09/08/2025
A Huge Thank You to Our PepperFest Photographer: Matt "Hitman" Keller
For those who rolled the dice with the weather and got rewarded with an epic edition of PepperFest, you probably have memories etched in your mind forever. And for those reliving it through our post-event photo posts—there’s one person who made that possible.
Matt “Hitman” Keller was on-site all day, providing our team with professional-grade photography so we could share the PepperFest experience with the world. Matt captured it all: the intensity of competition, the agony (and triumph!) of our mouth-blistering eating contests, the joy of families (yes, pets too 🐾), the energy of our vendors, and the rhythm of our musical performances.
If you were one of the brave souls in the eating contests, Matt is the eye behind those unforgettable “burning chile” shots, as well as the close-ups during the eating contests. He brought us not only action-packed images but also genuine candid moments—those beautiful slices of life where people are simply being themselves. His photographs don’t just document the day; they tell the story of each moment.
He’s also the official photographer of the Miss PepperFest pageant (returning next year!), and he does all of this free of charge to our organization. Even better—Matt is generously offering these photographs for the world to enjoy, free of charge.
👉 Check out the full collection here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AbugC8Vc9fKe4nhA6
�👉 You can also find these and additional works on on his page: Hitman photography
Matt has opened up his work for everyone to experience, so let’s return the kindness: visit his page, follow his work, and drop him a note of thanks for sharing PepperFest through his camera lens.
PepperFest is all about coming together as a community and helping each other. Let's recognize someone who has graciously given so much.
Photo of Matt Courtney of Tan Le