observing as ostriches went about the seemingly ordinary repetitions of their daily lives.

None of these moments were extraordinary, but awe can also be found in the simple. They were extraordinary because they required that I pay attention, and recognize that I was a part of something much larger than myself.

#psychologyofawe #dailymeditation #wildlifephotography #kenyawildlife #onsafari by @heathermattera

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a month ago

One of the most beautiful seasons in Minnesota begins with the first signs of change, as leaves begin to turn and colors explode across the landscape, signaling that winter is on the horizon.

As a photographer, documenting this transformation and the artistry of the vibrant colors, the shifting landscape, the fleeting beauty of the season, has become a form of therapeutic stress relief. Walking through the woods with a camera in hand, paying attention to the small details, is a deeply restorative process.

#fallphotography #dailywalk #naturephotography #autumn #seasons by @heathermattera

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a month ago

Nature is deeply restorative, especially when we give ourselves the time and space to become fully immersed. When we engage with the natural world through all of our senses, something shifts within us.

By breathing in the scents of the forest, or listening to raindrops falling into a puddle and the wind moving through the trees, science has shown that our cortisol levels decrease. These sensory experiences don’t simply capture our attention, they can calm the mind and ease the stresses we carry.

What we notice in nature should go far beyond what we see. True immersion is a full sensory experience: listening, smelling, touching, feeling, and simply being present in the world around us.

#naturehealing #forestbathing #dailymeditation #naturephotography #simplenature by @heathermattera

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a month ago

According to the American Psychological Association, 6 in 10 adults ages 18 to 29 say they are constantly online.

Uninterrupted time online and in front of screens can significantly impact our mental health by overstimulating the brain, staying sedentary for extended periods, and increasing our inability to focus. But time in nature is restorative - we know this. Just a few minutes spent in nature every day can have significant cognitive and emotional benefits, ultimately influencing positive mental states. The more time we spend in nature, the even greater the benefits become...we’re truly nurtured by nature.

The irony that you’re reading this on a screen is not lost on me. But perhaps this is your sign to put the screen down and go take a walk or sit outside for a few minutes...observe the trees, the birds, the grass. Absorb the benefits of nature.

#dailymeditation #nature #naturephotography #takeawalk #mentalhealthmatters by @heathermattera

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a month ago

Much of my photography is rooted in nature, but I’m equally fascinated by the relationship between people and the environment, particularly the ways children and young adults experience, connect with, and are shaped by the outdoors.

When children develop meaningful relationships with nature through exploration, curiosity, and creative expression, they cultivate a lasting sense of care and stewardship.

These experiences do more than inspire an appreciation for the natural world, they also foster resilience, improve concentration, strengthen emotional regulation, and support overall mental well-being. And, we know that the physical benefits are equally as significant. Movement, play, and physical activity help to establish healthy habits early in life and reduce the risk of chronic health issues associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Today is a good day to get outside!

#dailymeditation #naturephotography #humansofjoy #celebratelife by @heathermattera

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2 months ago

Minimalist nature photography allows a single subject to take center stage, telling a story without unnecessary distractions. By embracing simplicity, these images can evoke feelings of calm, isolation, serenity, or drama in ways that are often difficult to achieve in more complex compositions.

Focusing on a single texture, shape, or color can create a sense of peace and encourage the viewer to slow down and connect with the image. As a photographer, I also find that working within simplicity feels less intimidating and overwhelming, allowing me to focus more intimately on the story I want to tell.

#naturephotography #dailywalk #meditation #natureisart #simplicity by @heathermattera

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a month ago