Matthew Blum’s photography is a combination of machination and the sublime; a rusty nail awash in ripples of soft rose petals in a day-old city sidewalk puddle.
Innovate. Solve. Create!
I’m Matthew Blum — a visual storyteller, creative technologist, and founder of Lightly-Salted Productions. I’ve spent the last two decades chasing ideas, building tools, and turning sparks of curiosity into tangible projects. Whether I’m hand-printing photographs in the darkroom or debugging 40-year-old electronics, my work is driven by a deep love for craft, experimentation, and solving weird problems.
Photography was my first obsession. What began with a 35mm camera and a DIY darkroom evolved into an exploration of alternative printing processes like palladium, cyanotype, and silver gelatin. I still shoot film — large format included — and print every image by hand. But over time, I found myself just as excited by what happened after the photo was made: could I light it with LEDs? Animate it with sensors? Build it into a larger story?
That question led me deeper into technology — vintage computing, embedded systems, game development, electronics, and custom code. Today, I create media-rich experiences that live at the crossroads of analog and digital, art and utility. Lightly-Salted Productions is my creative lab, where I take on everything from interactive LED installations and software prototypes to restoring retro tech and developing original games.
Outside the studio, I’m proud to serve on the board of Dream Come True, where I help shape our technology and social media strategies to better support local families. I also stay active in the local arts community — exhibiting work, collaborating with other creatives, and exploring ways to bring history and innovation together in public-facing art.
Whether I’m wiring a circuit, designing a game, or capturing light through a vintage lens, I’m always chasing that spark — the moment when something clicks. I don’t just like making things work; I like making them matter. If you’re curious about what I’m building, want to dig into a new idea, or just want to see where creativity can lead when you mix it with a soldering iron and some 4×5 film — you’re in the right place.