Justin Smith Studio

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Manifest - Los Angeles

Photographer

My best work for brands comes when they hire me for me, so to speak. What does this mean? Many times in advertising, some folks at an agency or internal with a brand see your work and hire you based on it, but somewhere along the journey, their Pinterest board vision becomes what they want you to put a lens to versus the lens they hired. 100% of the time, that work sucks, they get replaced wherever they are eventually, and you never get an honest shot with the right folks at that agency or brand. That's not how the team at Creative X, Fortune Brands' internal agency, work. They're fucking rockstars, and they do what most places don't with their partners: COLLABORATE.

Working alongside Creative Director Heather Dumford, we’ve started to create a world for multiple lines of products within the Fortune catalog. This production is ongoing, and we are building a library of imagery for a more significant launch.

The location, the crew, and the client were all tip-top for this! Here’s some of our WIP:

Howdy, I'm Justin Smith. I work as a Creative Director for Wray Ward, overseeing their Studio offering. However, I also collaborate with other production companies across the country as a freelancer, offering my services as a Director, DP, and Photographer. If you're a nice client, I'll also handle post.

Most thirty-something, bearded, tattooed white guys with cameras will tell you that they're experts in bringing your brand to life through their unique lens and storytelling.

Damn, that's my pitch as well.

But, with decades of experience, I've formed relationships with top production crews in the US and beyond. In collaboration with clients and teams, I've been given a few regional and national trophies for my efforts in my field, which serve as great bookends!

Outside of my own weird brain, I like to tap into agency teams that help me formulate the right message rooted in insights so that the outcome of our work together is thoughtful and powerful. Most importantly, it resonates with audiences and helps build your brand.

With comfort shooting in the Studio or out in the trenches, I've earned the trust of a few of the following folks: Budweiser, Harley Davidson, Marriott, Moen, Sonos, and many more.