Ray Matthews Photography

05/12/2026

"Cape Lookout Beach & Umbrella"

Sun-washed sand mirrors the sky where the tide has just pulled away.

There’s a certain feeling that arrives this time of year — when spring begins loosening its grip and summer starts gathering at the edges of the day. On a nearly empty stretch of barrier island beach, the season feels close enough to touch. A bright umbrella catches the light, seagulls trace lazy arcs above the surf, and the Atlantic shimmers in impossible shades of turquoise beneath a widening sky. It’s the kind of moment that quietly reminds you what’s waiting just ahead: longer days, salt in the air, and afternoons that seem to drift on forever.

Ray had a gift for capturing these quiet coastal moments — the ones that feel effortless but stay with you long after you've left the shore.

Purchase this print:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cape-lookout-beach-and-umbrella-ray-matthews.html

Browse many more photos from Ray at:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/3-ray-matthews

05/04/2026

"Sunrise in Nags Head #3"

The sky ignites over the Atlantic as morning breaks through a canopy of seaalong the Outer Banks shore.

There's a stillness to those first moments of daylight — when deep purples surrender to fire and the horizon glows with a warmth you can almost feel through the frame. The silhouetted fronds frame the scene like a quiet curtain parting, inviting you to pause and witness something unhurried. It's the kind of morning that reminds you why the coast holds such a pull.

Ray had a way of capturing these fleeting transitions — the in-between moments when light reshapes the entire landscape.

Purchase this print:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/sunrise-in-nags-head-3-ray-matthews.html

Browse many more photos from Ray at:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/3-ray-matthews

04/27/2026

"Roanoke Island Marsh and Fog #3"

Golden light pours through the cypress canopy, meeting the fog halfway across the still marsh waters.

There's a quiet patience to a morning like this — the kind where the world seems held in place, suspended between night and day. The mist drifts slowly through the trees, softening every edge, every shadow, until the distant shoreline dissolves into something dreamlike. You don't so much see a scene like this as feel it settle around you.

Ray had a way of finding these unhurried moments along the Outer Banks and letting them speak for themselves.

Purchase this print:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/roanoke-island-marsh-and-fog-3-ray-matthews.html

Browse many more photos from Ray at:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/3-ray-matthews

04/20/2026

Shipwreck Under The Stars #2

A weathered hull rests on the sand as the Milky Way unfolds above it in quiet ceremony.

There's something about a shipwreck at night that shifts the sense of time altogether — the stars wheeling overhead, the soft glow along the horizon, and the old bones of a vessel slowly returning to the earth. It's a scene that feels both ancient and immediate, as if the sky is keeping watch over something it has always known. In the stillness, you can almost hear the tide breathing.

Ray had a way of finding these moments along the Outer Banks — where the landscape holds its own kind of memory, and the camera simply bears witness.

Print available at:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/shipwreck-under-the-stars-2-ray-matthews.html

Browse many more photos from Ray at:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/3-ray-matthews

04/01/2026

"Tulips #2"

A burst of red and yellow tulips reaches toward a flawless blue sky, alive with color and light.

There's a quiet joy in this scene—the kind found in a garden at the height of spring, when every petal seems to hold the warmth of the sun. The blooms stand bold and unguarded, their colors almost luminous against the open sky. It's a moment that asks for nothing more than a pause and a long, unhurried look.

Ray was best known for his iconic coastal landscapes, but his eye for light and color brought the same sense of wonder to every subject he turned his lens toward.

This photo and hundreds more prints are available at:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tulips-2-ray-matthews.html

03/17/2026

Swans Under the Sunset

A golden sky parts for a flock of swans tracing their ancient path toward nightfall.

There is a stillness that settles over the coast in the final moments before dusk—when the air cools, the light deepens, and the world seems to hold its breath. Then, the quiet rush of wings. These swans move together as if drawn by the same invisible thread, their silhouettes sharp against a sky that burns with amber and gold. It is the kind of scene that stops you mid-step and asks you to simply witness.

Ray had a rare gift for being present in moments like these—patient enough to let the landscape reveal itself, and skilled enough to preserve it exactly as it felt.

This photo and hundreds more prints are available at:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/swans-under-the-sunset-ray-matthews.html

09/27/2024

"Bodie Island Light & Star Trails"

https://raymatthews.com/photos/bodie-island-light-star-trails

07/31/2024

Photo of the Week: "Tumult in Pastel"

Now available for purchase at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tumult-in-pastel-ray-matthews.html?product=framed-print

You can now purchase Ray's photos through his website, https://raymatthews.com via Fine Art America using the "Buy Print" button under each photo. If the photo has not yet been added to Fine Art America, the button will read "Request Print", allowing you to send us a request, and you'll be notified by email when we've added it!

07/15/2024

Photo of the Week: "Wild Stallions Fighting"

Now available for purchase at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/wild-stallions-fighting-ray-matthews.html?product=framed-print

You can now purchase Ray's photos through his website, https://raymatthews.com via Fine Art America using the "Buy Print" button under each photo. If the photo has not yet been added to Fine Art America, the button will read "Request Print", allowing you to send us a request, and you'll be notified by email when we've added it!

*** We had technical difficulties with the request button on the first day it was available. If you have requested a print and have not yet received an email. we never received the notification. Please re-submit your request and we will get it added as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience! ***

07/07/2024

*** Update: Due to an issue with the site, we were not receiving some print requests today. If you submitted a request before 5pm Sunday, please re-submit your request from the site. Sorry for the inconvenience! ***

On this 2nd anniversary of Ray’s passing, we remember the impact he had on the Outer Banks art community, but most importantly on the lives he touched. Our family has been deeply moved by the continued outpouring of love and support over these two difficult years; it’s a true testament to the light he brought into this world and for that we are truly thankful.

We’ve had many requests for his prints to be made available for online purchase again. This was not an easy decision as Ray’s prints were handmade from the print to the frame, but we have found a service that we believe can offer his work in the quality it deserves. While the prints and frames won’t feature his personal touch, Fine Art America offers museum-quality photos and a variety of paper and framing options, and is the top choice for the world’s largest community of independent artists.

Given the size of Ray’s library we will be adding photos to his Fine Art America page incrementally and as requested. To facilitate this, we’ve added the ability to request a print from his website. As you browse the site, you will find a "Buy Print" button under each print. If the print is not yet available on Fine Art America, the button will read "Request Print". This will allow you to send us a request to add the photo, notifying you via email when the print is available. Please bear with us as we continue to add Ray's large library of photos, and please don’t hesitate to hit the Request button if you’d like a print that’s not yet available, and we will add it as quickly as possible.

Thank you again for all your support!

I have a desire to make tangible images from the endless, fleeting possibilities, and to share these small revelations with anyone who cares to look.