Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to James Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

James, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started out probably like every photographer does, with a simple camera and just learning the basics. In 2000, I was going to Africa for a month and decided that I wanted to take more than a “point – and – shoot” camera with me. My Dad gave me an old Pentax manual film camera, and I was able to scramble a few lenses together. At that point, I knew very little about photography, so I bought a “National Geographic Photography Field Guide” and learned the basic science and method of photography. Things like utilizing light, f-stop, shutter speed, the rule of thirds were all foreign to me, and I read the book several times to take it all in. Back then, you couldn’t check your image immediately like you can now with digital, so I kept a notebook and wrote details of how each shot was made with what camera settings, so that I could check my work when the film was developed.

As time went on and the move to digital cameras started happening, I began shooting headshots for actor friends in Los Angeles. This really sped up the learning curve, and I could start comparing different types of lenses and the differences that they made in my images. At a certain point, I realized that I had reached the pinnacle of what I could self – teach, and needed some kind of educational help. Basically, “I didn’t know what I didn’t know”. Going to Rocky Mountain School of Photography really made a huge difference because I had on hand personal training, and was able to really speed up my learning.

The great thing about having training like this is that you start to develop confidence in yourself and your abilities, and when you encounter a situation that presents a lot of challenges, you trust in yourself to have the ability to work it out and make it happen, because you know what you’re doing. And I am constantly learning on the job, learning from other photographers, and learning from my own mistakes.

James, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began shooting corporate meetings and events back in 2013. I’ve shot for a wide range of clients, and often travel to shoot events. I pride myself in working hard and being easy to work with, and always try to go above and beyond. Being a friendly, open artist goes a long way. As a one man band, I do my best to capture all aspects of the meetings that I shoot, from speakers to attendees, be it a charity event or a celebration. I try to capture the entire event as a whole, with as many details as I can catch. I also never promise something that I can’t deliver. And I practice gratitude every single day.

I also shoot wildlife and the outdoors. My proudest moment was when one of my images from South Africa was chosen to be displayed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. for a year. I can be found at art fairs, the Serengeti or an open jeep with no air conditioning photographing wild Tigers on the hottest day in India.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of a creative career is that I get to do something that I love. I’m very tuned in visually, so it’s always interesting, no matter what project I’m doing. Some days may be very long, but I enjoy it so much that the time flies by. Creating images goes hand in hand with capturing moments, so I’m always watching what’s happening, and thinking “what’s the best way to capture this moment in a way that tells a story?” It’s mentally and creatively very engaging and rewarding.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Well, I think during the pandemic, we all had to pivot is some way. In my case, live events crashed entirely, so there was really no way to be able to keep doing what I was doing until the pandemic was over. I took that time to broaden my horizons, online learning about real estate photography, using a drone, brushing up on family portraits when I could. I also took A LOT of pictures of the birds in my backyard! Learning real estate photography came in really handy after the pandemic when I found myself shooting an event at Kensington Palace. Learning during your down time can reap many rewards later. Another interesting thing about this lockdown time away was that when it was time to return to corporate events, I needed to remind myself of the lessons that I learned before the pandemic, so that I didn’t start making the same mistakes again, because at times I felt that I was starting over after 18 months.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jcharlessmithphoto.com , www.lifeiswildphoto.com , www.jsmithphotos.com
• Instagram: @lifeiswildphoto
• Facebook: Life is Wild – James Smith Photography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-smith-a8870418/
• Twitter: @jcharlessmith

Image Credits
© James Smith