Super Bowl & Aretha's Jeep

Did you happen to see the JEEP commercial during the Super Bowl yesterday? I was proud to have my image of  the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin selected as one of the images, but I wish they used a high res. image.

When they contacted me they mentioned they needed it right away, then seconds later said the version they had was fine, but when I saw the spot yesterday I could tell it would have been much better with the high res. file. 

 

Time to work on making the next iconic images for 2016.

Always dream big!

Thank you for letting me share!

There is nothing like being able to share the joy of photography with people who love the craft also. The other night I spoke in Los Angeles and had a wonderful turnout.  

I spoke for two hours and shared my thoughts about the creative process. During the event, I also had a mini-exhibit and showed images I've created over the years. What surprised me most is how the audience reacted to my latest work. 

Sometimes as creatives we can't see our images the way other do. We feel we may have something special at times but we could be wrong. Lord knows I've had times when I thought an image was truly amazing but then nothing comes of it. Then there have been other times when I have created an image and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

I would like to say "thank you" to the entire audience for sharing how you felt about my recent images from Japan. It was good to be able to share the process and hear the questions and statements regarding my newest work.

Thank you!



Gallery Opening & Speaking Event In Los Angeles - February 2nd

Tomorrow night from 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. I will have an opening exhibit and speaking event at the Creative Photo Academy. There will be a reception starting at 5:30 p.m. and you can even sign up to have your photos critiqued. Come on out for a fun night of photography, conversation and networking. Use the discount code and receive  $10 off! Code: ARTNIGHTMEMBER

I hope to see you soon!

 

Always dream big




Frozen fingers in Ginza

My goal was to complete three images in Japan before flying back to Los Angeles, but yesterday I did my forth. It was the most difficult shoot of all my shoots in Japan because the weather changed and it was freezing. Actually, for January, it has been warmer than usual for this time of year but my luck ran out and both my model and I had a hard time trying to shoot. Still, I think we managed to get a few good images. 

The thing I like most about shooting images that show the environment is their future value. The beautiful thing about all big cities is that they are forever evolving, so the images taken in the Ginza district of Tokyo today will look very different in five or ten years.

Always dream big,
Matthew

Ice cold camera tips

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Today it seems to be cold everywhere so I thought it was the perfect time to give a tip for taking pictures in the cold.

When going from a warm environment to a cold one, or vise versa, your camera lenses will fog, making it impossible to shoot for 15 minutes or more until the camera becomes acclimated with the temperature change. One way to avoid this is to keep your lenses and camera in large zip lock bags and let them open your camera bags and allow your gear to adjust this way. It's not perfect, but it makes it easier and faster so you can take great shots in the snow this winter. 

Stay warm and always dream big!

Thanks T.E.A.M.

Having the right team is the secret to moving forward no matter where you are in the world. I have always loved the creative process and nothing feels better than meeting new people and creating great work together.

A big thank you to all the teams I've worked with in Tokyo over the last few weeks. I look forward to working with all of you much more in the future.

TEAM

TOGETHER

EACH

ACHIEVES

MORE

 


Adult Day

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Today in Japan,  I experienced a beautiful celebration called Coming-of Age-Day. The holiday is held to celebrate all those who have turned 20 years of age. Girls dress up in the beautiful intricate Kimonos. Some use the day to make their own personal statement by going against the norm but none-the-less it's a great day to take pictures and photographers were out in full force.

How did he light this picture?

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This January I'm devoting much of my time to teaching photographers the art of photographic lighting.

 

If you'd like to learn how this advertising image for Wells Fargo was created and much more, sign up now at www.MatthewJordanSmith.com/FREE and you'll be added to our list and be among the first to learn how to use photographic lighting to make incredible images.

Happy New Year!

Always dream big