Hidden Gems: Meet Tony Smith of Tony Smith Images

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Smith

Hi Tony, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Huntington Beach, CA and still reside in “Surf City, USA”. After serving in the Marine Corps for 6 years, I was hired by the Huntington Beach Fire Department where I worked for the next 28 years serving my community as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Since retiring from the fire service in 2015, I have been actively pursuing my passion for live music and photography. I have been photographing primarily in the greater Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego areas as well as a handful of Northern California locations and Las Vegas. I have had the great fortune to photograph some incredible talent over the past 10 years such as; The Cure, Tears For Fears, DEVO, ~X~ (the band), Incubus, Bauhaus/Love and Rockets, The Specials, Madness, Simple Minds, Phoenix, Killing Joke, Midnight Oil, Gary Numan, PIL, Ministry & English Beat, just to name a few. I may have shown up late to the party, but I am here now and trying my best to make up for lost time.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing worth having comes easy. My photography journey started as a late teen in college, but life had other plans for me. My creativity was put on the back burner when I chose a career path that had little to no room for creative expression. Financial security was the priority for me back then. Once I left the fire service, I dedicated most of my free time to learning the new technology in photography and honing my craft by burying myself into countless hours of editing softwares that would eventually give me the skills necessary to obtain the finished product that I was looking for. As a primarily independent photographer, the opportunities were somewhat limited in the beginning. Hard work and perseverance eventually paid off as performing artists began to recognize my work and started to open the doors of opportunity. Gratitude goes a long way in this field. I feel very fortunate to have been able to photograph some of the biggest names in the industry as well as up and coming bands. Rejection has certainly been part of this photography journey too. It’s important to remember when one door closes, another one opens. The key is to try your best not to take rejection personally. Work for the people that appreciate your talents and do the best job possible for those individuals.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tony Smith Images?
While photographing live music has been my primary focus in the past, my professional cameras and skill set is not limited to that focus alone. I also have extensive experience in photographing youth and high school sports/cheer (showcasing athletes & teams), performing arts (dance/ballet), family portraits, special events, etc. Most photographers develop their own style over time that is not easily described. The best way to see what a photographer is capable of is to take a look at their body of work and formulate your own opinion. I am proud of many images that I have taken over the years, especially when a performing artist thanks me publicly and/or uses one or more of my images for their social media platforms and promotions. Capturing a significant moment in time in people’s lives give me the greatest joy. Knowing that an image that I took will outlive me and serve as a wonderful memory for someone else makes it all worth while.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The Covid-19 pandemic obviously created a standstill for live music and photography. As a result, many people started to stockpile toilet paper and bottled water. I, on the other hand, purchased way too many vinyl records online during this time. On a serious note, I spent a lot of my Covid lockdown time discovering and mastering new editing softwares that would improve my skill set for the future. Artificial Intelligence (AI) made its way into the editing process during this time period globally. Camera technology changed, editing photos changed, the whole process in general has changed. For better or for worse, AI is here to stay whether we like it or not. As a creative artist, it’s important to be familiar with the tools available, use what works for you without compromising your vision for the finished product.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonysmith_images
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063739490007&mibextid=wwXlfr
• Twitter: @tonysmithimages
• Youtube: @tonysmithimages5258

Image Credits
All photographs provided: © tonysmith_images