Artist Inspirations

Cate Blanchett by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue 2004

 I really like just about all of Annie Leibovitz's work because her portraits capture a lot of emotion and poise in the celebrities she photographs. I especially like this picture because it is one of her more real-life style images and the way she has Cate Blanchett propped up on the handlebars is very lighthearted and fun.

Gregory Crewdson

 This picture by Gregory Crewdson, as well as much of his other, similar work, is inspiring because the lighting and contrast make it a very dramatic take on an ordinary scene. He takes a man sticking his arm down a drain pipe, but then draws your eyes to it with the underbelly of the house and his arm reaching through. It's unusual and that makes it very interesting.

Best of City by Larson Harley

 This photograph by Larson Harley is really cool because of its upward angle, and the fish eye effect it has from the roundness. The lighting is beautiful and the bright sky makes the picture look as though it stretches on for miles.

Nick Kelsh

 I love this picture by Nick Kelsh because it is silly and fun and real. The childish nature of his subjects reminds me of me and my sister. Their poses and facial expressions, and well as the fact that they're covered in mud depict a very chaotic feel. Even though it is a portrait, it's like they are in action.

Louis Greenfield

Louis Greenfield's airborne style photography is my favorite because it looks extremely difficult to shoot and the lines of her subjects in the air are always very beautiful. I especially like this particular piece because the poses are less serious.

A Photo Walk in the Park

For this photo walk, the focus was on depth of field.

S.Smith 2013

 I wanted to capture a little bit of the season, and these dead leaves show that it's still winter.

S.Smith 2013

 I thought this was an interesting angle to take the swing at because it's unusual.

S.Smith 2013

This picture personally represented a piece of cross country for me because the white arrow is part of our race course and the blurred yellow poles in the background are where we start every home race.

Reflection Photo

"Rainy Day' S.Smith 2013

 I took this photo during our Friday Photo-Walk in one of the puddles off the side of the curb and I like the contrast of my silhouette against the rest of the photo. The daylight provided nice lighting to highlight the image and I like taking pictures involving nature, so using water and leaves outside incorporated some of my favorite photographic elements.

First Photo-Walk

S.Smith 2013

S.Smith 2013

S.Smith 2013

I'd Rather Be

"Weekend Update Appearance" S.Smith 2013

I love the show Saturday Night Live and I thought it would be really cool to add myself to my favorite segment, Weekend Update with Seth Meyers. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are added bonuses to my little guest appearance, as they are great comedians I'd love to meet.

Partner Portraiture

"Trapped on Channel 00" S.Smith 2013

I shot this picture in my sister's room because I wanted an average living setting for my photograph. I was inspired by the remake of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when one of the kids zaps himself into a t.v. screen. I took my picture so that it would appear as though I'm looking at her and I thought space would be a fun random place to place myself.

February Photo Challenge

"February Photo Challenge" S.Smith 2013

This collage consists of 28 pictures, taken over a 28-day span- one photo per day. Each one defines a different subject in my own interpretation. I had a lot of fun coming up with subjects for the words or phrases given each day.

Portrait Series

"Sara's Every Day" S.Smith 2013

             These images bring focus to your typical teenage girl's process of getting ready in the morning by applying extreme contrast. My bright green background makes everything else pop, and that's my favorite - photos with lots of color.They're part of my daily routine: braif my messy hair, a quick swipe of my mascara wand, shoes on, and a quick pose in the mirror to make sure I look alright before I'm out the door to catch my ride. I enjoy photographing people in their daily lives - whatever is the norm for them. Any one of the little things someone does in the course of their day can make for a nice photo.