Vanessa Williams and Queen Latifah

Today is the birthday of two of my favorite clients, Vanessa Williams and Queen Latifah.  As I sent out birthday wishes to both I reflected on the many wonderful shoots I've had with both ladies over the years!  Happy Birthday Ladies!

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Always Dream Big!

President of Iceland

Today started quite early for me as I had one of the most important interviews for my "Secret Project".   The subject was photographed earlier but I needed to conduct the interview at a later date.  Setting up this interview took many phone calls and letters, but I was granted the interview and given a date.  Today I interviewed the President of Iceland for the Secret Project.

I woke up before the sunrise west coast time to call my subject who was eight hours ahead of me.  I was elated when he came on the line and I started the 40 min. interview hearing his views on my subject matter. He was very gracious and kind and spoke openly.  At the end of the interview he thanked me for including him in my project and gave me his blessings.  It's a day I will never forget for so many reasons.  Tonight I will play the interview over and over and start the process of getting my notes together.  In the morning I will send the interview out for transcription and then get to work on writing.  

At 10:00 a.m. I had a photo shoot with a very attractive woman who is turing 60.  My makeup artist and I were so amazed by her skin and spent the day in dis-belief of her age because she easily looked 15 years younger.   The shoot was a lot of fun and she moved as if she'd spent her youth modeling but as I worked with her I learned it was natural.  What a wonderful way to spend the day after such an amazing interview.

Photograph has been my life but I never dreamed it would lead to me having the opportunity to interview and photograph the President of Iceland.  Always Dream Big!  

Start of the Week

It is good to be home!  After five back to back trips around America it really feels good to be home.   Today is my first Monday in Los Angeles in the last three weeks, and I have a lot to catch up on.  My day started quite early with a call to Europe at 3:00 a.m. in regard to setting up a phone interview for the "Secret Project".   This interview will be one of the biggest to date for the book.  I spent all my down time during my latest trips on the planes preparing for this interview doing research and composing my questions.  I'm very proud to have this next subject for my book and look forward to speaking to him soon.  I photographed him already on one of my last trips to Europe and spent part of my weekend edited my selects.  I'm now ready for his interview and looking forward to it.  

You can only get the fruit when you go out on a limb, and you only grow when you try things that you are scared to do.  I am going out on a limb and writing this next book.  My mentor, Gordon Parks lived his life by doing things he was scared to do or had no idea how to do them.   I recently read Gordon's passage from my first book as his lesson was "Fearlessness".  Gordon said, " People could do many things if they just tried, but they're afraid.  I have always had a great desire and curiosity about the world and what you can accomplish in it.  At times, I have been afraid, but I have never allowed fear to stand in my way".

   This said, I am going to write my next book projects........yes projects!  :-)  .  If you've read my blog then you already know I'm not a writer, but I have  always believed in challenging myself and during this economy I feel it's the best time to do so.  With help from real friends I am going to write my new book and I am open to any help along the way.  I'm always saying Always Dream Big and this is a time when those words ring true.

I'll end today's blog by telling myself, "Always Dream Big"!

Have a great week!

 

PMA Convention in Las Vegas

Las Vegas!  

This week I am speaking for Sony during the PMA Photo Convention in Las Vegas.  The crowd is smaller than in years past but the energy is high as people are hungry for knowledge pertaining to photography.   

My speech is titled "Secrets to Making Great Photographs" and discusses seeing shapes, learning to see light, learning to work with shapes and light together  and a strong focus on learning to focus on what you love in photography.   Most of the images are made with the Sony A900 but some are from assignments that must be shot with larger formats.  

Yesterday, the highlight of my day came when an elderly man walked up to me while I was still on stage and said, "that's the best speech I've ever heard on photography".  I was a bit shocked when he spoke those words and could only say "thank you", but that moment made it all worthwhile.

After a long day of speaking the group was treated to an amazing dinner at Alize, over looking Vegas on top of the Palm Hotel.   

I love speaking but my first love is photography and so during any breaks I call my agent to get the latest information on upcoming assignments and how to best produce them.  I am up for a big job now and doing the normal bidding process.  I've shot for this client many times but each job I have to bid again.  You are only as good as your last job so it is important to put your love for photography in every single job.  

I am also working on the biggest interview for my "Secret Project" to date.  I received confirmation Monday that my subject has agreed  to be included in my book and I am on cloud nine about it.  The new subject it eight hours ahead of me so I'll have to wake up early to speak with his office to coordinate a time and date.  

I was hoping to share my project with you by now, but things don't always work out the way you think they will.  However, they do work out the way they are supposed to.  Always know that when you work on big projects.  Nothing will ever go entirely the way you plan it but it will go the way it should and you have to adapt to the change.  A great book that speaks about this and is a quick and wonderful read is "Who Moved My Cheese".  In this current financial crisis I think this book is a great read, so if you have the chance pick it up and be inspired.   I was read that "Fashion is Change" and the only thing consistent about it is change.  Life operates in the same manner and once we are cognizant of that we are able to see and adapt faster to change.

Always Dream Big!

Matthew Jordan Smith