Born and raised in New York, Brian became a professional photographer by a less than traditional route, the former pro athlete and model caught the eye of legendary photographer Herb Ritts, who became his friend and mentor. Since then, his work has featured in numerous publications such as Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, Instyle and Elle. Brian’s photographic style can be described as a careful fusion of a keen technical eye with a serendipitous spirit.
Biography
Born and raised in New York, Brian became a professional photographer by a less than traditional route, the former pro athlete and model caught the eye of legendary photographer Herb Ritts, who became his friend and mentor.
Since then, his work has featured in numerous publications such as Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, Instyle and Elle. Brian has worked frequently with celebrity clients such as, Cindy Crawford, Kourtney Kardashian, and Samuel L Jackson, and has also partnered with actress Eva Longoria for her Tequila brand Casa del Sol.
Brian’s photographic style can be described as a careful fusion of a keen technical eye with a serendipitous spirit. His works emit an aura of timelessness with their often classical appearance, yet they are filled with a sense of soul and human connection, a quality unique to Brian’s photographic approach.
Brian lives in Los Angeles with his wife and young son and when he’s not shooting, you will find him surfing, snowboarding, or riding his motorcycle, always living life to the fullest.
His recent exhibitions include, Drivebys and Angels at the St Barth Photo Festival 2021, One at Malibu Lumber Yard, 2019, De Re Gallery at Art Miami 2016 and De Re Gallery at Art Southampton 2016.
“Get people to welcome you into their soul, that is what photography is”
— Brian Bowen Smith
Our Notes
“ Starting his career in a less than traditional way, the former pro-athlete and model turned photographer, Brian Bowen Smith, caught the eye of legendary 20th century photographer Herb Ritts who became his mentor and helped him find his photographic style. Brian’s personal character cannot be separated from his works, he is a person of high energy with a deep love for life and trust in the process, it is this attitude towards life and his spontaneous creative imagination that set his works apart. Brian’s photographs are known for their human connection, as an extremely caring and loving person Brian draws character from his subjects through the relationships he forms with them, relationships that he sees as crucial to the process.
However, Brian’s free-spirited nature is fiercely tamed by his careful combination of technical skill and pre-production planning. Although his works often appear beautifully candid and relaxed, Brian’s images certainly do not occur by chance, his shoots are meticulously planned and organized from the location, clothing, and even down to the exact minute of when the sun will move. There is also often a clear sense of classic photography in Brian’s images as they are often credited with a timeless appearance, perhaps a reflection of his time spent studying from Ritts.
The versatility of Brian’s photographic skill and breadth of his oeuvre spans from elegant and classic studio nudes in his Metallic series, to his almost documentary-like shots on the road in Drivebys, and further to his celebrity portfolio of staged cinematic shots.
Brian’s list of celebrity clientele is expansive, working with names such as Cindy Crawford, Samuel L Jackson, Kourtney Kardashian, Reece Witherspoon and more. ”
