Speaking

‘Secrets of Great Portrait Photography’ at WPPI 2012

by Brian Smith on February 14, 2012

in Talks

I’m heading back to WPPI 2012 in Las Vegas to speak about my favorite subject – capturing great portraits. WPPI is always a great show for the portrait and wedding photography industry I’m looking forward to bringing this talk back to Vegas after packed crowds at PhotoPlus Expo and Estudio Brasil in Sao Paulo.

New for WPPI, I’ve added a lot of new images to my talk including photos from my shoot on The X Factor. I’ll be speaking about everything from how to connect with your subject to ways that hair, make-up and styling can add production value to your shoots and all the things that go into the decision making process on a shoot from concept to location to lighting to refining the final look in post.

Secrets of Great Portrait Photography
Tuesday, February 21, 8:00 am – 10:00 am
MGM Conference Center – Room 318
sponsored by Sony

Celebrity portrait photographer Brian Smith will share the lessons he’s learned over the past 30 years capturing the faces of the famous, infamous and unknown as a top magazine portrait photographer. Brian will discuss his approach to editorial and commercial assignments from concept to final images, and detailing his approach to lighting and problem solving on productions both small and large. He will also share secrets about how to quickly capture the personality of the people in your photographs. He will also discuss how personal projects can be used to generate editorial and commercial assignments, and allow your personal style to evolve and grow while generating assignments you love to shoot.

We’ve got some great raffle giveaways from:

LOWEPRO: One DSLR Video Fastpack 250 AW (a $149 value)
PHOTO SHELTER: One Free 1 Year Standard account (a $329 value)
SONG FREEDOM: Two Free Bronze Packages (valued at $360 each)
Each one gives the winner 10 songs to use over the next year.
TETHERING TOOLS: Tether Pro USB 15ft High-Visibility Orange Tethering Cable plus JerkStopper Tethering Kit – Camera Support JerkStopper and Computer Support JerkStopper (USB option)

Great crowd at 'Secrets of Great Portrait Photography' with Brian Smith WPPI 2011

'Secrets of Great Portrait Photography' WPPI 2011


Golfer Graeme McDowell photographed in Horshoe Bay, Bermuda


The X Factor winner Melanie Amaro photographed in Los Angeles


Marcus Canty photographed on The X Factor

Be sure to stop by the Sony booth on the WPPI show floor where I’ll be speaking and doing lighting demos each day.

Monday February 20, 2012:
Noon – 12:45pm CAPTURING PERSONALITY – BURLESQUE (LIVE SHOOT) – Sony Booth 421
1:30pm – 2:15pm THE NEX BIG THING: SMALL CAMERA – BIG RESULTS – Sony Booth 421
3:00pm – 3:45pm CAPTURING PERSONALITY – BURLESQUE (LIVE SHOOT) – Sony Booth 421
8:00pm – 10:00pm SONY SHOOTOUT MGM Conference Center, Level 3, Rooms 312-320

Tuesday, February 21, 2012:
8:00am – 10:00am ‘SECRETS OF GREAT PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY’ – MGM Conference Center – Room 318
Noon -12:45pm THE NEX BIG THING: SMALL CAMERA – BIG RESULTS – Sony Booth 421
1:30pm – 2:15pm CAPTURING PERSONALITY – BURLESQUE (LIVE SHOOT) – Sony Booth 421

Wednesday, February 22, 2012:
11:15am – Noon CAPTURING PERSONALITY – BURLESQUE (LIVE SHOOT) – Sony Booth 421
12:45pm – 1:30pm THE NEX BIG THING: SMALL CAMERA – BIG RESULTS – Sony Booth 421
2:15pm – 3:00pm CAPTURING PERSONALITY – BURLESQUE (LIVE SHOOT) – Sony Booth 421

Stop by to say hello to me and my fellow Sony Artisans of Imagery Matthew Jordan Smith, Me Ra Koh and fab photographers Sarah France and Daniel Boswell. It’s going to be an absolutely great show – hope to see you there!

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Big Week at WPPI 2011

by Brian Smith on February 19, 2011

in Talks

I’m headed out to Las Vegas tomorrow morning for a big week of talks and meetings at WPPI. It’s always a great week and this year looks better than ever. If you’re headed that way, please stop by and see me. Hope to see you there!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 – WPPI Las Vegas
2-5pm – WPPI LAUNCH PAD & @RFWPPI TWEET-UP sneak peek at all the new products being launched at WPPI
7-10pm – SONY OPENING NIGHT PARTY and Runway Show with Nigel Barker from America’s Next Top Model
MGM Grand Arena

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 – WPPI Las Vegas
11:00-11:25am LIVE SHOOT: ‘Studio Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421
2:30-2:55pm TALK ‘Location Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421
3:30-3:55pm LIVE SHOOT: ‘Studio Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 – WPPI Las Vegas
11:30-11:55am TALK ‘Location Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421
3:30-5:30pm PLATFORM TALK: ‘Secrets of Great Portrait Photography’ MGM Conference Center Room 313 – 316
Pre-register: CLICK HERE!

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 – WPPI Las Vegas
11:30-11:55am LIVE SHOOT: ‘Studio Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421
1:00-1:25pm LIVE SHOOT: ‘Studio Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421
2:00-2:25pm TALK ‘Location Portraits’ – SONY Booth 421

NEXT STOP:
SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EDUCATORS – Atlanta, GA
Thursday, March 10: 10:30am – 11:45am ‘Celebrating and Supporting the Arts through Photography’
Sheraton Atlanta Hotel – Capitol South

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I’ll be speaking about my favorite subject – capturing great portraits – at WPPI on February 22nd in Las Vegas. WPPI is always a great show for the portrait and wedding photography industry I’m looking forward to taking the show to Vegas after a full house when I gave this talk at PDN PhotoPlus Expo. I’ve added a lot of new images to the talk that will be shown for the first time including the latest photos from my project on burlesque. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the project from my friends at X-Rite:

Secrets of Great Portrait Photography
Tuesday, February 22, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Room 313 – 316 in the MGM Conference Center
sponsored by Sony

Celebrity portrait photographer Brian Smith will share the lessons he’s learned over the past 30 years capturing the faces of the famous, infamous and unknown as a top magazine portrait photographer. Brian will discuss his approach to editorial and commercial assignments from concept to final images, and detailing his approach to lighting and problem solving on productions both small and large. He will also share secrets about how to quickly capture the personality of the people in your photographs. He will also discuss how personal projects can be used to generate editorial and commercial assignments, and allow your personal style to evolve and grow while generating assignments you love to shoot.

Be sure to stop by the Sony booth on the WPPI show floor where I’ll be speaking and doing lighting demos each day.

Monday February 21:
11:00-11:25am ‘Live Shoot: Studio Portraits’ – Sony Booth 421
2:30-2:55pm ‘Location Portraits’- Sony Booth 421
3:30-3:55pm ‘Live Shoot: Studio Portraits’- Sony Booth 421

Tuesday, February 22:
11:00-11:25am ‘Location Portraits’- Sony Booth 421
3:30-5:30pm ‘Secrets of Great Portrait Photography’ – MGM Conference Center Room 313 – 316
Pre-register: CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, February 23:
11:30-11:55am ‘Live Shoot: Studio Portraits’- Sony Booth 421
1:00-1:25pm ‘Live Shoot: Studio Portraits’- Sony Booth 421
2:00-2:25pm ‘Location Portraits’- Sony Booth 421

It’s going to be an absolutely great show – hope to see you there!

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APA|NY Image Makers Lecture Series
Featuring: Brian Smith: Advocacy for the Arts
Wednesday, August 12, 6:30-8 p.m.
Admission: Free (seating is limited)
SoHo Apple Theater, 103 Prince St at Mercer

Actress Anne Hathaway

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Smith will speak about his latest project, ‘Art & Soul’ shot in partnership with The Creative Coalition and Sony. The project features Smith’s portraits of celebrities along with personal messages from each artist on how exposure to the arts inspired them and positively impacted their lives.

Over 100 celebrities including Anne Hathaway, Ellen Burstyn, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, James Denton, Jamie Kennedy, Alyssa Milano and Taye Diggs have been photographed for ‘Art & Soul’ with the goal of producing a coffee table book aimed at raising the public awareness of the importance and impact of the arts by allowing creative artists to use their celebrity to shine a spotlight on the importance of the arts and arts education.

In May of this year, Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Alfre Woodard, Kerry Washington and Barry Levinson of The Creative Coalition presented the Art & Soul to The White House and Congress as part of their successful effort to advocate for increased funding for the arts and arts education. Smith will discuss the story behind the commission, his approach to the shoot and the significance of being able to use his photographs for arts advocacy.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

SONY

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