Matthew Jordan Smith
Artist · Photographer · Author · Educator
Tokyo, Japan
Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States
Raised in South Carolina, United States
Selected Publications
Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits
Integrated Communications Los Angeles (ICLA), Los Angeles, California, United States
Photographs documenting Smith’s creative relationship with Aretha Franklin from 2005 to 2018, including portraits from her final official photographic session.
Future American President: 50 States, 100 Families, Infinite Dreams
Goff Books, Novato, California, United States
Photographs and interviews with 100 children from all 50 American states. Foreword by Zendaya; personal note from President Jimmy Carter.
Lost and Found
Filipacchi Publishing USA
Created for the American PHOTO Mission Series. Sponsored by Microsoft and endorsed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Sepia Dreams: A Celebration of Black Achievement Through Words and Images
Portraits and interviews with 50 Black American luminaries across the arts, entertainment, sports, business, and public life. Introduction by Vanessa Williams.
Selected Exhibitions
Fluid
Solo Exhibition
Kyoto Museum of Photography, Kyoto, Japan
Fluid
Exhibition of large-scale photographic works
Bourbon-Lancy, France
Power of the Image
Movement Series, works created 2008–2013
Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China
Issue Fashion
WAVE Photogallery, Brescia, Italy
November 20–December 10, 2008
Institutional Commissions & Independent Projects
Tokyo Olympic Games — Olympic Village Documentation
International Olympic Committee, Tokyo, Japan
Commissioned to document life within the Olympic Village during the Tokyo Olympic Games, held under extraordinary restrictions during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting photographic documentation is preserved in the International Olympic Committee archive.
Future American President: 50 States, 100 Families, Infinite Dreams
United States
Independent photographic and oral-history project involving 100 children and their families across all 50 states. Begun in 2012, funded through Kickstarter, and published in 2015.
The Movement Project / Fluid
Italy, China, France, Japan
Long-term artistic investigation examining human movement, the photographic recording of duration, and its presentation beyond the conventional single photographic instant. Public presentations included exhibitions in Brescia, Beijing, Bourbon-Lancy, and Kyoto.
Lost and Found
American PHOTO Mission Series, United States
Independent photographic project addressing the issue of missing children, supported by Microsoft and endorsed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Sepia Dreams: A Celebration of Black Achievement Through Words and Images
United States
Photographic portrait and interview project documenting the lives, experiences, and achievements of 50 prominent Black Americans.
Selected Honors
Western Digital Spotlight Award
Legends Award
George Eastman Power of Image Award
Microsoft Icon of Image Award
Selected Teaching & Public Programs
BILD Expo
New York, United States
Main Stage — The Lens of Change: How Photography Transforms Lives
Nikon Stage — Street Smarts: Inspiration and Tools for Timeless Street Photography
APA Study Hall
How to Define Your Photography Style
The Portrait Masters Conference
Phoenix, Arizona
Closing Main Stage — Something Personal: The Big Picture
Los Angeles Center of Photography
How to Build a Career through Beauty Photography
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fashion and Beauty Portraits with Matthew Jordan Smith
The Portrait Masters Conference, Phoenix, Arizona
PhotoPlus Expo, New York
Next Level Photography Workshop Tour
26 documented workshops across North America and Europe, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, London, and Amsterdam.
PhotoPlus Expo, New York — Nikon Theater
Profoto Master Class
Studio Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan
WPPI, Las Vegas, Nevada
Nine speaking appearances across Nikon, Profoto, and Perfectly Clear stages
PhotoPlus Expo
New York — Nikon School Theater
APA Los Angeles / Santa Monica College
Presentation on funding Future American President through Kickstarter
Tsinghua University
Beijing, China — Guest lecture and photography dialogue
Power of the Image — Public seminars, Beijing, China
Imaging USA
10 Secrets to a Successful Photography Career
WPPI — 10 Secrets to Building a Powerful Photography Career
CreativeLive
Working With Models
CreativeLive
Beauty + Fashion
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops — Professional photographic education programs
School of Visual Arts
New York — Instructor
New York City Board of Education — Photography mentor
Selected Clients
Commercial clients & brands
L’Oréal · Pantene · Revlon · Microsoft · Nikon
Selected Media & Public Recognition
The View — “Ladies Get Lit”
Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits selected among Whoopi Goldberg’s favorite books, July 2024.
CNN
Coverage of Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits made available through the institution.
America’s Next Top Model
Television appearance — Guest photographer and judge.
Selected Subjects
Aretha Franklin · Oprah Winfrey · Zendaya · Samuel L. Jackson · Angelina Jolie · Michael Jordan · Martha Stewart · George Lucas
Professional Affiliations
Nikon Ambassador
SanDisk Ambassador