PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER IN THE FORCES
LEE ‘MATTY’ MATTHEWS shares his experience as a photographer serving in the Royal Air Force
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU BECAME AN RAF PHOTOGRAPHER?
I have been an RAF photographer for 14 years. My love of photography started fairly early on in life when I found myself constantly playing with my mother’s old Praktica film camera for the simplest of reasons... it was the noise the winder made!
As I grew older, my passion never wavered and I started capturing a lot of imagery of aviation by attending the likes of The Royal International Air Tattoo and witnessing the various Bomber Task Force deployments going into and out of Fairford.
On leaving school, I found myself studying photography at college, though I never really enjoyed how the subject was taught. That, coupled with the fact that much of my family have been in the military, meant that I found myself at the Gloucester Armed Forces Careers Office and my journey as an RAF photographer began there.
During my 14 years, I have been stationed all over the UK, with each unit being unique in its own way. My time has included working in the Scientific Support Lab at RAF Henlow and conducting crime scene photography by supporting the RAF Police. I was also based at the Joint Information Activities Group in RAF Halton. I managed to travel to some weird and wonderful places around the world, including Ukraine, Serbia and Montenegro, along with taking part in a multinational Combat Camera exercise in Baltimore, USA.
My current unit is the Joint Air Delivery
Test and Evaluation Unit (JADTEU) at RAF Brize Norton, which is arguably the most important unit for RAF photographers to support. We directly support the trials and introduction of equipment, vehicles and aircraft into, not just the RAF, but also the British Army, the Royal Navy and the wider Ministry of Defence.
WHAT DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL?
What we do as RAF photographers on a day-to-day basis changes massively, depending on where you are based. In my current position at JADTEU supporting trials means one day I could be crawling around our mock-up C17 underneath a pair of Wildcat helicopters photographing chain patterns, then the next day I’ll be on the end of a C-130J or A400M ramp capturing test parachutists or container dispatch systems being ejected from the aircraft.
Where I began my career at RAF Cosford, it was more centred on capturing PR imagery of aircraft technicians, survival equipment fitters and cyberspace communications specialists being taught at the various schools based at the unit. Cosford is also home to the Defence School of Photography.
At flying stations such as RAF Coningsby, Marham or Lossiemouth, the job requires you to support various squadrons that operate in their respective locations. This could include being deployed on exercises such as Exercise Red Flag in Las Vegas or Exercise Joint Warrior up in Scotland. It is also important for photographers to support the technical aspect of flying units, capturing any damage or faults to ensure they can be quickly and effectively rectified so as not to affect the flying operations of our jets.
I have also been deployed twice in support of Operation Shader, based out of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and running as the sole military photographer covering operations across the Middle East. While deployed in Iraq, I had the chance to capture the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in Al Asad, as they supported the Iraqi government.
I also embedded with the Toral Aviation Detachment’s RAF Puma helicopters as they flew over Kabul supporting personnel and equipment moves throughout the city. While on the ground, I was supporting Commander British Forces, going out in a convoy of Foxhounds visiting various checkpoints manned by allied and host nation soldiers.
It may come across as a cliché, but it’s true – as an RAF photographer, no two days are ever the same.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
The thing I love about my job is the awesome experiences you get to be a part of. My best tasks have included sitting on a C-130J ramp, watching two colleagues get into position to photograph flying over the Severn Bridge.
I also sat in the searing heat of Ukraine watching the Defence Secretary flying in a Mil-Mi24 operating over a training area in Zhytomyr, with me trundling about in a Ukrainian Army armoured personnel carrier.
It’s an amazing career and profession – the best in the Air Force,
without question
I was out capturing troops being taught by experts from the British Army as part of a short-term training team.
Then, while deployed, two of my best moments have included capturing Pumas popping flares over Kabul and another moment back in Akrotiri when, after conducting approaches over the HMS Queen Elizabeth, we returned to base and I caught a nose-up break into the flying circuit by the rear Hercules (left). It was yet another sight, another vision through my viewfinder that I’ll never forget seeing.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR ADVICE FOR READERS WHO MIGHT BE THINKING OF PURSUING THE SAME CAREER PATH?
My tips for anyone looking to join would be to take every opportunity given to you. Some of them won’t be what you expect, but when they are more than you expect, those are the jobs you’ll always remember. It’s an amazing career and profession, the best in the Air Force without question.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RAF PHOTOGRAPHERS LIKE MATTY, FOLLOW THEM ON: @RAFPHOTOG
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