The Joy of Photography

The New NEX 7!

2012-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

It's finally here! If there is one camera I've been looking forward to having it's the Sony NEX 7. My friends know how much I loved the NEX 5 as I always had it with me, so when they heard all the news about the NEX 7 coming out they were all equally excited. Actor Courtney Vance has been waiting along with me to get his hands on one and my first call was to him to say I had it. Another person who's been excited about this camera is one of Will Smith's right hand men, so I also let him know it is now available. My first day with the camera was a real California day with an amazing sunset, so I ran to the beach and captured my first image of a couple enjoying the last rays of light for the day. What a great camera!

My first day with the camera was exciting as I ran through all the features. Right away I loved having a viewfinder vs just the display to view and compose my images. The camera fits comfortable in my hand and gives me the option to shoot stills or video. It's the perfect camera to have with you all the time. I also now have the ability to use flash at anytime by simply pushing a button instead of having to add an attachment. The camera is very slick, small and sexy and just looks great in your hands. If there is one camera people stop and ask about it's the NEX line. I can't wait to shoot more video, especially now that I have the new Sony 32 gig cards. Stay tuned to see more soon.

There is another camera I've been waiting for also and tomorrow I will share my thoughts this great camera as well.

Have a great weekend and always dream big!

Struggle, Dream and Believe

2012-01-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

This morning I am excited for the future. Dreaming is important, but to dream alone is not enough. We must act! I absolutely believe that the universe should test us to see how badly we want our dreams.

I start my day by being thankful for my health first and for my struggles and my success. I am thankful for my dreams and being able to share my thoughts on dreaming big with the world. Success does not come overnight and it's not supposed to. There is a price for everything and sometimes that price is your struggle. Once you understand that your struggles are payment for your success you accept it easier and sometimes with a smile.

Today I send out my proposal for phase one of my big dream. I am sending four potential publisher my book proposal after doing endless research. This book has been in the works for a while and I've even had a book agent take me on to represent it a year ago, but it went no where and she wanted me to add other elements to the book. In my heart I only want the images to speak to the viewer. I believe to add text would weaken the book, so I'm following my heart and sending my proposal out to the world. It has not been easy with this project but it is my dream to see it come to life.

This morning my step-son woke up upset over a small problem. To him it was a huge problem and he couldn't see past it. I explained to him that in life things rarely go as planned, but when you come across a problem you must not lose time being angry but put your energy into finding a solution. He left for school with a different attitude and I was happy to have shared this lesson that we all must be cognizant of as we face life's challenges.

Wish me luck today and always dream big!

How to Capture the Perfect Moment

2012-01-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to say what's the perfect photograph, but if you were to look at some of the best photographs throughout the history of photography many of these images are caught moments. This means the photographer aware of his or her surroundings and was prepared to capture those moments.

Whenever I'm doing a shoot I often look for moments when my subject is unaware of my camera and just being themselves. These are often the most special moments of the day and if you are aware you will rewarded with incredible images. This is one reason to always have your camera with you. Many of my friends use their phone as their every day camera but I like having a real camera with me. Tomorrow I will get the new Sony NEX 7 and A77 because these are both two great camera's to have for capturing life's special moments.

The image of Christian Slater was taken during a break during a cover shoot. He's looking out toward Central Park and just watching the people heading into the park. I loved this moment because I felt it was a moment when he was just being himself. The same is true of the model looking out toward the ocean. We were doing a swimwear shoot and changing lenses when I looked up and caught her silhouette. It was such a beautiful moment. I had my assistant run and give her the sandle's to hold in her hand, but this moment was a caught moment and my favorite of the day.

This week give yourself the assignment of looking for special moment.

Good luck!

Always Dream Big

For more information on making great photographs check out the instructional videos found in the Gallery Store.

Activity vs Productivity

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Being self employed means understanding the difference between busy work vs productive work.

A young photographer recently asked me how to structure his time so that he actually gets things accomplished. A lot of time can easily be wasted on social media outlets, but if you plan your time and make a schedule you will get more done each day. Planning your time today means planning how much of your day is allotted for social media because Facebook and other outlets are important but they must be managed.

Having a plan is vital for success in any field and for the self-employed photographer knowing how to work your plan is critical to your success and longevity as a photographer. Spend the time to work out your strategy and write it down. I like keeping a tangible notebook for this vs putting it on my computer, but I'm a bit old school with that approach. Do whatever works best for you. Once you have your strategy set the next step is to make a calendar scheduling the time you will spend working on your goals. For example, my calendar shows how much time I am devoting to my commercial work efforts along with my personal projects. My calendar and schedule are the only way I can find time for my personal projects. They must be scheduled, or work takes over and you never get the book completed or get the exhibit you've always wanted up. Schedule your time each week in a realistic manner and do your best to stick to it. Life happens and you will fall off at times, but don't beat yourself up about it. Before you know it you will be living your dream and be able to look back and see your progress.

The secret is to get to work now and not put it off until later, because later usually never comes. Stop now and get to work in making your future.

For more information in becoming successful as a photographer check out the videos available in the Gallery Store.

Always Dream Big

Thank You Kodak

2012-01-20T13:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterdays news regarding Kodak's filing for bankruptcy was sad to see. Kodak has played a major role in my life as a photographer and in the lives zillions around the world. My first photographs were taken with Kodak Tri-X film and from that point on I have been in love with photography. Thank you Kodak for all the years of dedication to the world of photography.

Today the Kodak Co. obtained approval from a bankruptcy judge to borrow 650 million to keep its operations going as it tries to sell many of the digital-imaging patents it owns, even though they have tried to sell some of their patents since July of 2011. They have a little more than a year to come up with a reorganization plan and I hope they are successful in doing so. Kodak is an important player in the photo game and watching the news yesterday felt like watching the market crash in the fall of 2008 when Lehman Brothers fell apart. We all know what happened after that so every photographer should pay close attention to what happens over the next 12 months.

After hearing the Kodak news yesterday I decided to pull out an old book and spent my lunch reading it. "Who Moved My Cheese" is the perfect book to read at a time when everything seems to be changing around us. When I finished the book I took a moment to reflect and make sure I don't "hem and haw" in my business decisions. If you're not familiar with this book do yourself a favor and pick it up. You can finish the entire book during your lunch break but the knowledge you'll learn from it will help you in life and business for decades to come.

For more help in running your business check out the latest video from the Gallery Store on promotion and marketing. There you will find creative ways to market and promote your photography and stand out from the sea of photographers you are competing against each and every day.

Again, thank you Kodak for all you have done to inspire and nurture photography over the last 131 years. Without you our world would be a different place.

Video Secrets to Learning Photography

Lessons From My Intern

2011-12-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Top 50 Photo Contests for 2012

2011-12-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

The end of the year means a lot to many people, but one thing that comes to my mind around this time of year are the many photo contests that are ending or about to end their submissions deadlines.

For a photographer, the best exposure comes not from your own mouth, but from others talking about your work. Photo contests are one of the best ways to get people talking about you and your work but sometimes these photo competitions are hard to find. This year, I want to share what I believe are some of the top photo contests around the world. Don't waste any time as some of these contest entry deadlines are fast approaching and the prizes are quite amazing. Some of the prizes up for grabs include 2 first class airline tickets, photo gear, cash, exhibits and more. There seems to be a contest for every type of photographer as well, ranging from teen contests to women only photographers contest, bird photography, sports, B&W, food and more.

This is the time for you to shine by showing your best photography work to the world. Good luck!

The Top 50 Photo Contests for 2012

Google Photography Prize

http://www.google.com/landing/photographyprize/index.html

Enter by January 31, 2012

The 155^th International Print Exhibiton 2012

http://www.rps.org/international-print-exhibition

Enter by March 21, 2012

PDN Photo Annual

http://www.pdnphotoannual.com/

Enter by January 25, 2012

The Open Photo Contest

http://www.theworldopen.com/about-open

Enter by March 31, 2012

Prize: $50,000 up for grabs

World Press Photo Contest

http://submit.worldpressphoto.org/

Enter by January 6, 2012 (Central European Time)

Photography Masters Cup

http://www.thecolorawards.com/index.php

Enter by May 25, 2012

The Professional Photographer of the Year Awards 2011

http://bit.ly/nw0xtK

Enter by January 27, 2012

Sony World Photography Awards 2012

http://worldphoto.org/competitions/

Enter by January 4^th, 2012

The Black & White Spider Awards

http://www.thespiderawards.com/

Now Open for Entries

International Street Photography Award

http://bit.ly/sKxYVp

Enter by January 5^th, 2012

The Emergent Artist Award

http://emergentartistaward.com/Default.aspx

Enter by December 31, 2011

Food Photographer of the Year 2012

http://bit.ly/rKb9jJ

Enter by January 31^st, 2012

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

http://bit.ly/a4FjtA

Enter by February 23^rd, 2012

2012 Kellicutt International Juried Photo Contest

http://bit.ly/tcMmhz

Enter by February 29^th, 2012

Nikon Small World Competition

http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/

Enter by April 30, 2012

APO Productivity Photo Contest 2012

http://bit.ly/oGYk50

Enter by February 29, 2012

Canadian International Digital Photography Awards (CIDPA)

http://photographyaward.org/

Enter by January 3, 2012

Alaska Airlines Photo Contest

http://www.paradigmcg.com/2012_Photo_Contest.pdf

Enter by February 15, 2012

Red Bull Illume Sport Photo Contest

http://www.redbullillume.com/

TBD

Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers

http://bit.ly/tlXVIb

Enter by December 30^th, 2011

2012 San Francisco International Photography Competition

http://galleryphotographica.com/

Enter by January 20, 2012

Professional Women Photographers Juried Photography Competition

http://pwponline.org/page.php?page=index

Enter by January 31, 2012

Ceres Gallery 10^th National Juried Exhibition ( Fine Art)

Juror: Samantha Rippner- Curator Metropolitan Museum of Art – NYC

http://ceresgallery.org

Enter by February 15, 2012

Beyond Memory (Italy)

http://www.celesteprize.com/

Enter by February 29, 2012

Black & White Alternative Photographic Processes

http://rangefinderalternative.com/

Enter by January 1, 2012

The Human Form Photo Contest

http://www.darkroomgallery.com/ex24

Enter by December 28, 2011

Exposure - A Competition Celebrating the Power of Image

http://www.artistswanted.org/exposure/?f=pp_pcn2

Enter by December 20, 2011

GRAND PRIZE- $10,000 cash grant

Nature’s Best Photography Picture Of The Week

http://www.naturesbestphotography.com/enter_othercompetitions.php

Ongoing

KL International Photo Awards 2012

http://www.klphotoawards.com/

Enter by March 31, 2012

Photographers Giving Back Award

http://www.thepgbphotoaward.com/home/

Enter by January 25, 2012

Animals Photographic Contest

http://lafango.com/contests/photography-animals

Enter by February 22, 2012

LENS 2012 International Juried Photography Exhibition (Fine Art Photography)

http://perspectivegallery.org/lens-2012

Enter by January 15, 2012

Digital Photo Pro 2^nd Annual Photo Of The Year

http://bit.ly/sbxwXP

Enter by January 3, 2012

Fellowship 12 International Photography Competition

http://bit.ly/thPPgF

Enter by January 15, 2012

MPA Wedding & Portrait Awards 2012 (UK)

http://bit.ly/jsy2Jx

Enter by May 18, 2012

Better Photography Photographer of the Year 2011

http://betterphotography.in/poy/

Enter by December 10, 2011

The 2012 Macquarie Photography Prize

http://bit.ly/uYzBpr

Enter by May 24, 2012

2011 Gardens in Focus Photography Competition

http://gardensinfocus.com.au/

Enter by December 10, 2011

International Photography Art Competition

http://www.showartists.com/magzine/41

Enter by October 30, 2012

Chromania

http://www.minispace.com/en_us/background/17/

Enter by January 31, 2012

Prize: iPhone 4s

Joys of Travel Photo Contest

http://www.kutoatravel.com/Giveaway/

Enter by December 31, 2011

Prize: Choice of Fantastic Holiday

PDN Top Knots Contest

http://topknotscontest.com/index.shtml

Enter by January 11, 2012

Red for Heart Photography Competition (UK)

http://bit.ly/idGHaX

Enter by January 6, 2012

1^st Annual International Teen Photo Photography Contest

http://teenagephotographer.com/highschoolphotocontest/

Enter by December 31, 2011

Birds As Art 1^st International Bird Photo Competition

http://www.birdsasart.com/competition/

Enter by March 31, 2012

5^th Annual Emerging Pro Photo Competition

http://www.digitalphotopro.com/5th-annual-emerging-pro.html

Enter by December 20, 2011

Donkey Art Prize II

http://www.donkeyartprize.com/

Enter by February 15, 2012

2012 Charlatan Ink Art Prize for the VISUAL ARTS

http://www.charlatanink.com/artprize/rules2012.html

Enter by February 29, 2012

National Geographic Your Shot

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/your-shot

Ongoing

2012 International Art Competition and Exhibition

http://bit.ly/cAIZ7v

Enter by January 2, 2012

Prize: Trip to Japan

Holiday Gifts - The Secret to Business Success

2011-12-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

As the end of the year approaches I look back at the jobs I've done and find myself blessed to be able to make a living as a photographer all these years. At the start of my career I thought working as a photographer was just about learning all the aspects of photography like lighting, posing, composition, etc. As my career grew I quickly learned that the business of photography requires more than just being a good photographer.

One of the most important, and often overlooked, aspects of the photography business is learning how to say thank you. Every time a client hires you they make the choice to use you over 1000 other photographers. Our clients today have more choices than ever before, so it's important that we do all we can to stay on their minds. I view the cost of my gift giving as a part of doing business, and it ends up being cheaper than sending out thousands of promotional mailers or buying advertising space. During my shoots I often send flowers or give my first book, Sepia Dreams but I also want to do small things to stay on their minds.

At the end of each year I try to say thank you to my clients by sending a small thank you gift for the work I've received. This year I am going online for my client gifts and sending something personal. I'm known for wearing a tiger eye bracelet on my shoots and my clients always make comments on it. The tiger eye gemstone is known for attracting wealth and success, and many celebrities, entertainers and successful business people wear this gemstone for this reason. This year I am giving gemstone jewelry that has special meaning associated with each gemstones as gifts. I found the perfect site for my one-stop shopping and I'm happy to be able to make a few clicks and have it taken care of.

For some clients I will select jewelry to promote great health, and for my single clients I will send gemstone jewelry that helps in their relationships either with family, friends or finding a spouse. Sometimes the gifts will be masculine braclets for my male clients or earrings, necklaces, or simple sparkling stones for my female clients. Each item I send will relate to something each specific client desire in their lives or wants more of. To be able to give a gift that promotes great health is special and to to keep clients for life you must make a personal connection. At the end of the day people hire those they feel close to.

Always Dream Big

TWiT Photo

2011-12-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Catch me LIVE today on TWIT Photo starting at 1:30 PST.

Looking forward to taking questions and sharing the joy of photography!

Always Dream Big

Each One Teach One

2011-12-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

I had dinner with a photographer friend the other night and we discussed taking time away from shooting to speak or teach workshops. For the working photographer it is always a struggle to accept speaking or workshop engagements because you run the risk of loosing a booking for a shooting assignment. Some believe it is just not worth the time to teach vs shoot, but I feel a strong connection to doing both when possible. At times there are conflicts, but at the end of the day it is worthwhile for me to teach as well as shoot.

I recently did a three day workshop in Seattle for CreativeLive on fashion and beauty photography. Days before I was set to leave for the CreativeLive workshop I received a call asking for my involvement on the X Factor show. I was thrilled at first but my excitement soon turned to anxiety as the dates were the same as my CreativeLive commitment. To make a long story short I honored my commitment and my brother, yes I have a brother, Brian Smith did the segment on X Factor and did a freakin amazing job!

We have all heard the saying, "everything happens for a reason" and I truly believe this to be true. My CreativeLive segment on fashion and beauty didn't reach 40 million people but it was watched by over 60 thousand people around the world who all share a passion for photography. It was the best way of teaching a workshop that I have experienced and I will gladly do it again. The CreativeLive workshop is taped and broadcast live via the internet and people from all over the world log in to view it. Not only are they able to view the workshop live as it happens, but they have the ability to asked questions at the same time. The ability to ask questions is what I find so profoundly special about CreativeLIVE. As the two commentators take questions from all over the world, I have the chance to connect in ways I never could before in a workshop. It is one of the best ways to learn photography that I have seen to date and I wish it was around when I was first learning photography.

A lucky few get the opportunity to come and be a part of the live audience. To be a part of the live audience you must submit a video stating why you want to in the live class. The chosen few are selected and invited to attend. In my live audience I had a young emerging photographer who traveled from Florida to Seattle to be a part of the workshop. He is only eighteen years old but is very passionate about photography and I feel he will have a strong career in photography. After he left the workshop he posted a video about his experience and I saw it for the first time this morning. Take a look at what he had to say and you will see why teaching workshops are so gratifying.

Link: CreativeLive audience member

To learn more about other aspects of photography check out any of the following videos available in the Gallery Store. Each video is available as a download moments after ordering. The entire set of videos work together to give the viewer over 1.5 hours of information and valuable knowledge for becoming a better photographer.

Photography Videos Available:
Creative Ways to Promote & Market Your Photography

How To Work With Complex Lighting Situations

Seven Steps To Creating A Fashion Story

Ten Ways To Create Natural Light Portraits

Ten Ways To Photograph Women

Ten Ways To Use One Light Source

The Secret To Making Creative Photographs

Through The Lens

Always Dream Big!

Black Friday

2011-11-30T09:23:00.000-08:00

The most beautiful times of the day are sunrise and sunset. Most of us have the opportunity to see a sunset often but catching the sunrise takes more effort . This past Friday as many people around the country woke up early to take advantage of Black Friday holiday sales, my girl and I were getting up extra early to shoot the sunrise at Bryce Canyon.

As we arrived we found other photographers with the same passion for catching the first rays of light from the sun. To capture the most beautiful part of a sunrise it is best to plan on arriving at your destination 30 to 45 minuets before the sun comes up. I love watching the first glimpse of sunlight, but I also love the silhouettes and colors that happen right before the sun comes up.

Rising Star

2011-11-29T14:04:00.000-08:00

It is always great to see new talent in the industry and today I want to share the work on a young man whose work I find exciting. Adam Silversmith come to two of my workshops and it is exciting to see someone so hungry and excited about photography.

This young man will do well and I would like to take this time and share a blog from October 27th that was posted by Becky regarding Adam.

Enjoy and always dream big!

Link: Words of Advice from Emerging Pro Adam Silversmith

How To Recharge Your Batteries

2011-11-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

If you shoot your camera long enough you will exhaust the batteries and need to recharge before you can use them again. No one things twice about the recharging process of your camera batteries or buying new batteries because it is something we've become accustom to. However, when it comes to our own internal battery which helps keep us fresh and creative we take it for granted. To be your best photographer you need to also recharge your internal battery to be your best. Without taking time to give back to yourself you will only exhaust yourself and your photography will suffer. It is important that you take time to recharge, unplug and do something just for you. Now the only question is who does a photographer recharge their internal battery?

After six trips in five weeks I was badly in need of recharging. My body, soul and mind were exhausted and I needed a break from business, email, social media, phone calls, planes, etc. The last five weeks have taken me to New York, South Carolina, Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Trinidad. In between I flew back to Los Angeles for a day or two and then left again. I was lucky to end my hectic schedule with a shoot in Trinidad, or so I thought, but that trip was the most grueling of them all as Trinidad was in the midst of the rainy season. The rain caused delays in our shooting schedule and made for very long days and nights. I am very thankful for the work and would gladly do it again but I now need to recharge.

I arrived home two days before Thanksgiving totally spend and mentally exhausted. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to spend with family and friends but my family is 3000 miles away and my girls family is even further away in Japan. We decided to take advantage of the four day holiday and do something I have always wanted to do. We took a photo road trip to Monument Valley in Utah. After so much travel you may wonder why I wanted to do more traveling but the two things I love most in life is photography and travel. Traveling for work and traveling for yourself are two very different things all together, so we loaded up the jeep and set off for Utah.

It is hard to tell where one first gets desire to visit a place, but I have had a deep desire to visit Monument Valley for a very long time. Maybe it comes from growing up watching the Road Runner cartoons or simply from seeing incredible images from this area of the country, but whatever the case I have felt the need to photography Monument Valley and I am so glad I finally got a change to do so this weekend. I have even dreamed of shooting images here but nothing can compare to seeing this place for yourself.

I can't explain it in words but Monument Valley is one place every photographer should visit. The drive alone will inspire you and the images will feed your creative soul like nothing else. When you go, stay at the Views Hotel. There you will be able to take incredible images from your hotel room and even shoot images of the stars at night. I will be sharing more images from this trip in the coming days, but the most important message here is to take time for yourself. During the holidays it is especially important that you give yourself to yourself before you give yourself away to the world. We all know the holidays can be a very stressful time of the year, but this year do something for you. Give to yourself first!

Happy Holidays!

Always Dream Big

CreatveLIVE = Energy Drink Photo Shoot

2011-11-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

I am finally home after six trips in five weeks all over the place. Last night I arrived home after spending time working on a job in Trinidad. The shoot went very well and I made a lot of new friends on the Island. It is the rainy season in Trinidad and we had delays because of it, but every time I've shot on an island it has always been this way. The rain at times felt like an "end of the world" type storm but then an hour later it was bright skies and 90 degrees again. This is the reality of shooting on an island so knowing this you must always prepare your gear for rain, which is part of my pre-production routine for location.

I returned to a lot of email from people all over the world commenting still from the CreativeLive class I had on Fashion and Beauty. One email today came from Scotland and another from Iceland. Thank you all for your comments and well wishes.

The email that really blew me away today came from someone in the States. One of the people who purchased my fashion and beauty class from CreativeLive told me the class really changed his life. He immediately incorporated some of the knowledge from the class into his work and send his work out to a potential client. The company is a very popular energy drink and they responded that they will be giving him an assignment. I was elated to hear this news and I wish him all the luck and success in the world with this assignment.

On a closing note, if you go to Trinidad make sure you head to Maracas Beach and eat the local favorite, "Bake & Shark" from Mom's Bake and Shark. It's delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Always Dream Big!

2011-11-18T21:46:00.000-08:00

Early this year I attended a party celebrating a friends birthday. It was well attended with a host of hollywood celebrities showing up throughout the night. One person in attendance was the actor Orlando Jones whom I’d never met before. When I was introduced to him he said, “I love your work and have always wanted to work with you.” At first I thought he’d mistaken me for an actor but then realized he knew my photography work from my first book, Sepia Dreams. I was honored he was familiar with my work and we spoke for a while that night about life, photography, success in the arts and health. Orlando is a vegan and he explained the pro’s of being one.

A few months ago I received a call from a client at an advertising agency saying he had a project coming up and thought I’d be great for it. The first question he asked was have I ever worked with Orlando Jones. I was shocked by the question since I’d met him earlier this year. I told my client I’d never worked with him but that we had a great conversation at a party earlier in the year.

Pre-production is one of the most important aspects of commercial photography, but especially when working on advertising assignments. I was awarded the job to photograph Orlando Jones for a series of national ads for Farmers Insurance. The first thing I did was jump full force into production mode. My T.E.A.M. on this assignment, (and team stands for together each achieves more) consisted of my New York agent, my producer, set builder, set dresser, stylist, assistants and interns. For this assignment I studies the concept and sketches provided by my client and looked for problem areas and thought of the best way to tackle them. I would need to discuss and defend my ideas in the pre-production meeting prior to the shoot. When studying a layout for advertising it is very important to mentally walk through the process of how you want to shoot the job. I like to look for the problems and then start figuring out how to solve them. Every advertising assignment has hurdles to overcome and I love the challenge of figuring them out and being ready for everything and anything. The hurdle for this assignment revolved around creating the chalkboard. Every small detail is extremely important, including how to convey the right amount of chalk build-up at the bottom of the board and the eraser makes from countless old assignments on the board.

My producer is incredible and we worked closely to put all the elements together to make the assignment come to life. Remembering my conversation and first meeting with Orlando I wanted to make sure we had the right food on the set for Orlando and my producer found the perfect chef to have for the job.

This campaign was one of the most enjoyable advertising projects I’ve worked on recently. The shoot was a blast and my advertising clients, along with my Farmers clients, had a ball on the shoot. Orlando was so funny during the shooting process and worked hard to give his all. I can’t remember laughing as much as we did on the set this day and at the end of the shoot my Farmers clients said great shoot and we will see you again soon. A BIG thank you to my entire team who really kicked butt on this assignment. Thank you!

Today I’m on the plane flying back from Philly to Los Angeles after speaking to an amazing group of photographers, thanks to Sony. In the airport coming out, I saw the Farmers ad for the first time so I emailed my client to send me the first of the series of ads. I am very happy with this series of images and hope it leads to more fun assignments like this. When I land in Los Angeles I will quickly switch gears and prepare to leave in the morning for a fashion shoot in Trinidad. My next post will be from the Caribbean.

Always Dream Big

4.3 Million Dollar X Factor

2011-11-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

This morning I am in Philly getting ready to speak tonight to GPPDV, the local PPA chapter for photographers. I will speak tonight about going beyond just taking great pictures. For the professional photographer it is not just about taking a pretty picture, because today anyone can take a pretty picture. There are so many aspects of photography to learn and master and each takes time. There are more people taking pictures today than any time in history but that doesn't mean the photographs are getting better. I hope to do my part tonight to change that and help photographers everywhere become just a little better.

Some photographers seem to have the X Factor. Last week at Christie's in New York City a photograph sold for 4.3 million dollars by Andreas Gursky. Gursky is very well known and highly respected in the art world, and I like his work a lot. If you don't know his work then take the time to view it before making a judgment call on this image. I would love to see the original image as the web can sometime diminish the beauty of a photograph. I know there's a lot of debate about this image, but the fact that this image sold for that amount should open our eyes to the possibilities available for photographers. What if you're the next Andreas Gursky or Cindy Sherman?

Today in America, Occupy Wall Street's "Day of Action" is all over the news. As I watch I think back to walking down to see the occupy wall street park area which is just blocks away from where the World Trade Center towers use to stand. As I walked around the park one night I wondered how long the movement would last and how it will make it through the winter. If you are able to photograph any of this movement it will be a great piece of history in our photo archives.

Thanks again to Sony and everyone who came out to all the speaking events in New York, Atlanta, Seattle, Philly and tuned in online to watch Fashion and Beauty via CreativeLIVE. If you are interested to see why so many people tuned in from around the world please read the 64 reviews about the Fashion and Beauty workshop. Here are a few behind the scenes images from Atlanta's photo assistant boot camp. We had a ball working with the students and some won some really amazing raffle gifts as well.

I head home tomorrow for the night and then off to a fashion and beauty shoot in Trinidad on Saturday morning!

Always Dream Big!

The Power of a Photograph

2011-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

Since the CreativeLive weekend workshop I have received a zillion messages on twitter, CreativeLive, Facebook, email and more. My twitter went from slightly more than 2000 followers to 5177 in no time. Today on twitter I asked people what was the first image that made them fall in love with photography. I got several replies but this one really touched a nerve and I have to share it with you.

Molly Goldrick's blog defines the power of a photograph in ways I have never seen. Thank you Molly for this and I wil you all the best!

Day Two -CreativeLIVE

2011-11-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to everyone who tuned in to watch day two of the creative process as we photographed and discussed beauty photography. A big thank you to the cast and crew who worked side-by-side with me through the process.

On every job/shoot you must always be prepared for something to go wrong. I preach this to my interns, assistants and even to the students in my CreativeLive workshop this weekend. Today the unexpected happened while taping the CreativeLive show. One of the shows video cameramen had an incident and had to be rushed to the hospital. We later learned he was okay and released to go home and rest. Being prepared for the unexpected helps you deal with lifes challenges when they happen. Working in New York City teaches you to be prepared for the unexpected because it happens all the time. Thank you to all those around the world who witnessed today's incident and sent your prayers and well wishes. We all appreciate your kind words and concern.

It was great having Chase Jarvis come by the set today and being able to sit and talk candidly about the photography business one on one. If you missed day two make sure you catch the repeat available now CreativeLive.com

Tomorrow is our third and final day of the workshop and our focus for the day turned to the world of fashion photography. Our "hero" for the day is the wardrobe, or simply put, the fashion. Step one in creating the idea for shooting our fashion story is to have a story board, so I worked on creating the story board before coming to Seattle. Tomorrow we get to bring our concepts to life. Make sure you tune in to our final day of the workshop devoted to fashion and beauty.

Finally, a big thank you to Nozomi for turning my horrible stick-figure drawings into incredible story board sketches. I look forward to speaking to you all tomorrow!

Always Dream Big!

CreativeLive - Day 1

2011-11-11T23:58:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of my three day workshop with CreativeLive, and what an amazing day it was. Today was special not only because it happens to be 11/11/11, and that I am writing this post at 11:11pm, but because today I was able to reach one of my goals.

Every day I start my day by saying my goals out load and for the last year I have said the following, "I want to share my knowledge and joy of photography with thousands of people around the world". Well today CreativeLive gave me that opportunity and all I can say is thank you! I was blown away by all the people who checked in for my LIVE online workshop from all over the globe. People said hello, via Twitter, from Germany, Sweden, Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Dubai, London, Malaysia, India, Africa, Philippines, Singapore, Italy, France, Holland, Denmark, and all over America. I was humbled and speechless.

A big thank you to Chase Jarvis for putting me on his blog today and opening the door to share in this manner with so many people who love photography. Thanks brother!

Day one set the stage for talking about fashion and beauty, but we also talked about so much more than just fashion and beauty. If you are interested in learning why so many people around the world tuned in to CreativeLive.com just click anyone of the links above.

Today we explained the difference between beauty and fashion and hopefully opened the door to viewing photography in new and exciting ways. We talked about finding the hero in your images and how to build and use a storyboard. We explored the different areas of beauty from skincare to hair-care to jewelry. We discussed and explored fashion and the different areas of fashion.

Tomorrow and Sunday we will go deeper as we shoot both fashion and beauty LIVE starting at 9:00a.m. PST. I will use a Sony A900 as my creative tool. I will shoot with a Profoto beauty dish and go through lighting. Tune in to learn more and discover how you can use one light to make incredible images.

If you would like to know how to purchase the jewelry the model is wearing here or the tiger eye bracelet I wore on-set today simply hit the following link. Core Jewelry

Always dream big and I hope to see you this weekend at CreativeLive.com

I Hate Fashion!

2011-11-08T21:42:00.000-08:00

I recently heard from a photographer who expressed how much they hated fashion photography. I asked what his interest were and he said he loved taking portraits, families, wedding, etc.

I told him even if he hates fashion photography he can learn a lot from watching my upcoming Fashion & Beauty Workshop taking place via CreativeLive. The techniques, tips and advise I will share on fashion and beauty photography can help you stand out from the crowd of other photographers who are shooting portraits, families and wedding images the same way. A sure way to stand out from the crowd is to do things differently and fashion is all about constant change and doing things different.

The advise and shooting techniques I will share will benefit any type of photographer, even if your interest is in shooting landscapes. Tune in this Friday - Sunday and you will see exactly what I mean as there is something for everybody. My portraits were born from my fashion and beauty roots. Even my Polar Beauty image has deep roots in my fashion and beauty background.

Always Dream Big!

Fashion and Beauty Week!

2011-11-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

As I sit waiting for my flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles I am thinking about my upcoming CreativeLive workshop on Fashion and Beauty, taking place this Friday-Sunday in Seattle. The great thing about this workshop is you don't have to travel to Seattle to be a part of it. You can join us simply by logging on via your computer. The workshop is LIVE ONLINE and FREE to watch in real-time.

The workshop is three days and each day will help all those interested in Fashion and Beauty. Day one delves an intensive discussion on the world of fashion and the world of beauty. You will learn the difference between both and how to produce, organize, cast and shoot fashion and beauty.

Day two is all about beauty as we have a LIVE ONLINE beauty shoot. The shoot will take you into the world of beauty. We will shoot a beautiful model LIVE as if we were shooting a cover for a magazine. You will see us working with hair and makeup and see the process of lighting, shooting and producing the shoot.

Day three is our Fashion Day and we will take you through the process of shooting a fashion story. We will use two models for the fashion story and you will see the process from beginning to end. We will work directly with a clothing stylist, hair and makeup, photo assistants and more as we work to show you a shoot from concept to production and more. Because the workshop is LIVE you can ask questions on line and I will answer them in on the spot.

The LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOP if FREE and takes place this Friday-Sunday.

To sign up now click CREATIVELIVE.

See you soon!

Always Dream Big

Atlanta Photo Assistant Boot Camp

2011-11-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

In many ways Atlanta is responsible for starting my photography career. I began my education in photography at The Art Institute of Atlanta and this weekend I am back in Atlanta speaking to students and helping teach an assistant boot-camp sponsored by Sony and APA.

The boot-camp series is really an amazing way to learn about the photography industry and how to get started. Assisting working photographers is the single best way to become a successful photographer because you are emerged in the inner workings of the business daily. In photography formal education gives you the blueprint but assisting gives you the tools to build your career. Combined with formal education you have everything you need to have a successful career.

If you live in Atlanta, Georgia please come out as this is an event not to be missed. To Sign Up and find out more information click the Sony/APA Atlanta link.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend in Atlanta!

Always Dream Big

Nelson Mandela vs Michael Jordan

2011-11-02T00:35:00.000-07:00

Life is full of surprises and sometime they all come at once. This week I'm reminded of a situation I had a few years ago in which I had to make a decision on an assignment. I was hired to photograph a family portrait for Michael Jordan by Michael. It would be the first family portrait with everyone in the photograph. It took months to schedule but we finally found a day when it worked for everyone and finally everything was set. The day before I am flying off with my crew to do the shoot of the Jordan Family I get a call from an organization that wants me to fly to South Africa to photograph Nelson Mandela, but they needed me to jump on a plane that night and fly to South Africa to work in Mr. Mandela's schedule.

What happened? I turned the Mandela shoot down and referred a friend to do the shoot. My buddy flew to South Africa that night and when he arrived he had fifteen minutes to photograph Mr. Mandela. He did a great job and today a gigantic photo graces the walls of his place and I am reminded of that shoot each and every time I enter his place. At the end of the day, I know I made the right decision and I had a great shoot with the Jordan Family, but I was totally conflicted and torn apart about the Mandela shoot and it haunts me to this day.

I met Michael Jordan through Martha Stewart believe it or not. I was hired to photograph Ms. Stewart at her house and sent flowers to be delivered before we arrived. As we pulled up Ms. Steward was just finishing an interview with Barbara Walters so we had to wait to come in. When we finally entered Martha screamed at my assistant's to take off their shoes before coming in the house and then said, "and who is Matthew"! My assistants pointed toward me and she looked and me and came over and gave me a huge hug and said, I love these flowers! We had an amazing shoot and after the shoot as my crew and I drove back to Manhattan, my agent called me to inform me that Ms. Steward had called herself to book me for two jobs. The first was a photo shoot with Michael Jordan and that is where I first had the opportunity to work with MJ. Michael and I were both born in Brooklyn, NY but he grew up in North Carolina and I grew up in South Carolina. If you're wondering, I'm horrible at basketball but I can say I got to play basketball at Michael's house once.

Throughout your photography career you will have challenges and conflicts with schedules as they always come up, but know this is just the nature of the business. It seems work is either slow or you are busy as hell but there is no in-between. At the end of the day, it is a blessing to be able to work and have clients who want your talent and vision. Not all decision are easy but who said life was easy. Enjoy each day and live life to the fullest and along the way take great pictures.

Always Dream Big!

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom & Dad

2011-10-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

This week I was in New York for Photo Plus Expo working with my Sponsor, Sony. I had a great time being in New York and seeing the new A77 at work and holding the new Nex 7 in my hands for the first time. I can not wait to get my hands on both of these camera's, especially the Nex-7. It is absolutely amazing and now has everything I always wanted. It will be the camera I walk around with every day and as soon as I have it I will post images take with it right away. I have a strong feeling it will be a great Christmas gift for family this year.

Speaking of family, I am very happy and proud to spend today with my parents who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. We are all influenced by our surrounding and watching my parents throughout my life has given me a strong belief in love and helped me to believe in it even though life throws curves at you. I have been divorced twice but I still believe in love strongly and it is directly tied to witnessing my parents relationship. I am in awe of their relationship and forever learning about the power of love in relationships. In my photography I am also always learning and as camera's continue to evolve we must all continue to evolve with them. The future of photography is dependent on all of us pushing the envelope as artist and photographers as camera give us more options. The New A77 is the worlds faster DSLR and to see it perform this week at photo plus was very impressive. I will also share the possibilities now available with the A77 camera as soon as I shoot my first images.

Have a great weekend and happy 50th anniversary mom and dad!

Creative Ways to Promote and Market Your Photography

2011-10-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

I have received numerous requests asking for a downloadable video focused on promotion and marketing. I am happy to announce the release of this video today in the Gallery Store.

The one thing you can do to increase your bottom line is promotion and marketing. Without this essential part of business you will not see growth in your client base or keep a client base. Marketing and promotion are essential. For years we have all heard the keys to marketing and for the most part it is very much the same thing over and over. I believe to become successful in a creative field you must do things differently than every one else and for this reason I have compiled this video focused on helping you achieve success now and for the future.

Creative Ways to Promote and Market Your Photography will open your eyes to new ways of reaching and keeping new clients. You will also enjoy the process of promotion and marketing like never before. This video is geared for every type of photographer, from wedding to travel, fashion to landscapes, portraits to still life. Finally there is a video fit for every photographer!

Always Dream Big

Multiple Lights for Dramatic Portraits

2011-10-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Profoto beauty dish is one of my favorite light shaping tools. I have used it many times as my main light for years but today I want to show how to use the beauty dish as a fill light.

The two images shown are both created using the beauty dish, but in one example the beauty dish is the main and the other it is the fill. The more dramatic of the images, where the model eyes are illuminated was made using three lights. The main light is a Profoto strobe head with a spot small snoot head made by Profoto. This light allows me to shape the light exactly as I see fit for the shot. The second light is the beauty dish, but acting as a fill light for the shot. The third light is the backlight, or edge light, used to separate and define the subject from the background. It is important to use a light meter for situations like this because you need to know exactly what each light is reading. You can not do a shot like this simply by reading the histograms on your camera. A meter is an essential element in every shoot I do. I used the Sekonic meter for this image and my readings for each light were the following:

Main Light reading (spot small snoot) - F 11.0

Fill Light (Beauty dish) - F. 5.6

Edge light - 5.0

Exposure: F11.0 @ 1/125th

ISO: 200

The camera used to make this image was the Sony A900 with an 100mm macro lens, and I set my ISO to 200 on the meter and the camera. A quick note about ISO. Each camera has a native ISO, which gives you the best files possible from your camera. Unlike film, where the lower the ISO the better the images, with digital the native ISO gives you the best files. Each camera manufacturer has its own native ISO. For Sony the native ISO is 200 and for Canons it is 160.

The second image is made using the beauty dish as the main and the same edge light, but the edge light is brought up in power by one stop. Our model is blond and the edge light is a bit too hot in this example. If she were brunette or had black hair we would be fine with this edge light exposure, so you will need to adjust depending on your subject. To learn more about using lights in complex situations go to the gallery store for downloadable products to improve your photography and inspire you to make your best images ever!

Always experiment to go above and beyond the norm. It is great to learn all the rules of lighting and photography but after you have learned the rules it is fine to break them to achieve better results. Our world of photograph is changing faster and faster so the rules from yesterday will not open the door to the future. Push yourself to experiment and discover new ways to explore the joy and beauty of photography.

Always Dream Big!

Website: www.MatthewJordanSmith.com

Instructional Videos: Online Gallery Store

Shooting for America's Next Top Model

2011-10-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

One of the most enjoyable projects I have worked on in my career would be working as a guest photographer on American's Next Top Model. Each episode the show will have a photographer come on to shoot the models and see who performs best. I have been lucky enough to be a guest photographer four times on the show since its beginning.

The image included in this post is from my favorite episode as it was the most challenging of the shoots I have done for the show. The goal was to photograph each model as a celebrity couple. The girl would play both the male and female part of the celebrity couple so called for a lot of hair and makeup and creativity on my part.

To achieve this I had to make sure my lights and camera stayed the same throughout the shoot for each position because the girl would be shot as the male part first, then go back to hair, makeup and styling to be transformed into the female celebrity of the shot. Once I had my lighting set, my photo assistants carefully measured and documented each light and power ratio. Everything was written down so there would be no mistakes. Each light was measured for height and distance and the once the exposure was set to my liking we had our formula, and could easily apply it to each different location. The shoot took a long time but in the end it was worth it and a lot of fun to do. Imagine taking this same technique and doing your own versions at home. Make sure you document everything you do the first time around. My main light for this image was a small Para umbrella, which is still fairly large. The back lights were Profoto flash heads with gels an grids along with black flags to cut the light from hitting the camera and keeping it off the ceiling as well.

If you are interested in learning more about fashion and beauty photography sign up for the live classroom seminar through CreativeLive taking place this November. There you can learn by watching a complete beauty shoot and fashion shoot from beginning to end. To learn more about creative lighting and techniques look into the downloadable videos available in the Gallery Store. There you will learn tips and tricks on how to make better photographs with example and guidance.

Always Dream Big!

Back in Time

2011-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

I received a call last week from a TV Show that was interested in using an image from a shoot I did a while back. When the producer mentioned the shoot they were interested in I knew it right away because it was my first time shooting a fashion story on location. The TV producer thought the shoot was done in 2004, but they were slightly off as the images were shot in 1992!

You never forget your first, and this was my first fashion story shot in an exotic location. The job was a two-week shoot on the island of St. Lucia and my assignment was to photograph two fashion stories based around resort wear. The TV show called because the male model is now an actor and in the up-coming movie, The Thing. I have watched this actor over the years and each and every time I see him I think back to the shoot in St. Lucia.

The actor is Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and if you don't know his name you probably know his face. From the TV show Lost, to HBO's Oz he has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. His movies include The Bourne Identity, The Mummy Returns, The Thing, Faster, Monk, GI Joe, Unstoppable and many, many more. The interview is for The Thing, and I loved the original and will watch this remake.

Shooting on an island requires great pre-production skills because you can not run to your local photo store if you forget something. You also must be prepared for the worst in case your gear goes down or an assistant drops your meter in the ocean. Anything can happen on location and two weeks on an island will test you to see how well you have prepared. As I write this email we are preparing to go to an island in the Caribbean again for a photo shoot. These types of shoots are some of my favorite jobs but they are not easy. The crew is up around 4 to start hair and makeup and you are going off to shoot in the dark usually and shooting early mornings, breaking during the worst times of the day, (sometimes) and then shooting the end of the day until sunset. Some items that are always in my grip case are three prong to two prong electrical adapters, gaffer tape, can of air to clean gear, large plastic zip locks to protect against humidity, small first aid kit, flashlights, matches and candles, battery operated alarm clock! On many islands the electricity can go off in the middle of the night so you must be prepared for any and everything.

Today there are ways to shoot even during the worst times of the day. The Sun Swatter is a great tool to use once you understand how to use it correctly. I did a shoot recently on location and we had to shoot at twelve noon, the worst time of day. We used the Sun Swatter over the model to block the sun, then used a white fill card to reflect light back in her face and lastly a soft white card underneath to give it the pop in her eyes that I love. The Sun Swatter is made by California Sun Bounce and I will be taking this gear to the islands on my upcoming trip.

The image is photographed with the Sony A900 on location at Griffith Park in Los Angeles around 12:00 noon. The back light is coming from a California Sunbounce silver reflector. The sun is blocked using the Sun Swatter and the fill light is coming from a soft white California Sunbounce reflector about 10 feet away and lastly a soft white card is underneath to give the reflection in the eyes. A shoot like this may seem simple but it is anything but. If you are shooting in California you also need to make sure you have permits because someone will always come by to check. Shooting on an island you don't have that concern thank goodness!

For more information on how to take picture in natural light check out Ten Ways to Use Natural Light, or any of the other great downloadable products in the Gallery Store.

Always Dream Big!

Lens Choice and Creating Portraits

2011-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

I am working on a new series of environmental portraits and this past Friday I made one of the first images for the series. I selected a good friend and artist, Chaz Guest as my first subject. Not many living painters can say they have one of their pieces in the White House but a painting by Chaz of Thurgood Marshall hangs in the White House today.

I told Chaz I wanted to photograph him about a month ago and he got very excited and started pulling images to show me what he wanted. I smiled and gently told him I would create my vision and not to worry. Chaz is an amazing artist and has a curiosity for photography as well. About a year ago he purchased his first camera,.......a Leica. Later he asked me why he wasn't getting the kind of shots with his camera that looked like mine. I smiled and asked him if I purchased the best brushes ever made, the best quality canvas, all the best materials needed for painting would I then be able to paint like him? He paused and said, I never thought of it that way. The camera is the tool, but the person behind the camera, or brush, is the artist. Every artist wants the best tools because they know how important it is to have the best and they have the knowledge to take advantage of the best tools. In learning or growing as a photographer or artist it is important to have all the right tools but you must also learn how to use them.

In preparing my tools for this portrait session I thought about the lenses I wanted to take and decided on using three lenses. A 35mm, a 50mm and an 85mm. The 85mm is the perfect lens for portraits but my new series of portraits I want to show more of the environment so I'm doing things a little different. I also though heavily about the lighting. For the last two months I have been testing ideas on lighting portraits with my interns and finally come up with a solution I like. I will go more into the lighting in a future post but today I want to talk about the lens selection.

Using wide lenses requires that you stay aware of distortion, but if used wisely the images can be really beautiful. One of my favorite lenses for my Mamiya RZ 67 medium format film body was an old 65mm RB lens. It was perfect for portraits. With my Sony A900 body I love using the Carl Zeiss 85mm lens and the Sony 100mm macro lens a lot in my work, but for the portraits I want a different feel.

The image I have selected from Fridays shoot was shot with the 50mm. To make it work I had to back up and keep not shoot at too high or too low of an angle. If I went to low or high the angles in the image looked distorted and my subject also became slightly distorted. I did use the 35mm a lot on this shoot but I had to be careful in using it. To see the image I selected for my website click the following link, www.MatthewJordanSmith.com, and go to the portrait section.

The images below are taken with the Sony 35mm lens, and they are not bad, but the 50mm lens works best to give the effect I am looking for in this series. In the future when I go out to shoot more of this series I will continue to take these same lenses. I even had the Sony 20mm lens on me, but that lens is not meant for this type of work. I love the 20mm when I am shooting landscapes but again you must be careful with it and always aware of lines and angles. In photography we learn rules of engagement for creating great shots but once you learn the rules it is sometimes great to break them and see for yourself what you like. You may discover that you like something that breaks the rules! Remember photography is a CREATIVE art form.

Don't forget, there are a few days left to be a part of the CreativeLIVE class on Fashion and Beauty taking place in Seattle this November. This is the perfect opportunity to learn how to take advantage of all the new camera that are coming out and make your photography better. One camera I am dying to get my hands on is the new Sony A77. It will be the worlds fastest DSLR shooting at 12 frames per second. Now that is FAST! Now that I have the knowledge I hope to be able to show you how to take advantage of that speed very soon.

Always Dream Big!

Antelope Canyon

2011-10-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

A road trip can do wonders for refreshing your mind but a photo road trip can do wonders for refreshing your creative spirit. I just returned from a road trip to Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Sedona. For years I have viewed images of Antelope Canyon and always wanted to go, but just never made the time. Then my girl made me get away and we drove, listened to great music and took what I hope are great pictures. It does wonders for the soul!

It is fun to shoot things that are outside of your comfort zone. For this trip I took a tripod, an assortment of lenses, my sekonic meter and two A900 Sony bodies and a A55 body. The images here were created with the Sony 20mm 2.8 lens on my A900 body. I used a tripod and metered with my handheld meter for the correct exposure. I wish I had more time in the canyon but you only get a limited amount of time unless you book the photo tour, which I will do next time for sure. This location is so amazing I would easily pay a premium for private shooting time in this location.

This trip was great in many ways as it gave me time to focus on what I want to teach at my upcoming CreativeLive class on beauty and fashion. It also gave me time to think about the redesign of my website and what images to place where. Look for new images in the coming weeks as the site continues to evolve with fresh content.

Come join me in Seattle for the CreativeLive class. There is still time to join me and you can learn more by watching the video at Creative Live. I hope you can join me as I have a lot of information to pass on to you along with creating a fashion story and beauty story. Yes we will be shooting two full stories in class and you will be a part of it from beginning to end! I look forward to seeing you soon.

Always Dream Big!

Fashion and Beauty

2011-10-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

The process of creating is one of the most fulfilling things a photographer can do. The creative process is what excited me about photography in the beginning of my career and it is still one of the things that brings me joy today.

Fashion and beauty are both very creative fields in the photography industry and offer the creative soul an outlet to express their vision of beauty, fashion and how they see the world. We often see the words "Fashion & Beauty" together but even though they are closely related they are different worlds. Fashion photography is usually about clothing and styles and is constantly changing. Fashion is change! Beauty photography deals with the cosmetic industry and revolves around skin and hair.

On November 11-13th I am teaching a class on both Fashion & Beauty at CreativeLive. There we will go through the process of learning the fashion and beauty worlds inside out. We will do both a beauty shoot and a fashion shoot and you will learn how to take a concept and bring it to life. We will work with beautiful models, learn how to work with hair and makeup to develop powerful images and together turn a concept into incredible images. Most importantly you will learn how to become a better fashion and beauty photography and discover the essence of your own creativity. To be a part of this live class you only have to do one simple thing. Send in a video telling me why you would like to be a part of the live class.

To sign up today and learn more click the following link Fashion & Beauty @CreativeLIVE.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Always Dream Big

New Face of Beauty

2011-09-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Today's shoot is with a new model discovery that is really amazing on camera. This is my second time shooting her in two weeks and I am certain she will go on to do amazing assignments in the very near future.

The image here is taken about an hour ago and is the unretouched image right out of my Sony A900 camera. The lens used to create this image is the 85 1.4 Carl Zeiss Planar lens. The lighting is simple and classic with a twist. Today's session is shot with the Profoto white beauty dish but we've added the lighting sock over the dish. Profoto sells a sock to go on top of your beauty dish but I've found it to be too thin. Speedotron makes a lighting sock as well, but their version is 3/4 of a stop vs the 1/4 stop sock that Profoto makes and gives a better quality of light.

To find the quality of light you like test your lights constantly making small adjustments until you find the look that suits your vision best. Today we are using two lights to give this effect but to really learn lighting you should always start with one first and master it before adding more lights.

Have a great weekend and always dream big!

Lighting Videos: Click Here

Truth in Pictures

2011-09-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 2001, this was the view from the top of my building on 43rd street and 10th Avenue in New York City. It is hard to believe ten years has passed but life in many ways is very different. Cameras don't lie and pure photography tells no lies unless altered in some way. I recently watched a series of documentaries that brought up all the questions I had in my mind on after that day. For those of us who witnessed the sights, sounds and smell of the horror of 9/11 we will never forget.

In ten years the world has changed so much. We no longer have to rely on TV to get the news. Social media has changed how to receive news and information and photographs can be sent to the world in the blink of an eye. Photography is powerful! Never forget to take your camera with you each and every day.

My heart and prayers go out to all those who lost friends, family and loved one ten years ago.

Money and Photography

2011-09-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

One of the subjects we rarely hear about in photography is money management and your business. Yesterday I was interviewed by Tamara Lackey for CreativeLIVE and at this very moment Tamara is having a LIVE class dealing with finance at this very moment. To log on click the following link: CreativeLIVE

Always Dream Big

Don't Forget!

2011-09-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today I had an idea for a great post but after reading Skip Cohen's Blog this morning I felt it was more important to pass this along today.

Yesterday I was speaking with a good friend whom I always have long conversations about work and how to get more work. We are a bit competitive but that is also part of the beauty of our friendship. He was vexed about a work situation and the delicate balance between work and life. I told him when we are gone some may remember our work but our friends and family will remember how much we cared and showed love to them. Today lets not forget about the big picture on our way to success.

MUST READ BLOG OF THE DAY: CLICK HERE

The Art of Directing

2011-09-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

During my career I have shot countless covers for beauty, entertainment and lifestyle magazines. I have also shot my share of cosmetic advertisements for clients like Pantene, Olay, Revlon and more. The image the public gets to see is one special moment from the day, but there are often hundreds of moments captured to around that special image. Those other moments are stored away and often never seen again except by the photographer.

Getting the perfect moment, or creating the perfect picture, takes more than perfect pixels, a great camera,(a Sony for me) and beautiful lighting. Once you have all the elements to create magic it is up to you to pull the magic out of your subject. I will try and use everything at my disposal to make my subjects comfortable to get that perfect moment. Everything ranging from great music to flowers, research to amazing food, but the connection is really what sets each photographer apart from the rest and enables you to create incredible photographs. How you speak to your subjects is also key to getting that magical moment and creating great photographs.

When shooting I don't like to over direct my subjects and often tell them not to pose. I believe a pose will always look fake or stiff or look like an image from another era when posing was all photographers knew. Today everything in the world has changed so we can't shoot photographs the way we did ten years ago. When shooting I strive to capture real moments and then direct my subjects based off of what they do naturally. This way I capture the essence of my subject being themselves with a hit of directions to enhance what they do naturally.

My directing is no more than simply guiding my subject into the moment when they are comfortable and almost forgetting about being photographed. It is a delicate dance between photographer and subject and one that has the subject leading the dance at times and the photographer leading when the moment is right. When the moment finally comes around when you have a great shot I like to stay within that moment and direct my subject to do slight variations on what they do naturally. This way I get a series of moments and which help me find the decisive moment.

The images shown here are all seconds apart when I directed my subject to give me slightly different variations of a moment. I don't know which image is "the" image until I have all the images in Capture One or Lightroom and start the editing process. When I am shooting I want to make sure I capture every moment possible and at times I will whisper direction to my subjects so I don't break the moment. Directing is part of your personal style so experiment with what works best for you. Some photographers are high energy and yelling and screaming, others are totally quiet when they shoot. Whatever your style may be make sure you are cognizant of special moments and guide your subject to better images.

For a sneak peek into my way of shooting and directing take a look at this Youtube clip!

Click Here

Photo Equipment Used
Sony A900 DSLR camera
Lens: 85 1.4 Carl Zeiss planar lens & Sony 2.8 /100 macro lens
Strobe: Acute Profoto pack
Light modifier: Profoto white beauty dish

I wish you all the best and always dream big!

The Many Ways to Use One Light

2011-09-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

Today I had a shoot with a client who was shooting for the first time in his life. I wanted to give him variety in his images but I also had a time limit to shoot so I did not have the luxury to change my set and lighting around. With very little effort I used one light modifier to create several distinctively different looks.

In the beginning of my career I learned to use one light multiple ways and in situations like today that training came in handy. All the images here were made with the same light. I used a Profoto pack with one head with a beauty dish. For some images I added the grid to the dish and other I simple adjusted the distance of the light and the angle of light. Knowing how to manipulate light quickly will impress your clients and help you become a more creative photographer.

All images were shot on a white background but the background is not lit. Instead I selected to let the light fall off naturally. The images of the subject on a dark background is shot with the beauty dish very close to my subject with a grid. The light is concentrated on my subject and the background goes dark for this moody effect.

The images of the subject with the black tie is made by having the same beauty dish directly in front of him and a small fill card underneath to fill under his chin. This is normally a great beauty light using it in this fashion and great for women, but good on men too at times.

The image of my subject in the white shirt without the tie required me to move my light closer by twelve inches and moved it off to the right slightly which gives the shadowing effect on the left side of the subject. I think this is a great lighting effect for me.

The image of my subject without a shirt is again made by adding the grid and taking the light back and raising it by two feet. Having the light higher helps give more muscle definition by letting the shadows create shape. Notice also how the light affects the background as well.

Lastly, the shot of my subject in a blue shirt was made very much in the same manner as the shirtless image except the grid is taken out. For each look I had to use my light meter to check my exposure and adjust my exposure accordingly.

For more information on lighting check out all the video tutorials available in the Gallery Store.

Camera Info:

Sony A900

50mm 1.4 Sony lens

85mm 1.4 Carl Zeiss Planar lens

Always Dream Big

Instructional Photograph Videos: Click Here

To Freeze or Not to Freeze

2011-09-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

There are times when we want to freeze the moment and stop time in its tracks. An example would be shooting at a sporting event when you want the precise moment frozen in time. During these moments a faster shutter speed is needed, and knowing how to decide on the proper shutter speed depends on the focal length of your lens. A long lens, say a 300, 2.8 lens, requires a faster shutter speed than a shorter lens to freeze the action. The rule is to double the focal length, so if I'm using the 300 2.8 lens at a football game I would want to use a shutter speed of no less than 1/1000 of a second taking into consideration that older camera bodies go up only from 1/ 500th to 1/1000th. With modern cameras of today we can easily shoot much, much faster.

Speed can also be shown in different ways and sometimes your images are stronger when you let the movement show. If you want to stand out from the crowd it is sometimes best to do things differently than everyone else. If 100 photographers are shooting the same football game and everyone is shooting at super fast shutter speeds it may not be a bad idea to do the opposite, shoot at a slower shutter speed to show the beauty of movement.

For the image shown I wanted to do precisely that, show the movement of my subject so the viewer can really appreciate what is happening in the image. The feeling of showing movement is much stronger at times when you slow down the shutter and allow a little blur to increase the impact of your images.

The image here is shot with a Sony A900 at F8 @ 1/60th of a second. For more information on lighting and photo tips check out the videos available at the Gallery Store.

Always Dream Big

Instructional Photography Videos

Back to School

2011-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

As people head back to school I thought this would be appropriate to share even if you've seen it before.

Think differently!

Today on Set

2011-08-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today we are shooting a beauty assignment with a great models. Here is one of the behind the scenes images from today's shoot. Our models is new but very attractive and very talented. When I'm working on assignments like this I usually work with two lenses and my lenses of choice today are the 85mm and 100 macro lens.

The first shot of the day is always either a gray card or color checker passport. Today we used the color checker to set our color balance. It is essential to always start with a reference for color because everything affects your color balance, the walls, ceiling color and height, floor, etc. If you are always shooting in the same location, studio, etc but using different gear you also need a color checker because each lens you use will be different as well. My 85 is very different than my 100 macro lens but as long as I am aware of this I can match them in post.

For more information on light and lighting check out the videos at the Gallery Store.

Always Dream Big!

Order Now: Instructional Photography Videos

It's Coming!

2011-08-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this camera and it was finally announced yesterday. The new Sony A77 is coming in October and I can't wait to get my hands on one. I haven't seen a camera this impressive in a long time. If you're not familiar with the Alpha line of camera's then just take a look at this video promo on the A77. It will be great for shooting models on the beach as its key controls are sealed against dust and moisture. In the past shooting on the beach has been a nightmare in many ways with sand, wind and moisture but this should be a game changer.

Check out the video: Sony A77

The camera comes out in October and I can't wait to get my hands on one. As soon as I do I promise to share my images here.

Always Dream Big

Photography Lessons from the Stock Market

2011-08-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

I remember all too well the fall of 2008 when the stock market crashed and life began to change for so many people. This past Friday as I shot an assignment for an advertising client, I was also mindful that America just received the first ever downgrade of our AAA credit rating. I thought back to how business changed after the crash of 2008 and the lessons I have learned since that time. The effects from the the fall of 2008 did not hit main street until the spring of 2009, and even back then I heard the talk of "double-dip" and this morning it seems we are headed for that dip.

How does the market affect the working photographer? I remember being asked this question in 2009 and being puzzled why anyone would think it would not affect every industry. The truth is photography is often a price competitive industry and when people are looking to hire a photographer in tough economic times they are more selective and price sensitive. This is why we have seen so many photographers charging so little for their work. If your work is dependent on price you will always be subject to the ups and downs of the economy. However, if your photography has a competitive advantage you can withstand the recession and continue to thrive. This is why it is so important to have images that stand out from everyone else, and you can only do this by photographing subject you love. Yes you may be able to shoot a lot of different things because you "like" a lot of subjects, but if you focus on what you "love" instead others will see your passion in your photography and hire you.

What is price competitive and what is a competitive advantage? When we fill our car with gas we look for the best price we can find. Most people are not loyal to one brand of gasoline when gas prices climb higher and higher. We are buying gasoline based on price and that is a price competitive industry. The airline industry falls into this category as well. Competitive advantage however keeps your clients loyal to you. An example of competitive advantage is the brand of toothpaste you used this morning or the type of razor you shave with, or even the type of chocolate you eat. The company with a competitive advantage can keep their prices in line with inflation and withstand any downward cycle or disaster. Today as you start your week think about how you can change your photography from price competitive to having a competitive advantage. As every stock plunged this morning Hersey and Proctor and Gamble continued to climb. That's a strong competitive advantage!

No matter what happens with the economy tomorrow concentrate your energy on promotion and marketing and think about what you can do differently.

Always Dream Big!

End of a Great Week

2011-08-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

I must take this time to be thankful for an amazing week. This past week was filled with meeting great people and working on fantastic assignments. I started the week in Vegas at Skips Summer School teaching and sharing the joy of photographer with a group of amazing teachers and students from all over the country. Whenever I have the opportunity to speak or teach photography it fills my soul with joy because there no better feeling than sharing what you love. Thanks to everyone who came out to Vegas and thanks Skip for giving me this opportunity!

After Vegas I went right into production mode, actually I was in production mode before and during my trip to Vegas. I had an advertising assignment that required a lot of production and worked with my agent, producer and an incredible crew to bring the shoots to life. My advertising shoot was Friday and involved shooting a celebrity who was filming two projects. He was on set filming at 4:30 a.m and then on my set from 11:00am until 6:00pm and was just incredible throughout the day. The weeks of hard work really paid off as the shoot went extremely well and at the end of the day no one wanted to go home. It was the first big shoot for my new interns who shadowed my assistants but they learned a lot watching a big shoot take place. The interns have a great opportunity to learn as they see the assignment from beginning to end and get a front row seat to the madness of advertising. Thanks to my entire crew for working hard to make this shoot so amazing!

On Saturday morning we had yet another celebrity assignment but this one was editorial and required us to go to the celebrities home for the shoot. The amazing thing about shooting editorial is that you have a chance to really be creative and shoot what inspires you in the moment. I'd never been to my subjects home so we were walking in cold and had to find where we wanted to shoot. We had two hours to do the assignment but that was more than enough time. My crew and I walked in and did a fast scout of the home and then I decided on the location to shoot and we started testing my angles, lighting and deciding on which lenses to use. My subject was great and I learned that we loved a lot of the same things so it was a real joy to photograph him. By the end of the shoot we'd made several great images and formed a strong bond with my subject. It was a great week and thanks to my crew for pulling everything together to make the week a wonderful success. Once the images are published from these assignments I will post the finals and more behind the scenes images from the making of each.

Always Dream Big!

LED vs Flash

2011-07-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's post I shared an image taken to "find the hero" in the shot. To help bring attention to the subject I choose to shoot wide open at F 1.8 and focus only on my subject. Even though there were hundreds of people in the room the focus was only on my main subject. If I'd used a traditional flash I wouldn't be able to shoot wide open as I wished.

Today, I want to share the lighting that helps me shoot in this manner and is a huge departure from how many are taught to shoot parties or events. The lighting I love for working in these types of events are LED lights. The output of light is minimal but you don't always need to shoot at F 8.0 or more and during the times when you want to have shallow depth of field these lights are quite amazing. What I like about this brand of LED's is that I can control the color temperature by selecting one of the color setting on the back. The one I have used most often is the 3200k setting. The color temperature ranges from 2800k to 6500k. 2800 being the warmest (or yellow) setting and 6500k being on the cooler (blue) side.

The LED light works off of batteries the same as your on-camera flash but seem to last much longer. When using AA batteries I prefer to use re-chargeable batteries as they seem to last longer. I would suggest doing your own test if you are interested in using these lights. The test is fairly simple.

To test your LED lights do the follow:

Shoot in a dark room without any artificial or sunlight. Take one photo at each of the different color settings:
2800k
3200k
4000k
4800k
5600k
6500k

Don't judge your images by the back of your camera. You can't judge color from your display as its only meant to show you to image, not give you accurate color. Download the images on your computer and see which color setting you like best. If you're interested in shooing wide open I would suggest also testing each of your lenses out at the widest F-stop to see which is the sharpest. Zoom lenses tend to not be as sharp as the prime lenses and for this reason I rarely use zoom lenses, but this is a personal choice. If you're interested in purchasing these lights made by Visio find out more by going to the following link. LED Lights.

I wish you all the best now go out and shoot great pictures!

Always Dream Big

When To Shoot Wide Open

2011-07-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

I often get asked the question, "how did you shoot this"? It seems there is so much interest in how an image was made technically but not as much into the thought process that led to creating the shot. Lately I have been on a quest to look for the hero, or key subject, in my images. I want to bring the viewer closer to what I am feeling and make sure they get the message I am trying to project in my image.

Recently I attended a wedding rehearsal dinner and took photos during the evening. I did not want to shoot in the traditional manner because so many of the images I see at events, parties, etc feel the same, especially when shot with on-camera flash. My idea was to shoot wide open and focus on one person at a time and find a hero in each image. By hero I simply mean I like finding the main subject and bringing attention to whatever it may be. In this case the hero is the gentlemen in the grey suit. Even though there are hundreds of people in the room all the attention is drawn to him. To further emphasis my point of view I choose to shoot wide open, F 1.8 with a 28mm lens on my Sony A900. The focus is only on my main subject, or hero, and I believe this makes this image successful. If I had shot this image with an on-camera flash and at an F-stop of 5.6 or 8.0, I would have a very different image than the one you see here.

Tomorrow I will discuss the unconventional lighting used to create this image. Until then always dream big!

Time and the Value of Photography

2011-07-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today so a lot of people take photographs for granted. Part of the reason for this is because photographs have become so easy to take and the cost seems minimal. The true cost is probably more than traditional photographs when we shot film because now you need a computer to see the images and your digital camera will not last as long as your old film camera. With all the digital devices we have at our disposal it is also hard to remember what image is where. Is it on your cell phone, ipad, digital camera or lost in a desk on a media card?

My family is probably typical of the way many people around the world handle their photographs these days, because a years worth of pictures can wind up on one digital card. Those images may or may not be downloaded. I have a fear that these images will be lost if not backed up properly. Digital is a great way of capturing our memories and documenting our lives but we can't forget to perserve those memories in a tangible way.

As a professional photographer we know the true value of photographs and have the responsibility to preserve our images to last forever. Today take a moment and look at all the wonderful way you can perserve your memories with photo books like Shutterfly, a company that will make a tangible photo book from your images to have for all time. I have given a few of these books away as gifts and it a powerful way to make a strong impression with your photography. When you give the gift of photography in the form of a book the value of that gift grows stronger with every passing year. The true value may not be realized for many years but the longer the book exists the more value is placed on it and your photography.

Here's another way to form a bond with your clients. For years I have shot images behind the scenes of my photo shoots. The images that become published in a magazine or billboard are what everyone normally seems but to my clients we have the memory of the day, so I am now working on making memory books from my behind the scenes images to give away as gifts for the holiday this year to my clients. I believe these books will form a bond in a way that no promo card could ever do and think of how much fun it will be to go down memory lane. If you have never taken photographs behind the scenes of your jobs now is the time to start.

Always Dream Big!

Portraits_ How to Use a Light Meter

2011-07-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

I have always been an advocate of using a light meter. Knowing that you have the right exposure is not enough for mastering light. You need to know where the light is falling on your subject and where it falls off. When shooting close portraits of woman I usually want very even light, and in those situations I will meter my subjects entire face section by section. I want to know the exposure in every section and where it falls off.

If I take one reading I may get F16.0 as a correct exposure but I need more information to really understand how the light is falling on my subject. If I only read the histograms I will see that my image is exposed properly but still this will not tell me where the light is falling or where it falls off. To get a proper reading of my subject I will read the middle of my subjects face and then the left side, right side, top and bottom. I want to make sure the range of exposure stays within a third or less all around. For for example, if the center of my subjects face is reading F 16.0, then I'd like the other readings to read between F16.0 to F16.3. If the left side is reading 16.7 and the right side is reading 16. 0, then my light is off and I need to make an adjustment with the light direction.

All examples were shot with the Sony A900 using a 100 macro lens and Sekonic light meter. The main light, which is also the only light, is a Profoto 8 foot umbrella with a small silver reflector underneath. Sometimes less is more.

For more information about photography check out the instructional videos available in the Gallery Store.

Always Dream Big!

To Grid or Not to Grid

2011-07-20T01:48:00.000-07:00

The Profoto beauty dish is one of the most amazing light shaping tools you can use for making portraits. I use the beauty dish often for making portraits of woman, but at times I'm called on to photograph men as well. Today I want to share a simple way of changing your light when photographing men. The grid, a honey shaped lighting tool, is an easy way to shape your light for more dramatic images of your subjects. While there is no rule on what light to use for men and what light to use for woman, I tend to like images of men more with the grid added to my beauty dish.

The images shown here are both shot with the beauty dish in the same position. Nothing was changed other than added the grid to the beauty dish. The image on the left is shot with just the beauty dish and a small reflector underneath. The image on the right was made using the beauty dish also but adding the grid for a more powerful effect. Adding the grid drops your exposure down by a stop at this distance so make sure you meter your light whenever you make any changes.

Always Dream Big

website: www.MatthewJordanSmith.com

Instructional Videos: www.Gallery.MatthewJordanSmith.com

iPhone Photographer vs Professional Photographer

2011-07-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today there are more people taking picture than any other time in the history of photography. If someone throws a pie in the face of a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch you better believe it will be captured in some way. Some of the images that sticks out in my mind to illustrate this point are from the inauguration of Barak Obama. As I watched the inauguration I was in awe of all the cameras from the crowd. It seemed like every person in the crowd had a camera or camera/phone device to photograph that historic moment in time. The amazing thing that digital has done is make photography easy. Now anyone can make a great picture by simply pointing their camera and clicking away.

The question for professional photographer is how do you stand out as a photographer when anyone can now take an amazing image with their iPhone or like device? With all the great apps out there, great cameras and technology, how to you justify a client paying you when they can have a six year old shoot and drop the image into photoshop?

High production value has always been an important element in separating professional photographers from the rest of the pack. Today more than ever we must push our production value in every shot we take and spend more time in thought to create stunning images. Spend more time thinking about your point of view and what you want to say to the world in your images. This is not only how you will survive in the future but how you will thrive.

For more information on producing images with high production value check out any of the instructional videos available in the Gallery Store.

Instructional Videos: Click HERE.

Always Dream Big!

The Gift of Inspiration

2011-07-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

One of the best gifts we can give to others is the gift of inspiration. For photographers inspiration is the key that unlocks the door to creativity and enables us to share our thoughts visually to the world. Once we learn the rules of photography we soon realize how important it is to have your own visual point of view, but that point of view is influenced by everything around us and every experience we have.

I was recently a judge at a high end photography school and had the opportunity to view thousands of images and spend time with a lot of great photographers. I have never had a real interest in shooting still life photography, but as a judge I saw many beautiful still life images involving water. The images usually involved a product but I was inspired by simply the beauty and movement of water. When I returned I started working on a new series of images to go with my long term personal project. Many won't be able to see the connection of the new work with the other work but once the images are seen together I think it will all make sense.

To make this shot I used my Sony A900 with a 100 macro lens. The lighting was simple and shot the same way I'd photograph a person on a white background except there is no front light. On this day it was the first day of work for two new interns who watched as I set this up. They didn't get the concept until they saw the first image and then it became crystal clear. For more information about lighting and photography check out the many instructional videos at The Gallery Store.

Thanks for all your questions and comments and please keep them coming. For more inspiration today check out this blog by Skip Cohen which includes a video interview by Marc Silber Studios. Click Here

Its almost time for Summer School and I hope to see you all in Vegas this August. For information and to sign up click the following link: Skips Summer School 2011

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Instructional Photography Videos Link - All only $15.95

How to Create Sun on a Rainy Day

2011-07-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

The most amazing source of light is the sun but there are days when we want sun but rain is in the forecast with no sign of letting up. If you are shooting outside its hard to get around a day of pouring rain, however if you are in studio you can create the look and feel of the sun by using constant light sources. Some of my favorite "sun-like" sources are HMI lights, as in the example shown, and tungsten lights like Lowel DP lights, which are much less expensive than the HMI variety.

In the image of Tyra on the staircase everything was created from the wall to the staircase to the sunlight and shadows. To create the warm color of sunlight, we balanced the light to neutral using the colorchecker passport, then added the 1/4 CTO gel to capture the evening glow of sunlight. For more information on lighting check out Ten Ways to Use One Light Source and How to Work with Complex Lighting Situations. To create the shadows we used two black floppy cutters on C-stands angled to create the shape of sunlight coming through a doorway or window. A fan was used to give a gust of wind to the hair and the rest is all the magic of Tyra.

Always Dream Big

How to Create Clients

2011-07-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

We have all heard how important it is to make a great first impression, and the same holds true for creating life-long clients. Years ago I started sending my female celebrity clients flowers on or before my shoot with them. The flowers would have a small card attached with their name on the front saying "here's to a great shoot", or if I shot them more than once it would read, "here's to another amazing shoot"..... and would follow with a personal message depending on the subject. Twenty years later I still send flowers and my clients leave with them all the time.

The process of winning your subjects over and getting great images starts long before you have them in front of your camera. It is the small things you do that make a difference and help seal a connection, and in photography it is often about the connection with your subject in one way or the other. Whenever I tell the story of giving flowers I always get the question "what do you give your male celebrity subjects"? Well I don't give men flowers to men, but I do talk with them to build a bond before the shoot. I talk about sports, or what types of exercise they do in the gym, or travel, etc. The bottom line is not about giving any specific thing, but more in making a connection with your subjects before you point a camera in their face. You want to break down the wall and start the communication so when your photographing them they feel comfortable. For more tips on shooting your subjects check out the Youtube link, Ten Ways to Photograph Women.

Always Dream Big

bit.ly/ovLKHL

Faster or Slower?

2011-07-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

After being away for almost a month on the road I have returned to find my main computer acting up on me. Today I will make my 2nd trip in a week to the apple store and but as I sit in this state of frustration I stop to think am I getting more done with computer's now that the photography world is digital or less?

Yesterday I had an amazing shoot and I can't wait to share it but at the moment the computer problems are slowing me down and making me fall behind on deadlines. In the days of film I could have my film back in three hours, edit my top selects an hour later and be off to dinner. These days its much more work and still computers are not fast enough or safe enough for the images we take. The rule is the have three backups but when you shoot millions of images a year that is a lot of backing up and a lot of time. I want to have my images around 200 years from now for future generations to see but with hard drives being so fragile and all eventually failing I keep thinking about film.

My latest shoot was photographed using my favorite camera, the Sony A900. I also used one of my favorite lenses, the 100 macro lens. After weeks of thought into how I'd shoot this project my new interns were surprised by my lighting setup. The shoot was a personal one to go into my five year project. Personal projects are a must for every artist I believe and this one makes me happier than any I've ever worked on. I am very happy with the results and my new interns learned how to think outside the box as we went about shooting the images. As soon as I get my main machine back up and running I will share some of my favorites here.

Keep your computers running smoothly and always dream big!

The Joy of Teaching Pt 2

2011-07-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

What if everyone made a living doing what they love? Since my last round of speaking engagements I have been in touch with some of the students and many are scared and doubtful they can make a living doing what they love. The idea of getting a "safe job" and then doing what you love on the side is more in line with what seems comfortable. One student wants to work in construction and then work on photograph on the side, while another wants to return to the midwest with family and get a job doing something before working on photography. In all these cases I understand the need for security but you only get the fruit when you go out on a limb. We all must be willing to make a sacrifice for what we love. If you are working a steady job keep it, but make sure you work just as hard for yourself to make your dreams a reality.

I love sharing the joy of photography and hopefully one day I will be able to help photographers all over the world by teaching and sharing in a brand new way.

For now if you're interested in learning more about photography check out some of the videos aimed at helping photographers become better in the gallery store. All video downloads are only $15.95 and more are being added in the next two weeks. Click Here to see a list of the video products available today.

Always Dream Big

SOLD OUT CLASS!

2011-06-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone that came out to hear me speak and attend the workshops. I am happy to announce that my upcoming class taking place in Las Vegas on Tuesday August 3rd has just sold out. You can still be apart of this hands-on workshop at Skips Summer School as we've just added a second class! Sign up now before all seats on the second class are taken. Click Here to sign up for Vegas!

Here are a few images from the last class sponsored by Sony and Unique Photo!

Congrats to The Culture of Now

2011-06-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the opening of "The Culture of Now" exhibit in New York City. The show is up for a while so please do your best if you are in New York City to view this amazing exhibit of photo students from all over the U.S. as they showcase today's culture through their eyes. The exhibit is sponsored by Sony and The Aperture Gallery.

Unique New Jersey

2011-06-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Nothing takes the place of learning photography first hand. This Saturday, June 26th a sold-out class on photography will take place in New Jersey through Unique Photo. Through the wonderful support and sponsorship of Sony I will give a one day seminar on the art and joy of photography. There I will speak about my passion for creating images and share idea on how others can make better photographs.

After the speaking segment all the students will have an opportunity to photograph models in a 10,000 sq ft. loft studio and learn lighting secrets to improve their photography. We will have models, lights and I will use my Sony A900 to guide the students through the process. See you in New Jersey soon!

Always Dream Big!

How to Get Work in Photography

2011-06-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

The more I travel around the country the more I hear how so many photographers are suffering from a lack of work. I feel compelled to offer help to anyone who is interested in learning how I made it through the dot.com bust years ago and the slow down after 9/11. It seems like every ten years or so there is a cleansing of all industries and only the strongest survive. To make sure your business survives and thrives during the current recession I would like to offer seven steps for creating work.

#1. Make a Top Ten List

The top ten list is a collection of ten clients you’d like to work for in the next year. This list should be powerful in its ability to keep you busy for years to come. Think hard about this list and only put the cream of the crop on it. For example if you shoot portraits maybe your wish list would include shooting for a magazine like Vanity Fair or Rolling Stone. If you shoot weddings then maybe you’d like to have one of your weddings featured in The Knot magazine. You should write out your top ten list using pen and paper. Its not enough to simply put it on your computer, as you should have it available to view every day. Place your list on your bathroom mirror or somewhere that will keep it in front of you every day. Make a small version to keep in your wallet or purse and look at it often. This is the first step in bringing your dreams to reality.

# 2. Make a Beautiful Print

Now that you have your top-ten list it is time to work on getting their attention. Print a 5x7 image of one of your favorite photographs. The print should be on the best photographic paper available. Once you have your list together you will send a signed print to each of the ten people on your list. Remember to including your name, website, email address and phone number. Add a short personal note and let your work speak for itself. Do NOT send an email promo.

#3. Have an Exhibit

Time to show your best work. An exhibit is the perfect opportunity to showcase your work to the community and generate interest and exposure. The exhibit does not have to be a large exhibit but should be strong powerful work. You will need to have an opening event and invite your top-ten list, press and your current client list. Do not worry if your top-ten list comes or not, but be sure to send an invitation. Even if you have never met anyone on your top-ten list you must invite your future clients to your exhibit.

#4. Hire a Photographer

Hire a photographer to shoot your exhibit opening and make sure any members of your top-ten list are photographed with you. After your opening you will want to syndicate the photos to news media outlets to generate interest in your exhibit. Include photos of your exhibit to local newspapers and radio stations. Be sure to include a short bio and description of your exhibit. You are now becoming your own publicist.

# 5. Blog

Leading up to your event make sure to blog, tweet and use social media to generate interest as you build up to the opening of your exhibit. Continue blogging after the exhibit opening and share images from opening night.

# 6. Second Point of Contact

Three months after your first signed print it is time to send a second print. Now your top-ten list has started to learn your name and work but to keep their attention you must work your plan for no less than twelve months. By the end of the twelve-month -cycle your future clients will have four signed prints and be able to recognize your name and work and start considering you for work

#7. King Treatment

Treat your top ten list like your best friend from high school. Once you start working for your top-ten list you must nurture the relationship. Learn birthdays of your clients and their children. Do all you can once you get in the door to stay there. Good luck!

To learn more regarding photography check out the downloadable videos available in the Gallery Store by clicking the link below.

Instructional Photography Videos: www.Gallery.MatthewJordanSmith.com

At the Gallery Store you will find several videos to help you in all areas of photography from lighting to finding your creative vision.

The Godfather of Street Photography

2011-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Henri Cartier-Bresson was the master of street photography. This video explains why. It's a bit long but well worth taking the time to listen.

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON - Decisive Moment, The from bt465 on Vimeo.

Beauty Dish vs White Umbrella

2011-05-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I shot a beauty assignment with one of my favorite models. I often use a profoto beauty dish for beauty assignments like this, but yesterday I decided to use a white umbrella's with my profoto strobes instead. The reason for switching from the beauty dish to the white umbrella was because the assignment called for me to photograph jewelry on the model. While the beauty dish is one of my favorite lights for shooting beauty I didn't want the specular highlights on the jewelry so a softer main light was needed.

Knowing the benefits and drawbacks of every lighting source helps you make the best decisions on selecting the lighting for each job. There is no one light that fits every situation and this is one of the reason why its so important to test your light and discover how each light looks under different conditions. During your light testing phase you will learn about the quality of light and when to use different lighting tools to make better images.

The image of the model washing her face was shot with the profoto white beauty dish which worked well in that situation. The image of the model with the jewelry was created using the white umbrella and was better suited to shoot the assignment because of its soft quality.

Always Dream Big!

Instructional videos: www.Gallery.MatthewJordanSmith.com

And The Winner Is.......

2011-05-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations going out to Scott Hugh Mitchell! He has just won the Twitter contest for an Xrite Colorchecker Passport!

Always Dream Big!

Why They Hire You

2011-05-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last nights APA event in Los Angeles was incredibly informative for photographers. The event was geared to help photographers discover why clients hire them by having a panel of creatives in the commercial industry share how and why they hire specific photographers. Hosted by a local photo agent, Andrea Stern in Los Angeles, the panel included three creatives in advertising and editorial. Included on the panel was an art director at a top ad agency, an art producer from a top agency and a photo editor from the magazine world.

Throughout the night they shared information that is normally impossible to get. They shared what they like and dislike, how to best show work and how to get your work in front of them. They gave information for those who are just starting out in the business, and for current working photographers. The event included food, drinks and great networking. If you are not a member of a great photo organization you should look into joining one, because these types of events can change your career in a very positive manner. APA, American Photographic Artists, constantly holds events to help photographers become and stay successful by providing information to educate, develop and inspire.

Some of the advise the creative panel offered is listed below:

1) When it comes to showing your work it's not about quantity, it's about quality. If you have ANY images in your portfolio or website that are week it will keep you from getting the job. Don't just show okay work, show only your best work.

2) Most clients look at your website and make decisions to hire or not hire you based off of your site. However for every big advertising assignment ad agencies still call in a tangible portfolio as well after viewing your website to get a better feel for the work. If you are showing your work on an ipad you still need a beautiful portfolio.

3) Regarding showing work on the ipad, once you get the meeting only show your best work, not several folders containing all types of images. Clients don't want to feel like they need to make an excuse to run out of the meeting because you are showing everything you have. Only show your best work.

4) Regarding getting advertising work, the subject of the "Creative Call" came up. The creative call is the call advertising agencies make to the top three photographers who are bidding for an assignment. Many times the job is awarded based off of the call so you always need to be on your "A game". You shouldn't sound like your doing two things at once, or distracted in any way. You should be focused on the questions they ask and the questions you will ask pertaining to the job. You should never give your opinion of how YOU see the job first, but wait for the art director to share his or her vison as you want to help bring the vision to life.

5) Cold calls are not good. Most creatives will not answer the phone if they see a number they don't recognize and they won't call you back. The panel was very frank and honest and that was the beauty of being there. In a city like Los Angeles its harder to get the truth out of people compared to cities like NewYork where people are blunt. If I had my way, I'd much rather have someone being blunt with me if that information can help me become better in my life or business. Sugar coating anything is never good for anyone.

There were many amazing facts, tips and incredible information shared throughout the night and I will make sure I am at every APA event from now on. After last nights event my website will be changing drastically. The best photographers don't always get the work, but those who constantly market themselves usually do.

Always Dream Big,
Matthew

APA

2011-05-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

Tonight I'm headed to the APA event in Los Angeles, "Why We Hire You". This photo event is sold out and being held at the advertising agency, TBWA/ Chiat Day.

Photo Rep, Andrea Stern will be the host of this event which includes an amazing panel of art directors, art producers and more. This is one of the many reason why it's important to join photo organizations like APA.

As a photographer you can't do it alone and organizations like APA help all of us navigate this sometime difficult terrain to become and stay successful.

Tomorrow I will share the results of tonights meeting!

Always Dream Big!

Nudes and Personal Projects

2011-05-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more gratifying than creating personal work. This week was filled with continuing to work on my long term personal project by adding a new section to it. I also started a new personal project that I will share once I have a decent body of work together from it.

My long term personal project has now been in the works for over five years now and started after my first trip to India. The new section incorporates nudes photographs which I will reveal once the project is out for all the world to see. Before I begin working on my nude section I warm up my subject by shooting more traditional nudes to get them comfortable. I also spend a lot of time in galleries for inspiration and doing research before the shoot. The time spent in galleries or museums helps the creative process and helps putting together visuals so I have reference material to show my subjects. Having the right visuals around helps your subject see the vision in your mind before you shoot. The right music is also key to most of my work and helps set the mood.

To learn more about photographing women check out the downloadable video's available in the Gallery Store at www.Gallery.MatthewJordanSmith.com

The images here were all created using one light source, the Lowel 650 head and my Sony A900 camera with the 24-70 Carl Zeiss lens.

Always Dream Big

Thank You!

2011-05-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Because sometimes you just have to say thank you!

Thanks Mr. President

FOR
. . .the "room-lighting" smile:

FOR

the mind that always thinks.

For preventing a second Great Depression:

For the humor:

For bringing the number of women in the Supreme Court to 3.:

For making the White House the "people's" house:

For1.1 million jobs created in 2010 alone, more than the entire 8 years of George W. Bush:

For the love of people:

For the love of family:

For America's First Lady:

For Health Care reform:

For leaving the past behind:

For the world having respect for America , again:

For quietly and calmly dealing with crisis after crisis, after crisis, after crisis, even if not being responsible for any of them:

For being so "cool":

For being fierce - when need be:

For having the intellect to be curious:

For the capacity to know that you are, as we are, imperfect..

For having the sense to not let it destroy you.

For the capacity to be compassionate:

For being an inspiration to so many:

For saving the auto industry and at least 1.4 million jobs:

For loving the troops:

For understanding the horrible price of war:

*
For bringing 100,000 men and women back from Iraq :
*

For facing the most difficult and loneliest job in the world with grace, dignity, honesty and guts in spite of so many "Haters":

*
For being, in spite of all the hate, pettiness, racism, corruption and immaturity around, the most progressive and 'for the people' president in decades:
* And simply for this:

For Being....................

"MR. PRESIDENT"!

Win a Free ColorChecker Passport

2011-05-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today to help you share your best vision in the best color possible I'd like to offer you the opportunity to win a free ColorChecker Passport by Xrite via the Twitter Contest that starts today. To win follow the rules below.

Follow Matthew_JordanS on Twittter

Follow XritePhoto on Twitter

Tweet the following message EXACTLY

#JoyofPhotography - Check out the new MJS video and be entered to win a FREE colorchecker passport. http://bit.ly/lK33Rp

THE COMPLETE RULES

You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

You must be following Twitter.com/Matthew_JordanS and Twitter.com/Xritephoto

You must send out the above tweet EXACTLY as it appears - failure to do so will disqualify you - DO NOT put the @ symbol in front of either name of anywhere in the Tweet.

The prize will be awarded on Friday, May 20th at twelve noon PST and announced via this blog and Twitter.

How to Become a Fashion Photographer

2011-05-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

The world of the fashion photographer is filled with change. The beauty of working in the fashion industry is that the styles, designs and approach to fashion are forever evolving. Constant change opens the door to creating incredible images and leads to expressing your creative vision in new and exciting ways. The best way to learn fashion today is to look at fashion of the past. Some of my favorite photographers from the past are Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Horst P. Horst and more. Today I love the work of Steven Meisel who's incredible work can be seen on the pages of Italian Vogue each month. Once you study fashion you start to see how the master's of today are influenced by the master's of yesterday. Steven Meisel will show a reference in his work from work of the 50's and 60's and turn the top news stories of today into powerful stories in the pages of Italian Vogue. Terry Richardson will show a reference in his work to Picasso. All the great photographers do research and know how to use the past to create stunning stories and images.

To become successful in fashion you must be more than just a great photographer, you must be a great story teller who knows fashion like the back of your hand. At times I run into photographers who want to do fashion and shoot pretty girls but have no idea about fashion, trends, styles and all the key elements that are necessary to becoming a great fashion photographer. Researching fashion opens the gates to finding your own voice as a fashion photographer. By studying the fashion of today and yesterday you learn not only about fashion and style but the many creative ways you can tell your story. As you look through your favorite magazines, blogs and more think about the approach to the story. Why was one image selected to go next to the other? Why are the small elements as important as the larger ones?

Shooting fashion can be extremely gratifying for the creative photographer as it gives an outlet to share your vision and opinion of todays culture. The hair, makeup and clothing are all elements that enable you to express yourself fully in fashion but by incorporating these seven steps that have helped me in my career you will expand your client base along with your bottom line. The seven steps to creating a fashion story are:

1) The Concept or Idea

2) Research to define the idea

3) Putting your ideas on paper

4) Pre-Production

5) The Shoot

6) Editting - selecting the right images

7) Post Production

Follow Matthew_JordanS on Twittter
Follow XritePhoto on Twitter
Tweet the following message EXACTLY

#JoyofPhotography - Check out the new MJS video and be entered to win a FREE colorchecker passport. http://bit.ly/lK33Rp

THE COMPLETE RULES

You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
You must be following Twitter.com/Matthew_JordanS and Twitter.com/Xritephoto
You must send out the above tweet EXACTLY as it appears - failure to do so will disqualify you - DO NOT put the @ symbol in front of either name of anywhere in the Tweet.
The prize will be awarded on Friday, May 20th at twelve noon PST and announced via this blog and Twitter.

Colormunki Hits San Francisco!

2011-05-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received an email from Niall David Cytryn, the winner of the Colormunki Twitter Contest. His comments were, "Thanks for this amazing device. I love the Colormunki! It was so very easy to profile my screen, and even the thought that I'm delivering industry-standard accurate color now gives me immense confidence in the files and prints I'll be delivering my clients going forward"!

Congrats again to Niall David Cytryn!

And The Winner Is.....

2011-04-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I ended the Twitter contest for a free colormunki calibrator. The winner was announced on Twitter but I neglected to post it here on my blog. I am proud to announce at this time that Niall Cytryn from San Francisco won and will hopefully be sending me a photo of himself with his new colormunki to post here on my blog.

Thanks again to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more contests to win great photo prizes. The next Twitter contest is coming soon!

Always Dream Big!

Summer School

2011-04-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

What will you do to enhance your career in photography this summer?

Come join me in Vegas this summer with a host of amazing photographers as we each share our knowledge on becoming a better photographer. From July 31st - August 3rd, 2011 you can learn from Clay Blackmore, Scott Bourne, Bambi Cantrell, Skip Cohen, Tony Corbell, Bob Davis, Jules Bianchi and Joy Bianchi Brown, Doug Gordon, Jerry Ghionis, Kevin Kobota, Tamara Lackey, Vincent Laforet, Bobbi Lane, Roberto Valenzuela and yours truly!

To learn more about this and to register go to Skips Summer School! I hope to see you all there!

Always Dream Big!

How to Become a Photographer

2011-04-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

25 Years ago I worked as a photo assistant and everything I know today is came from my experience working as a photo assistant. Assisting was the single best thing I did to advance my career.

I remember being in class and a professor saying, "the best photographers in the world are in New York City, Paris and London. If you want to be the best go to one of those places". I left school and went to assist in New York and the rest is history.

Next week in Los Angeles I will join forces with fellow photographers Astor Morgan, Brian Smith and others to help give instruction, inspiration and more to the next generation of photo assistants. If you are interested in joining us for this two day event next Saturday and Sunday please register at www.APA-LA.com.

For more information on this event check out the Face book page here!

I hope to see you next week!

Dreaming Big

2011-04-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

One of our biggest gifts in life is free will. Free will gives us the ability to do great things if we just dream big. No matter how things in your life are at any given time we have the ability of reversing them if things are not going our way by simply changing our thoughts and dreaming bigger. Today is my birthday and I happy because each day brings new possibilities. As a photographer the possibilities are endless and if we all dream bigger we can achieve anything we wish for. It all first starts with a dream!

This past weekend I spoke in Banff, Canada and talked to my audience about the importance of dreaming big. The dreamers of the world are the one's who change the world and photographers who dream big can change the course of photography. The only thing that is certain, besides taxes and death is change. Everything we know now will change and it's the dreamers of the world that will make that change.

Dreaming big is the first step. The next step is to take immediate action in making your dreams a reality. Don't worry about how silly or crazy your idea's may seem, the important thing is to act right away. Remember at one point flying was impossible, as was making an automobile or sending man to the moon. All these ideas and more started with a dream and then unfolded as those dreamers took immediate action. When you have an idea, write it down, then sketch it out so you can take the images in your mind and turn them into something tangible that you can see and touch every day. Once you can see your vision in this manner the rest stats to come to you as the universe helps you bring your dreams to life.

Here is a great clip in helping you achieve your dreams: http://youtu.be/KshMNvZuCXs

You still have time to win a free Colormunki calibrator. To enter follow these simple rules:

Follow these simple steps:

Follow Matthew_JordanS on Twittter
Follow PPOC_BC on Twitter
Tweet the following message EXACTLY

#JoyofPhotography - Check out the new MJS blog and be Entered to win a FREE colormunki calibrator http://bit.ly/dNjmMV

THE COMPLETE RULS

You must be 18 or older to enter.
You must be following Twitter.com/Matthew_JordanS and Twitter.com/PPOC_BC
You must send out the above tweet EXACTLY as it appears - failure to do so will disqualify you - DO NOT put the @ symbol in front of either name of anywhere in the Tweet.
The prize will be awarded on Friday, April 22nd at Noon PST and announced via the blog and Twitter.

Always Dream big!