The Photography of Rodney Smith

The late Rodney Smith provided the fashion world with some great and memorable moments. Inspired by his location, Smith brought a touch of surrealism and style to quite normal settings. His beautifully composed photographs have an elegance to them, but always with something unexpected going on. Whimsy in the wild.

His career spanned 45 years, and Smith remained devoted to film throughout. From the late 1980s he used a medium-format Hasselblad for much of his work, creating enchanting portraits with a touch of eccentricity.

In a world increasingly reliant on digital post-production, Smith’s photographs are remarkable for how much was achieved in-camera. He remained faithful to film and, despite the surreal results, his compositions were not digitally retouched.

Location was central to the way he worked. In his interview with My Modern Met, Smith explained that he let the setting drive the picture, which perhaps helps to explain why his photographs can feel both meticulously composed and wonderfully spontaneous.

See more of his images and read an interview with the late artist at My Modern Met. For more photography inspiration, have a look at Emma’s piece on Brooke Holm.