BBQ Photographers: Matthew Shelley

Every month we’ll bring you a profile of a photographer who has captured the people, the food and the spaces that make up the world of barbecue.

Matthew Shelley – Dallas, Texas

I started shooting weddings back in 2004. Weddings are heartbreaking, uplifting, exhausting, and always exciting. I love the pressure and the evolving creativity necessary to give each couple something unique to themselves. Well, after seven years of hammering out weddings every weekend, I pulled back and found myself affixed to the plate. I began shooting for D Magazine in 2010, and things really picked up in the last two years. I recently spent several hours in the midst of meat preparations at The Slow Bone. While Jack Perkins has proven his skills with Maple & Motor, some people seem hesitant to allow him into the BBQ world. He may be new at it, but the brisket speaks for itself. It was a pleasure to take the photojournalistic prowess I learned over the years in wedding photography and sit back and capture the restaurant’s movements and personality as they prepared for the day. Jack is a bold personality and I think that fearless candor comes across on the plate.

There is an essence of smoke and grit that surrounds every BBQ establishment. I hope to continue chasing that and capturing it with something that gives it a presence beyond the plate. The folks I’ve met truly respect the animals they serve, and it’s a wonderful reassurance as the indulgent carnivores that we are to know that it’s not done in vain.

Jack Perkins Slicing Brisket

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Praline Crusted Sweet Potatoes

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Slow Bone Smoked Sausage

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The Smoker, Miss Jessie

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Stirring the Greens

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Sides on the Stove

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The Fire

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Jack Perkins Stoking the Fire

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Slow Bone Style

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The Wood

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To find more of Matthew’s work, check his website.

Every month TMBBQ highlights a photographer with a love for barbecue as subject matter. If you’d like your photos to be included in this online gallery please contact dvaughn@texasmonthly.com