Naked Talent
BRIAN BOWEN SMITH By Richard Bence
Celebrity photographer Brian Bowen Smith returns to his fine-art roots. “When you put on a mask, you can be anyone you want,” says photographer and former Herb Ritts protégé Brian Bowen Smith. He’s talking about Wildlife, his study in black–and-white of the nude female form, which first made its debut in 2014. The concept came about because the women Smith knew wanted to be in a fine-art picture but didn’t necessarily want to show their faces. Each photo features a nude woman, or group of nude women, wearing children’s animal masks. The identity of each subject is kept secret, a concept that freed Smith’s subjects to drop their inhibitions. “The mystery of that is part of the image,” says Smith. “You can be dirty, more open and [not embarrassed],” he says. An established commercial photographer who has shot multiple advertising and entertainment campaigns, fashion spreads and magazine covers, Smith began by working alongside Ritts as an assistant before starting his own star-snapping career. Today, he is among the first names mentioned when the likes of Miley Cyrus, Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Demi Moore or Carolyn Murphy want to create an iconic image. Inspired by the great masters of photography, including Helmut Newton, Sam Haskins and Richard Avedon, Smith is humble enough to admit he’s not reinventing the wheel but says that it was important to establish his own unique style that wasn’t just an echo of his famous mentor. “I know who I am. I know I’m not Herb Ritts. We already had a Herb; we don’t need two. So, I have to trust my instincts and do everything my way. That’s how I became me.” One thing that his forebears didn’t have to grapple with was the democratization and demystification of photography through social media. With Instagram, we’re all image-makers now. Of course, not everyone has Miley calling them up and saying, “Can you come to the beach right now” to do an impromptu shoot. “In this industry, you’re only as good as the people you get to shoot and the jobs you get,” says Smith. But he is keen to point out that expensive equipment isn’t what makes a great image: “I could shoot a picture of Miley Cyrus with my iPhone, and it would be just as good.” While there are plenty of huge photographers all vying for the same jobs, what distinguishes Smith is his passion for the art form. “I talk about photography more than I talk about sex. When I meet someone who’s into it, I wanna pick their brain and love hearing their advice,” says Smith. That thirst for knowledge, along with raw talent, is a winning combination. “I’m learning every day. I still feel as if I’m a student. I try to do everything in the fine-art world on my own so it’s mine. It makes me feel like an artist when I’m doing it. It makes it exciting.” His advice for young photographers wanting to break into the industry: “You wanna be a baseball player, go and practice hitting balls. There are some who can hit it a mile and some who just can’t hit it. I’m good at people and being simple and fast. No bullshit. That’s what sets me apart in the industry. That’s my thing. And I’m pretty genuine: What you see is what you get.” Right there is his secret ingredient. In an industry built on mythmaking, the truth shines through when the subject trusts the person behind the lens, especially when being shot naked wearing a mask. www.bowensmith.com
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