My Photography and Entrepreneurship Journey

From Rock Band to Humanities

I studied the humanities in university: English lit, history, philosophy, theology, brushing shoulders with psychology and science along the way. That’s a path I never expected to be on because, in high school, I played bass guitar in a rock band, hated school, and had no plans to go on.

At university, I was quite aware that there was no clear career path for someone studying the subjects I was. I just loved doing it, just like playing bass in a band. It’s not clear that this will work out, but it’s wonderful and creative in the moment.

Falling Into Photography

I loved photography since I was a 10-year-old with a point-and-shoot film camera, but I was never particularly good at it. So when I had a chance to become a school picture day photographer as a short-term gig while looking for ways to pay for university, I grabbed it.

What an incredible opportunity to get paid to learn photography.

Honestly, I was scared to death to work with little kids. But interacting with up to 200 of them a day helped me grow and develop as a person.

I walked away from a second university degree to take portraits for 5 years. By then, I felt a call to break out of the studio and try my own thing. I wanted to see these kids and their parents out in the wild on playgrounds, in forests, climbing sand dunes, running along the shoreline.

That instinct eventually became the heart of my work.

Starting My Own Business

But starting my business was also a rescue mission.

Not for me.

For us.

Naomi and I had a one-year-old and a three-year-old at home. We loved our marriage. We loved being parents. But something was off.

Even in the middle of something as magical as raising young children, life felt dark. I knew Naomi needed me at home.

I decided that even though it was risky to walk away from a paycheque, I needed to be home. I needed to build something on my own terms so that I could be present.

At the time, we didn’t have language for it, but years later, we would discover that she had been struggling with postpartum depression.

I knew that as a photographer, I could photograph a family at the park and still come home for dinner. I could even bring my own kids along to play nearby while I worked.

Even if we only did enough business to scrape by, that would be worth it. Who cares about a paycheque if your home is heavy with darkness?

I’ll take the risk if it means I can be there for my family.

And that decision is still shaping my work today.

Why I Photograph Families the Way I Do

I run Acorn and Oak Family Photography, serving families in Belleville, Trenton, Picton, Brighton and the surrounding areas.

I photograph young families who want relaxed outdoor sessions — a little adventure rather than cramming into a studio.

We play along the shores of Lake Ontario or the Bay of Quinte, wander through conservation areas in Belleville, or along the waterfront in Trenton, or let kids run wild at Sandbanks or Presqu'ile Provincial Park.

But the locations aren’t the point.

Presence is.

I know what it feels like when family life is beautiful and heavy at the same time. I know what it means to want to hold onto the good moments because you understand how fragile they are.

That’s why I photograph the way I do.

My work isn’t about polished poses. It’s about being there. It’s about parents kneeling in the sand. Kids climbing driftwood. A quiet hand on a shoulder. A laugh that breaks through a hard season.

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My name is Mat Coker. I’m an entrepreneur and family photographer based in Ontario’s Quinte region, where I was born and raised. Through my business, Acorn and Oak Family Photography, I work with young families throughout Belleville, Trenton, Picton, Brighton, and the surrounding communities — usually outdoors, along the shores of Lake Ontario or in the parks and trails that make this area home.

I also teach photography, film, art, and humanities at Loyalist College. Teaching keeps me thinking, questioning, and refining how I see the world — and that naturally shapes the way I approach photography.

More than anything, though, I’m inspired by the real, unexpected moments of family life. The in-between laughter. The quiet gestures. The beautiful chaos that happens when no one is trying to perform for the camera. That’s the space I’m always looking for — both at home with my own family and when I’m photographing yours.