Today we’d like to introduce you to Nahum Matthew.
Hi Nahum, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey has been built on faith, sacrifice, discipline, and, perhaps more than anything, a willingness to bet on myself.
Coming to America was an opportunity I never wanted to take for granted. A lot had happened throughout my life that left me uncertain about different things, but when I discovered my passion for photography and filmmaking, something felt different. For once, I felt genuinely certain about what I wanted to pursue.
I remember telling myself that God had already blessed me with the opportunity to come to America, a place where I had access to resources and opportunities that could change the trajectory of my life. I made a promise to myself that I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.
At the time, I was working in janitorial services while gradually developing my skills as a photographer and videographer. My social circle was practically nonexistent. Most of the people I considered friends were still back in Nigeria, my sister wasn’t here with me, and my life largely revolved around my mother, my work, and my ambitions. I wasn’t particularly interested in dating or maintaining an active social life. I had something I wanted to accomplish, and that was where my attention went.
One thing about me is that when I become passionate about something, I can get extremely fixated on it. I immerse myself in it until I understand it, and photography was no exception.
I invested heavily in myself. I paid for online courses, sought mentorship from professionals already established in the industry, purchased better equipment, and practiced relentlessly. If I wasn’t working, I was probably shooting something, learning a new technique, or sitting behind my computer editing. I was determined to become better, even if that meant sacrificing my time, comfort, and much of the money I was earning.
Eventually, I started making money from my creative work before I had even fully recognized it as a business. I remember reaching a point where I was making around a thousand dollars a month. It wasn’t much, but at the time, I was still living with my mother, and that income allowed me to contribute to certain household expenses while continuing to develop my craft.
For several years, much of my work came through other photographers and videographers who hired me as a second shooter or editor. I’m grateful for those experiences because they helped me develop my technical skills and understand the industry. However, I eventually realized that I wanted more than simply working behind someone else’s vision.
I’ve always valued independence, and I wanted the freedom to build something that reflected my own creative identity.
That transition wasn’t without challenges. I encountered situations where some professionals were protective of their work and reluctant to allow collaborators to showcase projects they had helped create. While I understood the importance of respecting another person’s business and intellectual property, those experiences taught me that I needed to establish my own platform rather than depend entirely on opportunities created by others.
I had developed the skills. I had gained experience. What I needed now was an audience and clientele of my own.
So I started putting myself out there.
I would approach people at events and photoshoots, introduce myself, and offer complimentary creative sessions. The arrangement was simple: they would receive professionally photographed images, and I would have the opportunity to showcase the work in my portfolio.
And I have to give special recognition to women because, genuinely, women have played an incredible role in the growth of my business.
Many of the people who initially believed in my creative vision and agreed to collaborate with me were women. They gave me opportunities to experiment, develop my style, and build the portfolio that eventually began attracting paying clients. Even today, women make up a significant majority of my clientele, and that’s something I deeply appreciate.
Little by little, the inquiries started coming in.
At first, they weren’t particularly frequent, but every booking meant something to me. After spending years working behind other people’s brands, having someone discover my work, appreciate my vision, and choose to hire me directly was an incredibly rewarding experience. It was proof that I could build something of my own.
Eventually, I made the decision to leave janitorial work behind and commit fully to my creative career.
But I quickly learned that being a talented photographer or filmmaker and being a successful business owner are two completely different things.
I’m naturally a very introverted person. Growing up, I was often the quiet one in the room. People would regularly point out how little I spoke. Even today, I’m perfectly comfortable spending long periods alone without feeling the need to socialize.
However, running a business challenged me to grow beyond that comfort zone.
I had to learn how to communicate with clients, lead consultations, market myself, negotiate, build professional relationships, and present my work confidently. I spent time studying the business side of the creative industry just as seriously as I studied photography and filmmaking.
I built my website, refined my brand, improved my client experience, and gradually began developing systems and working with other professionals so that every responsibility didn’t fall entirely on me.
That evolution is what helped transform my creative passion into Shot By Sainty Productions.
Today, I’m fortunate to work across photography, cinematography, events, weddings, commercial productions, and brand storytelling. I’m also navigating a new challenge: learning how to manage the increasing demand for my services while maintaining the standards that helped me build my reputation.
When I look back, what stands out isn’t just the growth of the business. It’s the person I had to become along the way.
I went from someone who was comfortable staying in the background, working quietly, and depending on others for opportunities to someone learning how to lead, communicate, build relationships, and take complete ownership of his future.
I’m genuinely grateful for where I am today because I remember when the things I’m experiencing now were simply things I hoped and prayed for.
And while I’m proud of the progress, I still believe I’m only scratching the surface of what I’m capable of accomplishing.
For me, success has never been just about how much money I can make. It’s about knowing that I took the opportunity God gave me, believed in myself enough to pursue something uncertain, and committed to making something meaningful out of it.
That’s the journey I’m on, and I’m far from finished.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. I don’t think any journey worth pursuing comes without its fair share of challenges, and mine has certainly been no exception.
One of my biggest challenges was learning to believe in something I couldn’t yet see the full potential of. When I first started, I didn’t have an established clientele, a strong professional network, or the financial freedom to pursue photography and filmmaking without worrying about how I would make ends meet.
I was working in janitorial services while investing much of what I earned back into developing my craft. Equipment, educational resources, mentorship, and even the time required to practice came at a cost. There were sacrifices I had to make because I understood that the version of myself I wanted to become would require investments that my present circumstances couldn’t always comfortably accommodate.
Another challenge was independence. For years, I relied heavily on other photographers and filmmakers for opportunities as a second shooter or editor. Although those experiences were valuable, there was also a frustrating feeling of having the knowledge and ability to do more but not necessarily having the platform or clientele to demonstrate it.
I eventually understood that nobody was going to build my dream for me. If I wanted something of my own, I had to become comfortable creating opportunities rather than waiting for someone to offer them.
There was also the personal challenge of growing beyond my natural personality. I’m an introvert by nature, and for the longest time, I was perfectly comfortable keeping to myself. But entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily accommodate your comfort zone. I had to learn how to approach strangers, communicate confidently, sell my services, negotiate, and build relationships. These were skills that didn’t come naturally to me, but they were essential to my growth.
And then there was the business itself. One of the hardest lessons I learned was that being exceptionally good at your craft doesn’t automatically translate into running a successful company. I had to educate myself on marketing, pricing, client relationships, business operations, and eventually delegation. I made mistakes, learned from them, and continuously refined my approach.
Perhaps the biggest challenge was deciding to leave the security of traditional employment and place my future in my own hands. There’s a certain level of uncertainty that comes with that decision, especially when you don’t have the luxury of knowing exactly where your next opportunity will come from.
But I had made a commitment to myself that I wouldn’t take the opportunity of being in America for granted. I had already come too far to approach my future halfheartedly.
Interestingly, some of my challenges today are things I once prayed for. As my business continues to grow, I’m learning how to manage increasing demand, build a dependable team, and maintain the quality and attention to detail that my clients have come to expect.
If there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s that growth doesn’t necessarily make life easier; it introduces you to a different level of responsibility.
I’m grateful for the obstacles because they forced me to develop qualities that talent alone could never have given me: patience, resilience, discipline, adaptability, and the courage to believe in myself even when the outcome was uncertain.
And looking back, I wouldn’t trade those lessons for anything.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The name of my business is ShotBySainty Productions?
ShotBySainty Productions is a photography and cinematography company based in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan area. We specialize in creating compelling visual experiences through photography, filmmaking, and creative storytelling.
Our work spans weddings, portraits, lifestyle and commercial branding, corporate productions, documentaries, and special events. While these may seem like different areas of the creative industry, they’re all connected by one thing: storytelling.
I’ve always believed that exceptional photography and cinematography should do more than simply document what happened. It should evoke emotion, communicate intention, and create something people can genuinely connect with. Whether I’m photographing an individual, documenting someone’s wedding, or producing a commercial campaign, my approach is to understand the story behind what I’m capturing.
What sets ShotBySainty Productions apart is our commitment to intentional creativity and the overall client experience.
I’m very particular about the work I put my name on. From composition, lighting, and creative direction to color grading, editing, and final presentation, every detail matters to me. I don’t believe in approaching every project with the same creative formula because every client has a different personality, vision, and story worth telling.
Equally important is the experience people have working with us. I’ve learned that being technically skilled is only one aspect of running a successful production company. Communication, reliability, preparation, professionalism, and the ability to understand a client’s expectations are just as important as the final images or films.
Over time, I’ve invested in refining not only my creative abilities but also the systems, processes, and people behind the business. My goal is to build a company that operates with the professionalism and structure of an established production house while maintaining the personal attention and creative involvement that made people appreciate my work in the first place.
One thing I’m particularly proud of is that much of what I’ve built came from people genuinely connecting with my work. I started by creating opportunities for myself, collaborating with individuals who believed in my vision, and gradually developing a portfolio that reflected the kind of creative I wanted to become.
Today, seeing people discover my work, trust me with important moments in their lives, and recommend my services to others is incredibly rewarding. It reminds me that the effort I put into developing my craft and reputation has been worthwhile.
I’m also proud of the versatility I’ve developed as a creative. I enjoy the challenge of moving between different forms of storytelling, from the intimacy of portrait photography to the scale and complexity of commercial and event productions. Each presents an opportunity to explore new perspectives and push my creativity further.
Ultimately, I want people to recognize ShotBySainty Productions as more than a photography and videography business. I want it to represent a standard of creativity, professionalism, artistic excellence, and an uncompromising commitment to quality.
I’m building something I intend to outgrow myself, something that can eventually create opportunities for other talented creatives while continuing to deliver work that speaks for itself.
For me, this isn’t simply about running a successful business. It’s about building a lasting creative institution, one project, one relationship, and one story at a time.
How do you think about happiness?
Honestly, happiness for me comes from a combination of the simplest things in life and the satisfaction of seeing the things I’ve worked hard for come to fruition.
On a personal level, let’s start with something I absolutely love: good sleep! (Laughs.) I genuinely enjoy my rest, although these days, with my growing clientele and the responsibilities of running a business, I don’t get nearly as much of it as I’d like. Thankfully, as I’ve become better at delegating responsibilities, I’m gradually finding more time to rest and enjoy life outside of work.
Another thing that makes me incredibly happy is good food, especially my wife’s cooking. I genuinely believe she makes some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. Sometimes I wonder why she isn’t a professional chef somewhere because her cooking is that good! I’m certainly not complaining, though. I get to enjoy it at home.
But one of my greatest sources of happiness is my daughter. Seeing her smile, spending time playing with her, and watching her experience the joy of being a child means more to me than I can adequately put into words. There are aspects of childhood I didn’t get to fully enjoy myself, so being in a position to give her those experiences is incredibly fulfilling. There’s something special about watching your child enjoy the little things in life and knowing you get to be part of those memories.
Professionally, I’m someone who is extremely motivated by results.
There’s a particular satisfaction that comes from having a creative vision, putting in the work to execute it, and seeing the final result exceed even my client’s expectations. That feeling never gets old. When someone trusts me with an important moment or project and I deliver something that genuinely blows them away, it reminds me why I fell in love with this profession in the first place.
I also enjoy reading positive reviews from my clients, especially on Google. Knowing that people appreciate not only the quality of my work but also their overall experience working with me is very rewarding.
And then there’s social media! (Laughs.) As I’ve continued sharing and marketing my work, I’ve come across some genuinely hilarious comments. Sometimes the internet has a way of making your day without even trying, and I appreciate those moments.
Oh, and I can’t forget one more thing: looking good!
I take personal presentation seriously. Whether I’m attending an event, directing a production, photographing a wedding, or simply going somewhere, I enjoy putting together a great outfit, wearing nice shoes, and smelling good. There’s something about being well-dressed and presenting yourself confidently that puts me in a good mood. I’ve always believed that how you present yourself says something about the standards you hold for yourself.
Ultimately, happiness for me isn’t necessarily about grand accomplishments or extravagant experiences. It’s being able to provide for my family, enjoy the people I love, take pride in my appearance, find fulfillment in my work, and occasionally get a really good night’s sleep.
And if I can have all of that, along with one of my wife’s home-cooked meals, I’d say life is pretty good!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.shotbysainty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shot.by.sainty?vrfl=N3plMGc3YmU3eGh5&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theelovewhisper?si=6QM81PduAGtC5J9p
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/theelovewhisperer?xtok=cWJ2NjdqcGx1cXpu&utm_source=qr
