Matthew Bamberg
Art Photographer, Writer, and Educator
New Coconut Grove Chronicles preorder. To be published on July 1, 2025
Overview
Hello! đ I'm Matthew Bamberg, and I love spending my time on photography. I offer framed photographs of mid-century motels and other architectural landmarks.
Here's the process: buy good quality frame at thrift store; measure opening of frame or mat; print picture (or paint) according to size of frame; disassemble frame; Prepare frame by sanding and painting; clean the glass thoroughly; assemble frame. Sell.
I offer my work at Misty's in Rancho Mirage and The Estate Sale in Palm Springs and Affordable Consigned Furnishings in Littleton, Colorado. I usually sell all the framed pictures I make within a month. They are priced from $90 to $160.
Simply type my name into Google to look at the images that are linked there. You can make a variety of products with the images.
I'm the Text and Image Guy. My works are based upon the combination of writing and photography. I've shown my work at exhibitions in Palm Springs and Singapore to online work at Fine Art America, and, as above...consignment stores.
Bamberg's offbeat photography (sample above) is available for purchase on Fine Art America, Adobe and Dreamstime, and his written work can be found on Medium and Substack.
I'm the author of several books, including Digital Art Photography for Dummies (Wiley), Killer Photos with Your iPhone (Cengage), and The 50 Greatest Photo Opportunities in San Francisco (Cengage).
Sample Images
Education
About Critical Thinking from a Critical Thinking Professor
Critical thinking should be taught in tandem with a specific subject discipline.
- "Research shows that, while critical thinking can be taught, it canât be taught on its own â at least not effectively. Daniel Willingham, cognitive scientist, writes that attempts to teach general thinking abilities through logical and spatial puzzles, for example, as parts of courses added on to the curriculum, are generally unsuccessful. These skills donât âtransferâ to thinking in other domains, but generally remain tied to the logic games where theyâre learned" (Bouygues, 2022).
- The challenging aspect of critical thinking is maintaining an open mind when exploring alternative perspectives, just as you do when reading content that aligns with your beliefs.
- âThe principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creative, inventive, and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered.â --Jean Piaget
- Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.â--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Submitted Work
Fiction
The Grove Chronicles
The Grove Chronicles is a completed short story collection that provides a vivid, realistic account of growing up in Coconut Grove, Florida, during the 1960s and 70s.
The book chronicles the author's experiences amidst significant social changes, driven by the influx of Cuban and other Latin American refugees and New York exiles-from-the-cold among the rise of the counterculture movement.
In this group of stories organized chronologically,the narrator, Marvin Hammerstein, recounts his eccentric childhood and internal debates surrounding his mother's beliefs and relationships. The stories delve into Marvin's quirky interactions with a diverse cast of characters, exploring themes of prophecy, religion, drug use, and the quest for acceptance. The narrative is structured chronologically, beginning with Marvinâs mother, Eleanor's comment about not having a daughter, and culminating in a deep conversation about astrology and death as Marvin heads to college in Tallahassee.
The memoir incorporates literary devices such as foreshadowing, vivid imagery, irony, and compelling themes. It is the first installment in a planned series of volumes.
Nonfiction
Mirroring the Twentieth Century Masters Photographs
Deciphering the Methods and Meanings of Twentieth-Century Photography Masters is a comprehensive guide that explores the artistic strategies and messages of influential 20th-century photographers. The book is divided into three parts:
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The Evolution of Themes: This section traces the development of key themes in 20th-century photography, analyzing iconic works such as Dorothea Langeâs Depression-era images and Robert Doisneauâs photography.
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Adapting Master Approaches for Today: It discusses how contemporary photographers can apply the techniques of masters like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Harry Callahan, and Tina Modotti to address modern social issues.
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Technical Aspects of Photography: The final section focuses on the technical elementsâsuch as perspective, exposure, and photo essaysâthat can be used to create compelling visual narratives for societal change.
The book includes images selected from over a million photographs taken over the past two decades, emphasizing how master techniques can be used to tell stories about social and environmental change. It serves as a valuable resource for students, enthusiasts, and general readers interested in photography, art history, and popular culture.
Fine Art Photography
A Man for Whom Nothing Mattered
A Matthew Bamberg Poem
A man for whom nothing mattered,
Except him, torn and tattered;
Who did many things in his life,
And not a thing for his wife.
He ate alone and slept alone,
A hidden person, like a dogâs underground bone.
He always looked down,
Right close to the ground.
His wife, nothing but a fixture
For other men to see as his mixture.
He stayed, along with her, in a bowl;
They met many but never a soulâ
Not even his own, nor that of a clone.
The man and his wife took to the beach.
She sat, apparently annoyed.
He listened inside his head
And believed he was dead.
And with a frown,
He went for a swim and began to drown.
Bobbing up and down with a wave,
His entitlement threw him for a loop.
The man reached up and suddenly gave a hoot.
When a lifeguard reached him in a flash,
Powering her arm âround him fast,
The clever servant splashed across.
As the man was lugged,
The current lost its shove.
He thought he must hang on,
Or heâd be gone.
They reached the shore.
The battered man ran to his wife for sure.
Reaching a shove and a thrust,
She grabbed him by the bust.
âYou must say thank you so much!â
He acknowledged the lifeguard.
And dropped to the ground.
âI owe you one,â he grinned.
No longer was he pinned.
As his inside mind flipped out,
He peered at his wife with a shout:
âI understand now!â With a lift of his brow,
âI love you, wife, here and now.â