Matías González / Mati Gonzs / MGz
Documentary Photographer & Visual Storyteller
Born in Santiago, Chile – 1993
I’m a documentary photographer whose work lives at the intersection of personal memory and collective truth. I picked up a camera at 22 while studying at Universidad del Pacífico in Chile, and that moment changed everything. Not long after, I moved to Buenos Aires to continue my education at the Argentine School of Photography, where I deepened my connection to storytelling through images.
In 2014, I found myself in New York City, collaborating with The Brenizers in Brooklyn. That experience sparked a cross-continental journey that still defines my practice—rooted between Latin America and the United States.
My work is deeply emotional and centered on human connection. While many know me for my documentary approach to weddings, what truly defines my photography is an honest portrayal of vulnerability, intimacy, and time. My images aren’t posed—they’re lived. I don’t follow trends; I follow people, light, and feeling. Photography, to me, isn’t just a career—it’s a ritual, a way of being present, and a lifelong commitment to remembering what truly matters.
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2025
Narrative Workshop with Francisco Montoro – Buenos Aires, Argentina (April 2025)
2018
TURMA Grant Program – Buenos Aires, Argentina
2017
Portfolio Review at ERRANTE International Photography Festival (Sponsored by National Geographic) – Montevideo, Uruguay
Workshop with Alejandro Cartagena at FOTOLEGAL (FOLA) – Buenos Aires, Argentina
2016
Encuentro Fotográfico México – Cholula, Puebla, México
Mirar Distinto Documentary Photo Fest – Xalapa, México
2015
Latino Foto Festival – Chile
Workshop with Cristóbal Olivares + Mud Magazine & Tetrapunk
Workshop with Ed Kashi at FotoArica – Arica, Chile (CNCA Beca recipient)
Workshop with Raúl Goycoolea at FEFS (Festival de Fotografía de Santa Fe)
Foro de Fotógrafos (FDF) – Córdoba, Argentina
2014
Latino Foto Festival – Chile
Workshop with Natalia Roca – Chile
Workshop with Ryan Brenizer – Chile
2013 & Prior
Escuela Argentina de Fotografía (EAF) – Argentina
Workshop with Nórdica Photography – Chile
Workshop with Andrés Medina & Kyle Hepp – Chile
Photography Studies – Universidad del Pacífico, Chile
Audiovisual Communication – ARCOS, Chile
Graphic Design – UNIACC, Chile
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2025
Foro de Fotógrafos (FDF) – Mar del Plata, Argentina
PhotoJourney – Buenos Aires, Argentina
2016 - 2019
Foro de Fotografos Cordoba, Argentina.
Magia Photography Congress, Concepción, Chile.
Latino Foto Festival . Santiago, Chile.
Mirar Distinto Documentary Photo Fest – Xalapa, México
2015
"Frontera" – Group exhibition at FotoArica Festival, Chile (Workshop led by Ed Kashi)
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Projects & Publishing
Founder of Sunflower Editions – Independent publishing platform for documentary photography projects.
Published Books:
"Be from the Block"
"Quilicurast"
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2018 – TURMA Grant Program, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2017 – Selected for FIFV (Festival Internacional de Fotografía de Valparaíso), Chile
2017 – Portfolio Review at Alexia Foundation (Photoville) with Ed Kashi – New York, USA
2015 – CNCA FotoArica Grant, Chile
2015 – Nominee, Rodrigo Rojas Denegri Award (Chilean photography distinction) del elemento
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2018
Instagram Takeover – Open Society Foundation (May 2018, USA)
Instagram Takeover – Blink Photography (March 2018, USA)
2017
"PART I: National Hispanic Month" – Featured in Visura (USA)
"Nadie Busca lo que no Conoce" – Interview in Joia Magazine (Chile)
"Autores Noviembre" – Bex Magazine (Argentina)
"Quilicurast" – Fuji X Passion Magazine (Fujifilm, USA)
"Quilicurast – Edición Diciembre" – Revista Pecado (Argentina)
"Photo of the Day: Best of October" – National Geographic (USA)
2016 & Earlier
MGz. – Universidad del Pacífico (Chile)
"Quilicurast V1." – Fotogramas Galería (Chile)
