The Man Behind the Lens

Matthew A. Smith

I grew up in a small town just outside of Birmingham, Alabama.  As a child I dreamed of becoming a photographer for National Geographic.  Those magazines amazed me with their ability to seemingly transport me to another part of the world by just looking at a glossy image on a page.  I was astonished by the fact that a photographer could capture an image and in effect freeze time and make visible the drama and feeling of that moment through artful imagery.  The emotions that stirred inside me when looking at photographs seemed mystical, as if there was more to the photograph than mere paper and ink before me.  I was mesmerized by the power that one image could hold.  It seemed so much like photographs expressed the feelings I felt in my own soul when I gazed upon a beautiful scene in nature.  I wanted so badly to reproduce that effect for others.  To give strangers a glimpse into my soul and the ability to see how my mind interpreted everyday life.

Unfortunately, I never got into photography seriously in my younger years, aside from practicing with my father's Pentax K1000.  However, I decided to major in photography when I began college at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1996, as my artistic aspiration lay dormant but not dead.  Much to my dismay, the photography major was dropped as a course of study immediately after I enrolled.  However, photography courses were available and I took several courses in photography which mostly centered on principles of design and photographic techniques. Several of my photos were even displayed at art shows held by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  However, being a poor college kid in the age of film quickly pushed me away from photography even as a hobby.  I held on to that old Pentax K1000 for several years hoping to one day rekindle my photographic desires, but another major setback was dealt in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina claimed all my camera equipment in my house on the shores of Mobile Bay.

Many years have passed but my love of photography has not diminished.  I am now at a point in my life where I can seriously pursue my passion and share my love of photography with others.  I own a state-of-the-art, full-frame, high-resolution camera and several professional-quality lenses.  I've become proficient in digital editing and now specialize in advanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography techniques which render images with stunning color and depth with only available ambient light.  I also employ flashes and fill lights and use Photoshop layering to blend artificial and ambient light to maximize the brightness of certain spaces.  Whether you prefer the signature look of HDR or the traditional look of a brightly lit room, SRQ PhotoART can accommodate your specific photographic needs.

I've found that in addition to my love of landscape photography, I very much enjoy real estate and architectural photography.  I enjoy the challenge of capturing a 2D image of an interior space in a way that conveys the true depth and feeling that the space offers.  For me a room is more than a room and a home is more than a home.  A home is a living space, where lives are lived and memories are made.  We become attached to the spaces we live. Many years after a joyous occasion we can simply look at a photo of a room where the event occurred and experience those emotions all over again.  My goal in photography is to capture images of living spaces that generate positive emotions in the viewer and hint at all the good times and wonderful memories that can be made in that space if they make that space their own.  I truly believe that in real estate you're not just selling a home, you're selling a lifestyle.  That lifestyle should begin with quality images.