The Photographer Who Turned Every Frame A Painting.

Discover the magical world of Rodney Smith, the legendary photographer whose images blur the line between photography and fine art. In this video, I explore how Smith’s unique vision transformed everyday scenes into dreamlike masterpieces using impeccable composition, dramatic lighting, and a playful sense of surrealism. Learn how Smith’s approach—combining elements of fashion, portraiture, and fine art—created a style that is instantly recognisable and endlessly inspiring for photographers and visual artists alike.

Book featured
Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith.
Rodney Smith: Photographs.

Video Breakdown
00:00 Intro.
01:23 Turning Photos Into Art.
02:58 Breaking The Barriers Of Genres.
04:39 A Vision.
08:05 A Necessary Paradox.
09:42 Conclusions.

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DISCLAIMER
The content of this video is for educational and informational purposes. All materials in this video fall within the fair use provision of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Therefore, no infringement is intended.This content celebrates and promotes the featured artists whose work has contributed immensely to the art of photography and filmmaking.

#painting #photography #filmmaking #photographer #photographylovers #RodneySmith #fineartphotography #photoinspiration

[TatianaHopper]

📌 The music part of the intro was claimed a couple of weeks after this video's original publishing date, hence why it's now muted. Apologies for that. Thank you everyone for taking your time to watch the video.

[LeslieSmolan]

Tatiana. It's been a pleasure to tap into your brilliance. And yes, Rodney would have loved the Roy Orbison soundtrack, beautiful and melancholy at the same time.

[jhhayden]

I love this work and would like to mention how much he seems to draw from Cartier-Bresson, Magritte's Son of Man and even Hitchcock in AJ Chasing Airplane. Beautiful work Tatiana!!

[Nightmvoesknzg]

Beautifully filmed, fitting music and some great work by Rodney Smith. What more could one ask for...

[JHurrenPhotography]

You really knocked it out of the park with this one Hopper. Damn am I now feeling inspired. I think central to this idea of pushing the envelope of a genre is first working within the envelope. This I really struggled to do when I started out photography a teenager. Every shot got a Dutch angle, but many poorly printed images... Now the reverse may be true, and soon I'll have to push the envelope and possibly tear it, before I'm too old

[matthewmorganphoto]

He is one of my favorite photographers. I love delicate balance of precision and creativity that comes forth in his images.

[kapurar]

Love Rodney Smith's work! I have his books and regularly enjoy going through them. He is such a creative artist. Thanks for doing this video.

[honestpat]

Love Rodney Smith. There’s so much brilliance in the simplicity of his photos that takes you away to another place 👌

[TedPartrick]

Thank you, Tatiana, for another wonderful short film. You and your collaboraters put so much thought into every piece of the production and make it so fun and inspiring to watch.

I wonder if Rodney Smith ever thought of himself as an illustrator as much as a photographer.

[ciklope]

Magnificent video. Looking at the images of Rodney Smith I understand that he was a fashion photographer and that his work went in that direction but I feel that his work has a very surreal component.

[collardog]

Great segment, Tatiana (they're all pretty great, but this one is special to me!) And a special thanks to Leslie Smolan. I saw the photo 'Jessica on Roof, Chicago, Illinois, 1997' in a copy of Communication Arts Magazine in 1999. Inspired by that image and others by Rodney Smith, and by Yousuf Karsh, I soon after I bought my first SLR and started taking photos in a serious way. Life had other plans (as many lives do), and the camera was packed away along with my photographic ambitions... but not forever. I re-entered the art a few years ago, still with same inspirations (and a few others). Rodney's images were a study for me once again in my exercises to hone the craft. Today I'm a professional photographer Canada with the PPOC.

[TheMagnumano]

A huge THANKS to you. Your thesis on this topic it´s exquisite, and it made me think a lot. The way you disassemble this photos has so much potential for inspiring...

[Kattahjärta]

I found out about Rodney Smith through your last video and fell in love with his work. It has everything I love about photography, for me there’s no question that it’s art. I will see if I can grab one of those books. Thank you for an excellent video ❤

[jimjimskimmer]

Amazing chanell. Rodney Smith is one of the BEST to ever do it. Photography like this is ART!

[chilecayenne]

Wholly Smokes!!! Just what I needed for a bit of inspiration!!
When your video started, I was like "WOW...who is this artist Tatiana is showing...but then thought, hey, a little familiar..." then you mentioned the previous video (which I am about to go re-watch).
This is really good stuff. I like your analysis here...and like I said, good inspiration. Right now in New Orleans..it is HOT. Too hot and muggy to get out of the house much at all, much less go out and take good photos.
But this has already gotten me thinking of ideas to put together to "make" some art photos....outdoors when it gets a bit more 'humane'...or even for some indoor shots.
I'm writing them down.
I really love Rodney Smith whom you have introduced to me...I have a holiday coming up this week, and I might just order a book or two you recommend to look over between times with family and friends.
I hope all is well there with you and yours....
Thank you again for a wonderful presentation....and I must say, couldn't have come at a better time!!
CC
ps. I *still* think your speaking segments have a bit of "The Godfather" look to them..haha. I think it's great!!
cc

[anguyen]

I have to say your channel teaching me a lot about how to see a photograph and called it art / painting . Just like with this short film which is getting better and better every time I stop by . Yet, the way a photographer sees the world and records it as the moment but eternalized it to a master piece / an art piece just like Rodney Smith . Thank you for your precise insight about the photographer / artists / creator .

[AlOne-xgdv]

Thank you Tatiana for your great travel inside an artist's soul. Great video which makes me love photography even more.

[aes]

A really great video, you have an uncanny ability to weave together seemingly disparate ideas into a whole story. I didn't know about Rodney Smith until about two or three years ago and then I started seeing a lot about him (it's notable that you've visited him twice which is more that warranted). To say his work is whimsical and charming is an understatement. Another photographer who worked in fashion who might be comparable is Guy Bourdin. His work cannot be be said to be charming or whimsical, he did create unique tableaus from his fashion and models.

[arockwell]

It's always a joy to catch an episode. Thanks for sharing!

[addieleman]

Rodney Smith's work was new to me, so thanks. It immediately reminds me of the paintings of René Magritte.