The Story Behind the Image_Cover Shoot

When working on a magazine or book project, the cover is one of the most important elements because it is the first thing people see. When I started working on my latest book project, Future American President, I thought long and hard about the image for the cover. I wanted a powerful image that people could see from a distance easily and also a memorable image that would stay in people's minds long after seeing the image.

I spent weeks doing research in Barnes and Noble looking at books at a distance, asking myself which ones stood out from the shelves and what made them work (or in some cases not work.) I came to the conclusion that nothing was more powerful than the image of a single person looking directly at the viewer. Now that I had my idea, I had to find the right subject. 

I photographed a little boy when he was an infant, just a few months old, and I watched him as he became older and saw the effect he had on people, even at a very young age. As a baby he wasn't able to do much, but l created an image that I love and that image hangs on my walls today.

Baby Cloud

I felt in my heart this child, who was now seven years old, would make the perfect cover subject, so I contacted his parents, whom are both celebrities, and asked them if I could photograph their son for the cover of my book. They were elated and we set up a time to do the photo shoot.

When I arrived at their house, I told them how important the cover was for this book. They knew about the project from the very beginning and watched as I traveled from state to state. I set up my lights, did my meter readings and started to photograph my young subject. I had the image in about ten minutes and felt great about all the shots, even though I shot very little. After the shoot I was sitting with both parents, when suddenly, the mother says to me, "Matthew, you know I love my son and I think he is very handsome child, but I can't help saying this. As a mother, if I were to walk into a store and see a book titled "Future American President" I may stop and look at it, but if that same book had the picture of a girl on the cover with the words "Future American President" I would stop, take a look and I would definitely buy the book because that IS the future. We've had 44 little boys grow up to become the President of the United States. Your book is about the future and dreams and aspirations of a nation. 

By the time we finished our conversation I knew the mother was right and that I had to continue my search to find the perfect little girl for my books cover.

Cover subject - Future American President

Today, I am proud to present the cover image for my book and the story behind it. I am also very excited because in a little over 60 days, on July 6th, 2015 every family in America will have the chance to put their child on the cover of Future American President.

Stay tuned for details or send an email to mjs@matthewjordansmith.com saying you'd like a special edition book featuring your child on the cover. We will send you updates as we launch the special edition versions. 

Always Dream Big

The Road Less Traveled

The best locations are usually the ones you don't hear about. When I'm traveling I like to try and find the hidden gems., the places that are not the big tourist attractions. At the Enkaku Temple in Kamajura Japan, I was pleasantly surprised to find a temple without many visitors. It was one of the smaller temples and I for that reason many people probably didn't think it was worth the time to go, but I found it to be one of my favorites. 

As I walked around this peaceful temple  taking pictures I found a beautiful section that caught my eye. As I was about to take my shot, a monk appeared and walked through my frame at precisely the right moment. He was gone as quickly as he appeared but his presence made the image stronger and captured the essence of my time there. 

Enkaku Temple_ Kamakura Japan

Talking Behind Her Back

Every day many of us witness powerful moments during the course of our day that give us a moment of pause. As photographers we must be cognizant of these moments and visualize how we compose them for the world to see. Sometimes that means cropping out elements that take away, or diminish, the power of our images.

In the image below, taken in Tokyo of  three woman on the subway, I used a Nikon Nikkor 24mm 1.4 lens. The wide angle lens showed a lot more of the surroundings, but in editing I choose to crop in on the image and highlight the interaction between two of the women but focus on the "hero" of the shot, the woman in the middle.

Every powerful image has a "hero" element, that special something that pulls the viewer into your photograph. If your image can make people stop, even for a moment, then your photograph works.

Find your hero!

Always dream big!

Unexpected Trip To Egypt

Nothing expands your view and appreciation of the world like travel. With so many amazing places to see, it can be difficult to decide where you’d like to visit.

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre compiles a list of the most incredible places to visit each year. At the present time there are over 1000 sites consisting of cities, monuments, buildings, deserts, mountains, etc.

I have always wanted to travel to Egypt and see the pyramids, but I didn’t expect to see them anytime soon.  On the day I shot this image, I woke up at the Kawaji Onsen in Tochigi, Japan. Shortly after checking out,  I found myself standing in front of Egyptian pyramid’s at the Kinugawa World Square, (or Tobu World Square) an incredible park dedicated to world heritage sites.

The miniature versions of these locations are so well put together that they really give you a sense of the beauty of the actual location.

Tobu World Square - Taj Mahal 

Tobu World Square - Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven - Beijing, China 2014

I’ve been to quite a few of the world heritage locations, like the Taj, in Agra, India and Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, but there are so many more I now want to see after experiencing this park. I now have a deeper curiosity for discovering amazing places around the world and know that I must photograph as many of these places as possible, especially after thinking about the earthquake this past weekend in Nepal.

Tobu Square - Golden Temple in Kyoto, Japan

Tobu Square - Greece

Leaning Tower of Piza

Tobu Square - Myanmer, Burma

One of the joys of photography is that it is a way to document your life. Every image you take is not only a way to remember the moment, or create a powerful image for a client, it is also a document of YOUR history. Today as you take pictures keep in mind that you are also recording your personal history with every photograph you take.

Always Dream Big

Kathmandu, Nepal

Today my heart goes out to the people of Nepal. Ten years ago I visited a good friend who is like a sister to me. As soon as my earthquake app buzzed I reached out to my friend in Kathmandu. Thank God she is safe and secure, but I can't help but think back to the beauty of Kathmandu and my time spent in Nepal. 

Boudhanath Stupa

Photographing Kathmandu was an experience I will never forget. The people, the food and the landscape are beautiful in a way that is hard to describe. I felt a sense of peace that is hard to describe as well while there in Kathmandu. It was a magical place with incredible buildings  that had a charm unlike any place I've seen.

Durbar Square - Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu, Nepal by Boudhanath Stupa

Photography is a way of not only capturing beautiful images, but also for remembering our life. Every image we create is a document of our time on earth and what we are doing with our time. Nothing lasts forever, but our photographs can help to preserve the beauty we see each day. Today, take time to photograph the things around you that you take for granted; the images of people texting, the TV in your home, the newspaper or magazine your reading. These images will one day become more precious as life continues to evolve around us. 

Patan's Durbar Square - Kathmandu, Nepal

To donate to helping the people of Nepal you can pledge support through the website http://www.108lives.org/ and 100% of your donation goes to the help the people of Nepal.

Always Dream Big

Forbidden Japan

Last April I traveled to China for an exhibit at the Temple of Heaven. It was an incredible experience that climaxed with an award ceremony and receiving the Power of Image award. This April I am in Japan looking for representation in Asia and looking to show my fine art work as well. 

While in Japan I have taken time to see some incredible temples, shrines and sites. One place that truly blew me away gave me a glimpse of all the amazing places in the world and reminded me how important it is to travel. If you have ever been to China, it is a good chance you have been to Forbidden City, or maybe you have watched "The Last Emperor" which is filled in Forbidden City. 

You could never guess by this image, but it was taken in Japan, not in China. This image is a miniature version of the real Forbidden City and it is done perfectly. To photograph this image I used a Nikon D4S and a 35mm 1.4 lens. This week I will share more from this incredible location along with stories from my trip to Japan.

We enhance our lives and grow in three ways: The people we meet, (you always meet people when traveling), the places you go, (like Japan in this case), and the books we read. Very soon I will share information on how you can make my newest book, Future American President special in enhance your families life for decades to come.

Always Dream Big

Two Weeks in Tokyo

After a wonderful trip to Tokyo, Japan I am headed home. It has been a great trip in so many ways. Tokyo reminds me so much of my favorite place in American - New York City. However, it's a very clean version of The City. I'm inspired in a new way and the time here has given birth to new ideas  that will boost my career and my life. I hope to able to share those ideas with the world very soon.

Always Dream Big!

Periscope and KelbyOne

If you haven't heard about Periscope you should really check out this amazing new app. Watch me LIVE today on KelbyONE as social media expert Anja helps me set mine up.

Periscope is owned by Twitter and goes directly to your Twitter feed. Follow me to see what the hype is all about.

Twitter: Matthew_JordanS

Being Creative

When it comes to being creative there is inspiration all around us. I did a live interview last week, and someone asked about being creative and where inspiration comes from. I believe Inspiration comes from your life and the things you love. So how do you know when you really love something? We use the word "love" so freely it's hard to know what we "love" and what we just "like." All I can say is that your feeling will show you what inspires you, whether that is love or just a strong like is debatable but that's another conversation all together.

This is an old image I shot the day after the inauguration of President Obama during his first term. It was an historic moment no matter what side of the fence you sit on, and I decided to shoot a story called "stars and stripes," inspired by my feeling at that moment. 

To find out more ways to find your creative side, sign up for my One-on-One classes. This course is designed to elevate your work and help you grow as a photographer. For the one on one course we meet on line via Skype or Google Hang Out once a week and work together to take your work to the next level. 

15% off this week only on ONE-ON-ONE classes with the promo code: Easter

Hurry, sale ends on Easter Sunday.

Always Dream Big

On Set in Beijing

This morning I woke up thinking about my crew of photo assistants, and how they have helped make my assignments go smoothly. My assistants, Quentin and Peter, have always had my back and I am just thankful for everything they do. It is not always easy but these guys make it happen no matter what. I can honestly say I am blessed to be able to work with them and create great images and memories together.  

Family and Private Portraits

Last year I was hired to photograph 75 actors, artist and directors in China. The assignment was an awesome experience for me and my entire crew, but it also opened up a new door into creating private portraits for families, business executive and more. 

Last week I photographed one of the top conductors in the world, Jahja Ling along with his lovely wife, at their home in San Diego. Over the years I have discovered that I love walking into an environment where I have no idea what the location or home will look like and I have to find and create an interesting photograph. This can be a challenge in some cases but with creative lighting you can make any place look amazing. Luckily, the Ling house was an incredible home with a lot of great places to shoot.

If you would like to learn more about how to advance your own photography, or just want to become a better photographer, sign up for my one-on-one classes online. You can learn from the comfort of your personal computer each week via Skype. If you would like to have your personal portrait made or your family portrait made, feel free to contact me via my email to book an appointment at mjs@matthewjordansmith.com

SIGN UP TODAY: One on One with Matthew Jordan Smith

Always Dream Big

COMPOSITION AND LIGHTING EXERCISE

During the course of my 28-year photo career I’ve learned a lot from simply watching great movies, but watching great movies alone isn’t enough. You have to practice once you’ve been exposed to new information. We all love watching movies, and today I’d like to share an exercise you can do after watching a classic movie to become a better photographer.

I shoot fashion/beauty and commercial portraits but regardless of the type of photography you enjoy shooting, this exercise will help you to become a better photographer. The goal of the exercise is to help you see and understand light and composition, but you’ll also learn how these two elements work hand in hand to create powerful images.

This year is the 50th anniversary of a great classic movie that I hope many of you have seen at some point in your life. This classic film is also the perfect teaching tool for photographers. For this exercise I’d like you to watch the first hour of "The Sound of Music", but with the sound muted so can you focus only on the visual elements of the film. 

The movie opens by using powerful landscapes and cityscapes, and as photographers we too can use supporting elements when taking portraits, weddings, or fashion and beauty pictures to make our feature images more powerful. 

After the opening series of images you’ll see the nuns start to walk into the Abbey. The shot is taken from above. Take nothing for granted as you look at this scenes composition.  Now practice taking your next photograph from different angles; maybe one from a high angle over your subject and another version taken from a low angle. When you have a mix of different points of view in your photographs your photos become more interesting and it gives your body of work a stronger statement. In the same notice the placement of the nuns’ with white hoods and where they are in relationship to the black hoods. Nothing is an accident in this image as it is all directed to be visually appealing. 

The next scene deals with light and shadow, or the absence of light. As the nuns walk into the Abbey they are walking directly towards the camera. At the end of this cut, two nuns walk right into the camera, (or it appears so.) The next cut the scenes switches to a darker shot showing the nuns’ from the back as they are now inside and taking their seats. The transition from light to backlight is a powerful tool to use in still photography. Try shooting your next images using front light and then letting your subjects become silhouettes using backlight. Once you master using this you will enjoy photography even more as you make more powerful images.

Feel free to post your comments on Twitter using the hash tag #Soundofmusic and follow  me at @Matthew_JordanS  

A Unique Opportunity: Go beyond this exercise and join me in the Bahamas this May for the Fstoppers Photo Workshop as we turn this exercise into an incredible fashion story. Part 1 and part II of the Matthew Jordan Smith Fashion Photography Workshop will show you how to turn a classic film into a one-of-a-kind fashion story.

In part 1, you will learn how to plan, produce and create a fashion story. These principles will help you in every field of photography, from portraits to weddings and more. Part 1 of the workshop is focused on shooting a beautiful model in studio and you will learn how to use studio lights to make powerful graphic images based on the workshop theme. You’ll learn how to use constant lights and strobe lights. You’ll learn how to use a light meter and how to direct your models to get the best images possible. In part two, we will focus on working on location. You will take our model outside to shoot the location elements for your story and you’ll learn how to work on location with lights, an amazing model and a crew. By the end of this incredible workshop you will have a fantastic fashion story and become more confident in making more powerful photographs. Sign up soon as seats are limited.    

Exhausted Battery

Have you ever tried to get more power out of an exhausted battery? Doesn’t really work out that well, does it?

Last year, I was that exhausted battery and trying to work harder to be more productive. Every part of my life was draining me. In fact, it seemed like everything went wrong at the same time, from my personal life to business, there were no exceptions. I needed to just unplug and recharge my battery.

At the end of the year I went to Japan to visit an old friend of 16 years. Then went on to Thailand and Hawaii. What I discovered was nothing helps like putting yourself into the middle of a fresh perspective. When I returned from my travels I felt alive again, and more creative and inspired to do my best work and have my very best life. Now I’m creating new and exciting images again and the calls are starting to come in as well.

From the Tyra Banks Cosmetic Line Shoot. Photograph by Matthew Jordan Smith

This May there’s an opportunity to recharge your battery and learn how to become a better photographer in my Fstoppers Photo Workshop in the Bahamas. I’ll be teaching two workshops on Fashion Photography: one in studio and the other on location in and around the beautiful island of the Bahamas. Both will help you in countless ways. I’m bringing one of my favorite models down along with great hair and makeup support.  I’ll be sharing much of what you need to learn in order to shoot incredible images to become a great fashion photographer. Join me at the Atlantic Resort in the beautiful island of the Bahamas and learn to make great images while getting away to recharge your soul. 

What You’ll Learn

How to work with strobe lights in studio and on location.

How to plan, produce and photograph a fashion story.

How to direct a model for creating a fashion story.

How to direct a crew to get the best images you’ve ever imagined.

You’ll get to shoot and leave with powerful images.

You’ll learn a lot of the tricks of the trade, not only shooting a fashion story, but how to put the images together to have a powerful body of work. (This is more important than you could ever imagine.)

You’ll learn one of the most powerful tools to shooting and landing big commercial assignments as a fashion photographer.  

You'll have fun working with a great team of talented people in a beautiful location.

Workshop 1: Studio Fashion Photography 

Workshop 2: On Location Fashion Photography 

Looking forward to seeing you in the Bahamas!

Secrets For A Great Photo Shoot

Years ago I was asked by an up-and-coming photographer,  "what's the key to landing big jobs?" The answer to that question is production, high production value. One of the elements that adds to a great production is having great food on the set. When possible, I like to hire a chef.

Have great food and always dream big.

The Long Road to Completion

Starting a project is easy. The hard part is going through the ups and downs, taking 

it to completion.

I once had a friend who started something new every six to eight 

months, but never finished.  She always started out with the best intentions, but as 

soon as things got hard, she’d give up and try something else. 

I think that happens a lot, because I’ve seen it over and over throughout my life. I 

too, have struggled with sticking with projects when they get hard, but I’ve learned 

that the trials are part of the journey.  Now, I welcome them with open arms. It’s the 

universe testing us to see how badly we want something.

Three years ago I started a journey that would take me through more ups and 

downs than anything I’ve done in my life. I had an idea that was born in 2007, but I 

stopped when it became hard. I picked it up again in 2012 and said this time I was 

going to finish it, no matter what. I felt it was my duty, my obligation in fact, to bring 

this project to life. 

The project would require me to travel to every state in America and photograph 

children from 100 families. It was a humungous project to take on, but I saw it 

clearly in my head. 

Today, President’s Day, is the launch day of this project. I am happy to say it is 

complete and now available online and in Barnes and Noble stores all across 

America.   

Welcome to Future American President: 50 States-100 Families – Infinite Dreams.

First Sighting

There is nothing like seeing a project come to life after years of hard work.  

Barnes & Noble - Los Angeles, Ca

Sumo Village_Tokyo

Thanksgiving week is normally a time when we get to unplug from work and enjoy eating all the traditional holiday food. This year, however, I spent Thanksgiving week in Tokyo, Japan and enjoyed my favorite Japanese food.

I have always wanted to explore the area of Tokyo known for its sumo wrestling community, so I took the subway to Ryogoku eki. The moment I walked out of the subway station I knew I was in the right spot as sumo images and statues were everywhere. 

A Day with Oprah

In 1995 I photographed Oprah for the very first time. It was my third celebrity cover and a very important cover shoot for my client, Essence magazine. During the start of the photo shoot her beautiful brown cocker spaniel puppies were on the set.  She  just received the pup's as a gift from Stedman and was excited to have them around her. I took one polaroid of her with the puppies and then they were taken away. The shoot went amazingly well and I love those images to this day.

A few days after the photo shoot I was looking over some of the polaroids and feel in love with the one of Oprah and her puppies. I decided to frame it and send it to her. I went shopping in New York's Soho district to search for the perfect frame, then framed the polaroid and sent it off. I guess I hoped I would  receive a reply, because I thought it was an incredible image, but I never heard a word and wondered it she even received the image. 

Fast forward to 2012, and hundreds of covers later, I find myself photographing Oprah again for another magazine cover. She walks in and come to me and gives me a big hug! Over the years we've worked together from time-to-time, but I have never received such a strong hug from her before. After hugging me, she looked at me and said, "years ago, you sent a picture after one of our shoots. The polaroid was of me with my dogs when they were puppies and that polaroid has been beside my bed ever since. Last week one of my babies past away so now that polaroid is more precious than ever. Thank you!"

The beauty of photography is that each image become more precious as time goes by. The images you take today may seem like nothing special, but tomorrow they will be more precious than gold.

To learn how to photograph subjects better sign up for my one-on-one classes or learn from the individual download videos to improve your photography. All products are available at PhotographyHelpStore.

Oprah by Matthew Jordan Smith Copyright Matthew Jordan Smith © All Rights Reserved 

Teaching the Art of Lighting

This week I was in Seattle, Washington to give a lighting seminar at Glazers camera store. The event was sponsored by my friends at Profoto. It was a packed house and I was excited to speak about my lighting techniques and share stories from different shoots. 

After speaking I shot a beautiful model in front of the audience in the same manner I shoot many of my assignments. I shot using the Sony A7 camera with the 85mm lens, which in my estimation, is the perfect portrait lens.  I used Capture One Pro tethered with my Sony camera so the audience could see each image as I shot. For lighting, I used a Profoto beauty dish and Pro 8 strobe pack to capture each moment the instant it happened. Speed is extremely important to me when I'm shooting because special moments only happen a few times during a photo shoot.  I want to make sure I capture those moments and the Profoto Pro 8 packs are super fast.

To learn more about my lighting techniques log in to Photography Help Store. There you will find my video's that are aimed to educate photographers on the art of lighting, shooting fashion and beauty and much more. You can also sign up for my one-on-one photography classes to take your photo career to the next level. The one-on-one classes take place once a week via Skype and will improve your photography and help boost your bottom line. 

Always Dream Big

CD Cover Shoot

This month I have two CD cover's out and both were shot using the Sony A7R camera with the 85mm and 100 macro lenses.

Tomorrow, I head to Seattle, WA to speak at Glazer's Camera about lighting and give a live demonstration using Profoto strobes, Sony camera's and Capture One Pro.

If you'd like to learn more about photography and how I create my images go to Photography Help Store where you can sign up for one-on-one classes or download instructional video's on how to become a better photographer.