TN Q&A: Photographer Matthew Calvis

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 19, 2026Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis

Famous tennis fanatic Shakespeare famously noticed the eyes are the home windows to the soul.

Photographer soul searcher Matthew Calvis has illuminated the humanity, humor and damage of life on the professional circuit.

Matthew Calvis was roaming the grounds of the Indian Wells Tennis Backyard capturing the gamers’, ardour and pure fantastic thing about Tennis Paradise this month.

We caught up with Matthew within the huge media tent constructed within the car parking zone subsequent to the observe courts. On this interview, Matthew Calvis shares life as a photographer on the professional circuit, favourite gamers to shoot and his most important purpose from behind the lens.

Along with his photographer, Matthew Calvis has additionally launched a YouTube channel, Insiders Tennis, the place he takes deep dives into gamers’ coaching periods.

Tennis Now: Who’re your favourite professional gamers to shoot and why? 

Matthew Calvis: For me, it all the time begins with character. That’s what actually makes me gravitate towards a participant. It’s all the time altering, however proper now I’d say Alex Eala, Carlos Alcaraz, and Vicky Mboko.

They every deliver a novel power to the court docket, and that character all the time interprets into fascinating moments to seize.

Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis

Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis

Tennis Now: Once you purpose the lens what are you attempting to seize within the shot? Is it highly effective emotion? A side of a participant’s character? The athleticism of world class gamers? 

Matthew Calvis: Once I’m taking pictures a match, surprisingly I’m typically attempting to seize the whole lot aside from the tennis itself. I like documenting the moments followers don’t see on TV – the quiet interactions, the routines, the ambiance across the tour. Capturing that life-style and people behind-the-scenes moments is what actually excites me. 

Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis

Tennis Now: What’s your favourite match to shoot and what’s the most difficult? What are the necessities for capturing a second and are you aware instantly in the event you obtained it? 

Matthew Calvis: Indian Wells is known as a magical occasion and doubtless my favourite match to {photograph}. In all places you look there’s one thing visually particular occurring.

So far as necessities go, lighting is the whole lot for me. I are likely to shoot probably the most throughout the previous couple of hours of the day when the sunshine will get softer and extra cinematic. 

Tennis Now: What makes Indian Wells such an impressive and particular match to shoot? 

Matthew Calvis: The backdrop of the mountains, the unbelievable views from the observe courts, and the California solar – it’s a reasonably unbeatable mixture. 

Picture credit: Matthew Calvis

Tennis Now: What’s the perfect or most original response you’ve gotten from any professional you’ve shot or video you’ve achieved? 

Matthew Calvis: Nothing too particular jumps out, however anytime an athlete shares or makes use of my content material, it’s all the time an incredible feeling. It’s rewarding to know the gamers themselves join with the work.

Tennis Now: In your Insider’s Tennis Channel you’ve shot intimate coaching video with gamers like Tiafoe, Bouchard, Collins, and Spizzirri. How has video influenced your pictures and vice versa? What have you ever discovered about professional gamers? 

Matthew Calvis: I truly spent about six years taking pictures nonetheless pictures earlier than I ever touched a video digicam. My background was in style and editorial pictures earlier than I entered the tennis world, so plenty of my understanding of lighting actually comes from these years within the photograph business. 

Working carefully with athletes, one factor you understand in a short time is how human they’re. After we watch them on TV they will really feel bigger than life, however once you’re round them away from the noise of competitors, they’re simply individuals like the remainder of us – and there’s one thing actually lovely about that. 

Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis

Tennis Now: What do you want most about your job? What classes have you ever discovered concerning the sport and pictures? 

Matthew Calvis: 2026 truly marks 10 years of working in pictures for me, and I really can’t think about doing the rest. Having the ability to work in photograph and video, create artwork, and produce my concepts to life is extremely rewarding. 

Even once I’m taking pictures sports activities, I strategy it the identical method I might style or editorial work – by specializing in the human parts and the story behind the second. 

Tennis Now: Any explicit tasks you’re engaged on now you need Tennis Now readers to find out about? 

Matthew Calvis: I’ve some actually enjoyable tasks popping out this yr – some that I can’t discuss simply but. So that you’ll need to observe @InsidersTennis to see what’s coming subsequent.