Matthew Bamberg

MATTHEW BAMBERG (MATT BAMBERG)

Author, Fine Art Photographer, & Educator

Matthew Bamberg is an educator, photojournalist, and author of "Coconut Grove Chronicles." His work examines the 1970s tension between the empirical rigor of atmospheric science and the flourishing pseudoscience of popular mid-century culture. Matthew Bamberg—known to many readers and colleagues as Matt Bamberg—is a multifaceted storyteller whose work bridges the gap between scientific research and the intersection of text and image in art. From his work in weather modification experiments at NOAA to documenting the "wild and crazy" counterculture of 1960s and 1970s Florida, Matt’s life and career are as layered as the history he preserves.

➤ THE LITERARY VOICE: COCONUT GROVE CHRONICLES

In his debut novel, "Coconut Grove Chronicles," Matthew Bamberg rewinds time to Florida at the crest of the counterculture and the pulsing city beat of the new Cuban and South American immigrants' cultures. Drawing on his suburban Miami upbringing, Matt introduces a quirky protagonist, Marvin, a wanna-be television weatherman who navigates the mid-twentieth-century upheavals—Vietnam War protests, the Cuban Revolution, "love-ins" at Coconut Grove Park, and ultimately a strange cult from which his mother and Cuban best friend steer him away.

➤ A CAREER IN SCIENCE AND ART

Before becoming a prolific author, Matt’s path was guided by the elements. His early obsession with hurricanes led him to a degree in meteorology and a role in the inconclusive Florida Area Cumulus Experiment (cloud seeding to increase rainfall) and Project Stormfury (seeding eyewalls of hurricanes to weaken them) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This scientific background often bleeds into his literary fiction, providing a stark, authentic contrast to the counterculture themes he explores.

➤ PHOTOGRAPHY AND EDUCATIONAL LEGACY

By the 1990s, Matt merged his visual and narrative talents, earning an MA in creative arts from San Francisco State University. He became a voice in West Coast journalism and by the early 2000s wrote articles and columns for "The Desert Sun," "Palm Springs Life", "Riverside Press Enterprise," "Utne Reader," "Alternet," and " Aperature." He is the author of the bestseller "Digital Art Photography for Dummies" and the popular "101 Quick and Easy Secrets" photography and technology series.

Today, Matt continues to engage with local issues and education. A professor at National University, he was honored in 2023 with the Delphi Award for his outstanding contributions to critical thinking and pedagogy.