Meet David Smith | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
As a photographer, my schedule is never a set or uniform thing. I photograph weddings, portraits, events, and concerts. Weddings tend to happen on the weekends, the others can happen at any time during the week. Some years, I might have nearly every weekend booked, other years might be different.

I also travel a lot for my work, and I don’t mind being in the air and on the road a lot during the year, especially on weekends. It’s relaxing for me, and I can make that time up during the week when I’m home and “off the job”.

I also don’t mind “always being on” in the sense that I’m always going to be checking emails, taking calls, and assisting clients as soon as possible because, frankly, I have the time to do it. It’s not an intrusion to me.

It works for me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a photographer who specializes in weddings, portraits, events, and concerts. I have been doing this full-time since April 2010, and it hasn’t been easy. Frankly, I didn’t know what I was doing at first, but I’m still here and am at a point where I feel I can say I’m established.

On the wedding front, I’ve photographed celebrations in 26 different states. That’s a big bragging point for me because it shows that couples all over the country have wanted me to be their photographer.

On the concert front, I’m a contributor for Getty Images and have been one since 2013. My work has been licensed by major outlets all over the world.

The big thing I’ve learned is that everyone has to go on their own path. You cannot succeed by simply trying to mirror or copy someone else.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In Birmingham, Alabama, I’d take them to the following spots:

Saturn Birmingham – this is where I photograph most of my concert work, and it’s also the best venue in the city. Even if you don’t want to see a show, you can play board or video games, have coffee, and just mingle in the cool setting.

Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema – Birmingham’s only independent theater and the home of the annual Sidewalk Film Festival. This is a cultural gem for Birmingham, Alabama.

Bamboo on 2nd – My favorite sushi place in the city.

Eugene’s Hot Chicken – A local favorite of mine that does Nashville Hot Chicken better than any place in Nashville.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shoutout my family for the emotional support, and all my clients who have selected me as their photographer when they could have gone in all other directions.

Website: https://dsmithimages.com and https://davidasmithphotos.com

Instagram: @dsmithimagesphotography and @dasmithphotos

Image Credits
Photos by David A. Smith | DSmithImages Photography