Slumdog Millionaire_ Mumbai, India

Four years ago I went to India to clear my head and get away after my marriage ended in divorce.  I traveled all over India while there, and was in Udaipur at the Taj Lake Palace Hotel on December 26th, 2004 when the Tsunami hit.   I was out of harms way but during my travels I'd met people who were headed south to regions that were devastated by the Indian Ocean earthquake.   

India is a photographers dream.  It's an assault to the senses in every way and the images that jump out at you stay in your mind forever.  Before my trip to India I'd always met people who'd traveled to India over and over, and I was curious why they kept going back.  I now know the answer as I yearn to this day to go back.

Tonight I am inspired to write this entry after going to see the best movie I've seen this year, "Slumdog Millionaire".   I went with a good friend, fellow photographer Kwaku Alston.  This is hands down the best movie I've seen in a long time and watching the film took be back to being in India.  My first stop in India was in Mumbia, (formally Bombay) and much of the movie takes place there, but also shoots in  Agra.  My trip to India started in Mumbai then continued to Goa, Udiapur, Delhi, Agra and back to Mumbia before going on to Nepal.  Oddly enough I stayed at one of the hotels that was the target of terrorist attacks in Mumbai a few weeks ago.

I took 200 rolls of film four years ago and shot 196 of those rolls while on my trip.  They are images that will forever be among my favorites, but not because they are all that great.  I remember each day of my trip and the stories that go with each image, and for that reason I love these images.  I've never shown these images outside of my speaking engagements but hope to find a home for them one day.  

If you haven't watched Slumdog Millionaire please go see it as the story is incredible.  I laughed as I watched the scenes at the Taj Mahal when everyone must take off their shoes to enter because what happens in the movie crossed my mind while I was there.  I have a shot of all the shoes gathered at the steps of the Taj, but it is not pictured here.  One of my favorite shots in India is taken from the back of a rickshaw and is pictured here and shows the rickshaw walla (driver) from behind in red.   At one point in the movie one of the main characters says "God is Great" and this phrase was painted in the rickshaw that took me all over Agra.

I love film and I love India, but today I'd take my Sony A900 to India instead of a film camera as traveling around airports in India and Nepal with film and trying to get hand checks was a real pain.  Also, it took me a forever to scan all my favorite images on my Imacon film scanner and still there are images I love that are not yet scanned.

The images of the kids on the beach were taken in Goa, India early one morning and even though I could not speak with them there was a beautiful connection and visual communication that led to these images.  It was a wonderful morning I will never forget.  For the James Bond fans the Taj Lake Palace Hotel is the same location used in the Bond film, "Octopussy" and is to this day one of the most amazing places I've ever stayed.  The shot of the flute player is taken at the Lake Palace Hotel and each morning I woke to this most melodious music.   The music was so beautiful and peaceful and I wish everyone could hear the music as you view the image.  It was just so beautiful.

I can't end this without sharing a great book that was given to me as a gift.  Its another must read for any photographer and I am truly enjoying every page.  The book is "Annie Leiboitz at Work".

Happy Holidays!

Always Dream Big!!

Aretha and "The Project"

I remember my first time working with Ms. Aretha Franklin.  It wasn't that long ago really but I was nervous to meet her and work with her.  I'd heard so much about her over the years and I grew up hearing her music everywhere but never really "heard" her music until an ex girlfriend had me really listen to it.  I remember sitting and actually hearing her music and how it affected me at that time and it was almost like hearing her music for the first time.  This was back in 1999 and it was really the first time I really heard her music.

Aretha's music has had such an impact on my life and career now.  Years ago I photographed Quincy Jones and on the set we had ton's of music but Aretha's latest album at the time was "A Rose is Still a Rose" and Q wanted to hear it.  I played it for the first time and the entire room came alive.  Q started snapping his fingers, and soon we were all under the influence of Aretha.  I still love that CD.  My favorite tunes are A Rose is Still a Rose, and In The Morning.  I had no idea at that time that I'd become friends with Aretha and work with her the way I do now.  

The first time I photographed Aretha I gave her my first book and sent her yellow roses, which are her favorites. We've had a bond since that first shoot and now I look forward to the future work together.  She's a wonderful woman with an incredible voice.  Each time I have worked with her she will just start singing on set and we get to experience her wonderful voice.  Whenever we work together she likes the room to be hot to protect her voice, so now my entire crew knows how to dress.  

As I write this entry, Aretha's  song "Eleanor Rigby" plays in the background and my interns are being introduced to her for the first time. 

Okay, back to work on "The Project".

First Location Photo Assignment

December 12, 2008  Every year on December 12th it seems like something special happens in my life.  It has been that way from the very beginning of my career it seems.

December 12, 1992 I photographed my first assignment on location.  The job was photographing Anita Hill for Essence Magazine.  I remember the Editor in Chief, Susan Taylor sitting beside me on the plane ride and asking me what type of work I wanted to do in my career.  I'd shot my first assignment for the two weeks before and they loved the images and hired me for this assignment.  Years later I still shoot for Essence from time to time and I have always loved them as a client.

Today is just as special!  After two weeks of preparation I am doing the first photo shoot and interview for my project.  I am very excited and my team is equally excited as we've been up past midnight a few nights working on all the details and getting all my equipment ready for the long haul.  The first of everything is important so when I woke up and noticed it was 12/12/08 I knew the first interview and photo shoot was going to be amazing.  

I love the process of doing the interviews sometimes more than doing the photographs.  The connection when doing both is a bond no one forgets.  Today is also the day I asked my friend Aretha Franklin to be a part of my project.  I am excited about the possibilities with this project and hope to share it with you all soon.

Remember, you can do anything your heart desires if you want it bad enough.  Always Dream Big!

Matthew Jordan Smith

Research, Research!

I am working on a new book project and came up with the concept the end of last week.  Now the hard work begins.  I've now started working around the clock on the new book project and already I feel overwhelmed with everything I need to do.  Often times I wonder where to start a project, but while my heart just wants to pick up the camera and start shooting I know that is not the best approach.  Experience has taught me that I must always start with research, so that is where I concentrated all my free time this past weekend.  The problem was there wasn't much free time.  

Saturday morning I woke up at 4:45 to take a 6:30am flight to Seattle on my way to Microsoft.  I used the flight time to re-read a book I often read before starting to work on my book projects, "How to Write a Book Proposal".  All the information is deeply embedded in my head but I like to refresh before starting all my book project.  Re-reading it was very helpful in getting past one of my hurdles I often face with my projects and that is coming up with a name.   The name can make or break a book so I stress over it long and hard but on the flight I came up with what I think is a perfect name, or at least the perfect working title.  Once the project is sold to my publisher I will release the name, but for now I'll call it "The Project".

The day in Seattle was fun and I enjoyed seeing a few of my Microsoft friends and remembering the wonderful times we all had in Iceland this past August.  I went to Seattle to photograph a wonderful model named Audrey Parrish for use on the Microsoft website.  I used my new Sony A900 camera and couldn't get over the image quality from the files.  As I shot we looked at the images as they came up on the monitor and were blown away by the sharpness, clarity and great shadow detail.  I used the Sony Carl Zeiss 135 lens that I've fallen  head over hills with and after everyone looked at the images they were also in love with the quality of these images.  It was a full day and ton's of fun working with my friends at Microsoft.

After dinner I went back to my hotel room and called my girlfriend to tell her about the day.  I had time to finally relax and concentrate on my new project but first I needed to stop for a moment and just dream big.  

If you've noticed by now I often end my blog, email messages, letters, etc by saying Dream Big.  What does that mean?  For me it means to visualize my wildest dreams in detail.  It's not enough just to say, "oh, I want 100 million dollars".  You have to visualize holding what you want in your hands and making it real in some way.   Often times as we become adults we forget how to dream big and just start "being realistic".   I am going to find time each day and take a moment for me and stop and visualize the things I want in detail.  I will close my eyes and see myself being interviewed about my latest project on the Oprah Winfrey Show, going on my tour for the book signings, having an exhibit in Japan , getting the book deals, going to the openings, etc.  It helps when your visions are in motion as well and not just still images.  I see myself laughing with Oprah on the set of her show, my hand opening the door to enter into a hall with my images on the wall of the ACE Gallery in LA, going to see my literary agent in NYC to sign the contract on my new book and seeing her smiling at me.  I visualize my new book in the windows of Barnes and Noble as i walk in for my first book signing in New York at Union Square and discussing the process of making the book.  Visualize and dream big my friends and your wildest dreams will become reality.

Always Dream Big!

Matthew Jordan Smith

Personal Projects- Turning a Slow Economy into Profit

Lately I've been hearing from photographer friends, photo assistants, models, agents, etc., how slow it is in the business.  Everyone seems to be focused on the down economy and singing the blues.  However, I remember the last time the economy went south and how I filled my slow time.  

First, I had to market and promote myself at every turn.  I did this by sending out mailers to potential clients with new work and by working on my personal projects.  At the time my personal project was my first book, Sepia Dreams.  I'd never made a book before and the first time I told friends at dinner I was doing a book I was met with nothing but negative comments.  This group of friends all went to Harvard and told me it took years to get a book deal, it was harder for a first time author, etc.  I left the dinner in the middle of winter down and walked 30 blocks back to my place in Manhattan.  That night I decided not to tell another soul I was doing the book but went to work on it still.

Long story short I spent my down time photographing and interviewing 50 people.  I put a proposal together and went to shop for a literary agent when I was 90 percent done with the project.  I found an agent on my birthday and we put 20 book proposals together.  We sent the 20 proposals out on a Thursday via Fedex.  On Monday morning my literary agent called me and said I had two meetings right away with publishers.  A few hours later while I was running from meeting to meeting four more publisher were in the mix and I had a bidding war for my first book.  By Tuesday morning I had a six figure deal on my first book and all I could think about was how my Harvard friends told me I'd never get a deal or that it would take me years.  Always Dream Big!

Looking back, the process of doing the book is to this day what I treasure most.  I love photography of course, but to photograph and sit down and interview each of my subject one on one is something I'll never forget.  In some cases I did the interview at the time of the photo shoot but in some case's I had to do them later.  For example Samuel L. Jackson's interview had to be done later and he let me come to the set of Shaft and interview him in his trailer.  With Bill T. Jones we did the interview in a tea shop off 5th avenue and 18th street.  The interview I treasure the most is probably Gordon Parks.  I did his interview right after the photo shoot in his apartment in the United Nations tower.  The process is something I will always treasure.

This morning I woke up with very little sleep and another big idea hit me.  It seems all my ideas come to me in the wee hours of the morning.  The thing about ideas that come to you this way, is you must take action right away, or like smoke they vanish into thin air.  I starting writing my idea down right away and I will keep this one secret until I have a deal on the table.  At that point I will walk you through the entire process of making my next book project.  

Here are a few images from my first book, Sepia Dreams.  

Always Dream Big!