texas Archives - Thewmatt Photography

November 2, 2022

2022 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix for Texas Highways Magazine

This year I was fortunate to cover my seventh Formula 1 United States Grant Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. It's truly amazing to witness the growth the sport has experienced in the United States due in no small part to the Netflix series "Drive to Survive." My first year covering the event was 2015, and were it not for booking Taylor Swift to perform during the Grand Prix in 2016, that could've been the final race in Austin. Instead this year we enjoyed an all-time weekend attendance record for an F1 race weekend.

Formula 1 Goes 'Full Texan" at the 2022 United States Grand Prix in Austin

McLaren F1 Team's Daniel Ricciardo crests the hill at turn 10 with the iconic COTA observation tower in the background as well as the always iconic Texas flag, a physically huge new addition to the track at turn six.

Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas rounds turn 13 with the large stylized Texas flag that is painted on the runoff area of turn 12 in the background during Saturday's qualifying session.

Eventual pole winner Carlos Sainz of Scuderia Ferrari speeds through turn three as seen from the general admission fan area.

Scuderia Alphatauri's driver Pierre Gasly waits at pit exit to take a practice start during FP1 on the opening day of track action.

From left to right, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko and Charles LeClerc pose for photos on the podium.

Cars round turn 20 just before half-distance during the race, having been bunched together during a 'safety car' period after Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were involved in an on track collision.

The "Fan Track Invasion" takes over the hill at turn one at the conclusion of this year's Grand Prix.

The view from thet op of turn one provides a sprawling look at the Circuit of the Americas campus with the Austin skyline visible in the distance.

With Austin's proximity to Mexico there has always been a large contingent of fans attending the race from South of the border. This has made Sergio "Checo" Perez one of the crowd favorites at the United States Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen powers up towards turn one leading Charles LeClerc.

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen crests the hill at turn 10 with a giant Texas flag waving in the background.

McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, as is his tradition, once again has fully adopted his cowboy persona on his return to Texas for the United States Grand Prix, going so far as to arrive to the paddock via horseback.

Eventual race winner, and recently crownded two-time world champion Max Verstappen exits turn one as he built a solid—if not commanding—lead at the beginning of the race..

The back of Haas F1's Kevin Magnussen's car scrapes along the tarmac sending up a shower of sparks as he speeds through turn three early in the race on Sunday.

Racing legen Mario Andretti preparing to get out of the car after his demonstration laps.

As in years past the Longhorn Band from the University of Texas played a big role—literally and figuratively—in the pre-race festivities.

At the start of the race, pole sitter Carlos Sainz unfortunately found himself facing the wrong direction after contact with George Russell as they rounded turn one. To add insult to injury, that contact resulted in damage to his car forcing him to retire from the race, ruining what had started out as such a promising day initially.

Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin speeds past the turn 15 grand stand during qualifying of the 2022 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix.

Scuderia Ferrari performs pit stop practices on Thursday evening prior to track action starting on Friday.

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1's driver Sebastian Vettel speeds through turn six at Circuit of the Americas during FP3 of the 2022 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix.

Fans of newly crowned two-time World Champion Max Verstappen look into the Red Bull Racing garage during the fan pit walk event on Thursday evening.

Haas F1's drivers Kevin Magnussen (left) and Mick Schumacher (right) take part in a fan team experience in the Germania Insurance Amphitheater.

The horse driver Daniel Ricciardo arrived to the paddock on in front of the McLaren F1 hospitality area, with required "F1 VIP" lanyard to insure no one harrased him on the way in.

A more complete view of the giant Texas flag at turn six. Because as they say, everything is bigger in Texas.

The timing tower located at the pit lane exit.

BWT Alpine F1 Team's Fernando Alonso exits turn one as the sun begins setting on the first day of running for the weekend.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team's driver George Russell leaves the pit lane during the first Formula 1 practice session of the weekend.

Oracle Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen stands atop his car as he celebrates taking victory at the 2022 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

When your a beverage company sponsored team and you have reason to celebrate, you spray said beverage over everyone instead of champaign. At the conclusionof their celebratory group photo Red Bull team members scatter in all directions as Red Bull drinks spray everywhere.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Motorsport

Tags: austin, Circuit of the Americas, F1, Formula 1, Motorsport, texas, Texas Highways

November 5, 2021

Austin Engagement Photographer, Emily & Logan

Another benefit of being in Austin this fall was the serendipitous nature of being in the same general area as one of my couples for this upcoming summer. Emily and Logan had booked me for a July 4th weekend wedding here in Montana and happened to live in the Austin area. It was the perfect opportunity to meet up, knock out an engagement session and get to hang out before the big day in the coming year.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Couples Portraits, Engagement, Portraits

Tags: austin, couples portraits, engagement, Engagement Session, texas

November 3, 2021

Mother-Daughter Mini Session at Cypress Bend Park, New Braunfels

While I was in Austin for Formula 1 recently I made the short drive to New Braunfels to have dinner with some of my wife's extended family as well as meet up with a former coworker for a quick portrait mini-session for her and her daughter. As you can see, the daughter wasn't into the session at all and was just quiet and shy the entire time. Or maybe she was the opposite of all of that.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Family Photography, Portraits

Tags: Cypress Bend Park, family, family portraits, mini-session, New Braunfels, Portraits, texas

October 29, 2021

2021 Formula 1 Aramco U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas for Texas Highways magazine

After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was fortunate to return to Austin to cover the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix for my friends at Texas Highways magazine. With a number of health and safety restrictions in place, it was somewhat of a different beast covering the race this year versus the prior five F1 races I've covered in Austin but it provided for some forced creativity throughout the proceedings.

I've addressed this before—this being why someone who often photographs families and weddings would photograph motorsports—and some of it is practicing a genre of photography that is outside my norm, which in the simplest terms helps me fight any burnout I might experience. Variety is the spice of life after all. Secondly, there is value in photographing an event where I have absolutely no control over how things proceed, can't stage anything, and can't get a do-over. And finally, it helps hone my culling and editing, as I need to go through thousands of images more or less as I am taking them, edit my selects, write captions, and turn them over to an editor within 72 hours.

The full photo essay can be found here: "F1 Returns to Texas"

The helicopter flyover at the start of the 2021 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

A photo of roughly three-quarters of the Circuit of the Americas complex taken from the observation deck 231 feet in the air near the top of the iconic COTA Tower.

In the closing stages of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo leads Carlos Sainz and Valetteri Bottasthrogh the final turn.

The American flag is flown by skidivers during the national anthem, accompanied by red, white, and blue smoke at the beginning of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Daniel Ricciardo's McLaren sheds sparks as the underside of the car scrapes the tarmac on the exit of turn 18 in the tower complex at Circuit of the Americas during qualifying of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix.

The Austin skyline as viewed from the track with the turn 11 grandstands to the left. After early clouds and extreme humidity, race day turned into a beaiutiful if hot day.

Yuki Tsunoda, Kimi Raikonnen, Fernando Alonso, and Antonio Giovinazzi speed down the start/finish straight towards the track's signature turn one.

COTA's "Onederland" area in the new infield viewing area at the back stretch of the track described as a sort of mini-burning man festival.

Fans take a selfie on the observation deck 231 feet in the air on the COTA Tower.

A spectator on the lawn in the tower complex finds respite from the son with a Texas flag umbrella.

International fans and Formula 1 go hand-in-hand, and this year at the United States Grand PRix it was no differen.t

Australian Daniel Ricciardo has a habit of going "full Texan" whenever he visits Austin for the United States Grand Prix having in years past worn UT Longhorn football jersey and a replica Longhorn football helmet as his crash helmet.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen heads up the hill at turn eight during the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel as he exits the pit lane during qualifying session one of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Alpine F1 Team's Fernando Alonso speeds through the tower complex, taken from above on the observation platform.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll navigates the esses—a series of high speed 'corners'—during the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand PRix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Scuderia Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda enters turn 19 during the third practice session of the weekend.

Fans from Mexico watching from the pedestrian bridge at turn three.

In the early stages of the race Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel follows Williams' George Russell out of turn one during the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco Untied States Grand Prix.

Carnival rides and attractions abound throughout Circuit of the Amercias to provide a mixture of entertainment beyond the on-track action.

The three year old W Series—an all female racing series—made its debut on North American at the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco UNited States Grand Prix. Previously only racing in parts of Europe. Driver Jamie Chadwick won the first of two races over the weekend.

McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo exits turn 10 with the inonic COTA tower in the background during the first practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The iconic COTA Tower with an F1 flag the morning of practice session three.

Naturally when an event takes place in the "Live Music Captial of the World" there's going to be plenty of music performances to be had from Billy Joel, 21 Pilots, Kool & the Gang, to numerous local acts.

For the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on October 22, 2021, the Honda powered cars of Red Bull and Slpha Tauri sported the Acura logo on the rear wing instead of the usual Honda branding.

Aston Martin Cognizant's driver Sebastian Vettel navigates the "esses" during the first practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on October 22, 2021.

Uralkali Hass F1 Team's driver Mick Schumacher exits turn 12 followed by two other cars during the second practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on October 22, 2021 with a representation of the Texas flag painted on the run-off area behind him.

Alpine F1 Team's driver Esteban Ocon exits turn one during the first practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on October 22, 2021.

McLaren F1 Team's Daniel Ricciardo doing demonstration laps in the late Dale Earnhardt Sr's 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR stock car with its iconic blue and yellow "Wrangler Jeans" livery. Earnhardt Sr. is in fact why Ricciardo drives under the number '3.' in tribute.

Alfa Romeo Racing's driver Antonio Giovinazzi enters Turn 14 during the second practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on October 22, 2021.

One of the numerous marshall stands surrounding the track. Race marshall's are an imprtant part in keeping everyone from teh drivers to fans safe throughout a race weekend and are typically volunteers. It's hard work, but an outstanding way to get a front row seat to a race.

Scuederia Ferrari's Carlos Sainz races under the pedestrian bridge at turn three during the first practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Haas F1's Nikita Mazepin crests the hill at turn eight during the first practice session of the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

The crews of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Checo Perez climb the fence to celebrate their drivers finishing first and third, respectively, for the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand PRix.

The throngs of fans in the mian grandstand area as well as the turn one lawn and grandstand. Supports of Max Verstappen have set off their signature orange smoke bombs that are often seen at Grand Prix around the world.

The podium ceremony for the 2021 Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix with guest presenter Shaquille O'Neal who was also DJing a concert after the race under the name "DJ Diesel"

The podium ceremony as seen over the crowd that stormed on the track as part of the "fan track invasion" immediately following the completion of the race.

Published by Matthew Wetzler in Blog, Event, Motorsport, Travel

Tags: austin, Circuit of the Americas, F1, Formula 1, Motorsport, texas, Texas Highways, Travel, United States Grand Prix

October 29, 2017

Lexington Family Photographer, The Lambs

This isn't the first time I've had the pleasure of documenting the Lamb family, but it is the first time I've done so since they became a family of five! It was a pleasure to visit them at their new residence and seeing their children continue to grow into young ladies and a young gentleman.