Meet Eric Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Smith.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always had an innate need to make art and tell stories. As a child, I was consumed by drawing, painting, and theatrical performances. My mother was a photojournalist for suburban Philadelphia newspapers and exposed me to that analog art form at an early age.

Art teachers took an interest in me and gave me the confidence to pursue my craft. I had the good fortune of being educated at the Rhode Island School of Design where I graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design. For years I worked as a designer and creative director working on branding for films and television shows.

In the early 2000s, I transitioned from entertainment to social good, dedicating my craft to lifting nonprofits and socially responsible businesses. Through photography, video direction, and design, I’ve developed a knack for creating content that resonates. With work published, broadcast, and shared by millions of people around the world, I build brands while shining a light on the most pressing issues of our time.

I try to evoke a sense of dynamism and timelessness with photographs and videos. I’m a former SVP of Content & Creative at CBS and am now Principal of E Smith Images LLC where I serve a roster of diverse clients and give speaking engagements about my work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My career journey has not been linear by any stretch of the imagination. Each time I took a leap of faith to jump on a different career path from print graphic design to film and television or from the entertainment industry to social good, there was a learning curve that proved challenging. Those changes, however, have led to a fulfilling life of unique experiences that I wouldn’t change. Another struggle in my career has been working at start-ups.

Entrepreneurs have great intentions and can provide you with great opportunities, but working for them doesn’t always provide a life of stability and I found out the hard way a few times. In this latest incarnation of my creative existence, I am my boss. This is both thrilling and terrifying. I am working without nets for the first time in my career. So far so good…

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in telling stories for organizations through the creation of their brand identity, videos, and photography. Compelling content is a critical tool for organizations to communicate with the public and I help them create it. I also use my photography, and my art, to illuminate the most critical issues of our time and to share the wonder of the natural world.

I’ve trekked to photograph Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, documented the Great Migration in Kenya, and traveled to Peru to see the work of the Rainforest Alliance and their work with farmers at the edge of the Amazon. I think I am most known for my viral photographs of whales and humans interacting.

I have been documenting the annual gray whale migration in Baja, California, Mexico for years. During the Covid quarantine, I published my first book of photographs called “Bearing Witness: The Photographs of Eric J. Smith” which can be found on blurb.com or the store section of my website: esmithimages.com

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My mentorship always came in the form of internships at small to medium-sized companies. I did this throughout college, working at design firms in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. It was an invaluable experience and allowed me to get some well-known names on my resume which led to my first full-time job as a graphic designer in New York. I was never more proud than the first day I sat at my beautiful desk at a prestigious design firm.

If I were a young creative professional, I would say first develop an excellent portfolio or reel and reach out to organizations or productions that inspire you. If you land an internship or an entry roll on set, be useful. Be easy to work with. Be friendly. Everyone is usually stressed out so if you can do something to help alleviate that stress, you’ll move forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.esmithimages.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/esmith_images/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/esmithimagesofficial
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/esmith_images
• Other: www.vimeo.com/esmithimages

Image Credits
Jeff Honea and Hard to Port