Early life
Rodney Smith is an eminent photographer who is based in New York. He was born on Long Island in 1947. He believes his love for photography has been shaped by the sense of style (Harris). His father had made a renowned name for himself in the fashion industry as the president of Anne Klein. He has developed a sense of style, beauty, grace and proportion.
Education
Rodney Smith is one interesting character considering the courses he took. In 1970, he went to the University of Virginia where he studied English Literature and Religious Studies. In 1973, he went ahead to further his education, and he went to Yale University where he took a graduate degree in Theology. The reason why he took very different courses from where his passion lies is that he believed that he did not have to go to a photography school or a school of art to pursue his passion (Harris). He always knew that he had it in him, and Smith would not have to do a full course to address issues that were of interest to him, so he went ahead and tried to kill two birds with as single stone. He finally decided to pursue photography while at Yale University.
Influence
Rodney Smith was first introduced to photography when he was a teenager by a neighbor who had quite a small bathroom darkroom. From the knowledge he attained while in college from various iconic photographers like Minor White and Gene Smith, he was able to accomplish the style of compositional prowess and mastered the ability to bring out emotions from different subjects using his lenses. The Museum of Modern Art also played a significant role in steering his passion in photography (Harris).
Rodney Smith spent 100 days in Jerusalem in 1976 where he was photographed people (Yoo). By the time he was leaving, he had 88 rolls of film shot which he combined and came up with two portfolios and in 1938, he made the collections his first book called; “In the Land of the Light: Israel, a Portrait of Its People.
One may be tempted to call Rodney Smith old fashioned or a Luddite. This is because he believes that modernism has taken a wrong turn and most particularly at the wrong time (Smith). In the recent past, technology has improved at a tremendous rate and has essentially affected the photography industry too.
An interesting fact about Smith is that he has adopted a classical style, in that he only shoots black and white film. Many photographers may feel limited by using film, yet Smith, who apparently does not reject the technological evolution, enjoys the challenges that come with the use of film. He takes pride in bringing out unusual objects in black and white that would otherwise be considered quite challenging and limiting by other photographers.
In an interview with Met Exclusive, he admits that most of his work is indeed film and nothing more, and it is nurtured by the Renaissance period. He insists that the Renaissance period was a time when everyone was feeling aspirational; they were classical and excited to be alive. He believes that this is the basis of what he does (Yoo). Smith has a belief that whatever a person does regarding art should give a voice. In essence according to him, his style of photography is what gives him a voice.
There is also a trend he has adopted in his kind of photography. He mostly invokes the aspect of time in one way or another. It is evident that the subject of time is always with us at every point. Smith has always believed that time has a metaphorical importance to him since in a good number of the work he has done; he has perfectly evoked the time aspects in the subjects he uses. This includes the time of the year, time of day, time of an individual’s life and so on.
The aspect that defines Smith in the photography industry is that he has a unique perspective. He is not the everyday kind of photographer; he is not proud but loud in his photos. He has developed a method that allows his work to speak to his audience (Yoo). He has invoked the psychological core of black and white and most importantly he has managed to allow his audience to appreciate the fact that photographs shot in the film are not just about the face value but what lies within them.
Technique
The camera he currently uses is a Hasselblad with Tri-X. Once the photos are taken, he processes the film and scans the negatives using a Hasselblad 646 scanner. He later prints on a somewhat watercolor paper called Somerset Velvet. In case a client requires a silver-gelatin then the work is done in a dark room to produce the expected quality.
Achievements
Currently, Rodney Smith is a co-founder of a branding and graphic design firm called Carbone Smolan Agency. Over the years, he has worked with corporate and editorial clients like American Express, B.M.W, and New York Times. In the recent past, Smith became a part of the team in fashion directing for the New York Magazine in Coney Island and the Times Square. Here, his main focus was on timeless photo shooting that mainly highlighted the New York nightlife. Rodney Smith has also been represented by a considerable number of galleries both in the US and at a global scope. Some galleries featuring his work include; Fahey Klein Gallery in Los Angeles, FOST Gallery of Singapore, The Photo Gallery AB of Sweden just to mention but a few. Rodney Smith has also received more than 50 awards including International Photography Awards and he also got a first Prize Award for his book ‘The End’ (Yoo). To top it all, he teaches at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop that is in New Mexico, from time to time, where he works with different people from various aspects of life. this is his special way of giving back to the community.
Challenges
Despite the fact that Rodney Smith is a renowned photographer, it is quite evident that no ride is a smooth one. In his interview with Met Exclusive, he acknowledges that development of technology has weakened the field and originality in photography since everybody now has their phone camera and does not take into consideration the technique required in photography (Yoo). Many photographers have lost relevance because fewer people need a photographer or appreciate the work of a photographer. Therefore, it is up to every photographer to take up the responsibility of upholding authentic work and ensuring their prowess lives on to the coming generations.
Work Cited
Harris, Mark Edward. "Rodney Smith: Old School With A Modern Twist." Digitalphotopro.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 6 May 2016.
Smith, Rodney. "Rodney Smith Biography – Rodney Smith On Artnet." Artnet.com. N.p., 1947. Web. 6 May 2016.
Starr, Benjamin. "Surreal Simplicity: Captivating Photos By Rodney Smith." Visual News. N.p., 2012. Web. 6 May 2016.
Yoo, Alice. "Met Exclusive: Interview With Rodney Smith (Part 1 Of 2)." My Modern Met. N.p., 2011. Web. 6 May 2016.
