Get to Know Artist Corey Smith!

Corey Smith is an Indianapolis based photographer and urban adventurer who specializes in aerial, abandoned, and cityscape photography. Follow him on Instagram and check out his work on www.coreycaptures.com!

Tell us a little bit about how you got into photography/videography. How long have you been shooting?

Photography started for me in late 2016 when a buddy of mine invited me to go to a local photography meetup. I was hesitant at first but decided to tag along. I shot with only an iPhone at the time, but right after the meetup I got online and purchased a Canon t6i and a nifty fifty. From there I started exploring, rooftopping, and adventuring.

What crazy project do you want to tackle next?

I actually have been getting more into video over the past two months and have started a YouTube channel, which is extremely fun and really makes you get creative to come up with content that will be entertaining to your viewers. That being said, growing on a new platform, coming out of my shell, and just growing as a creator overall is my project goal of 2019. I want to land more clients for photo and video to potentially turn my passion into a career.

What message or advice do you have for young creatives just starting out?

Just to get out there and shoot every single day. If you can't go out every day, shoot portraits, product shots, etc inside your house to just learn the basics of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. You won't learn unless you make mistakes. Everything in photography is trial and error. Do not think you have to have the best gear to take the best photos either. It is all about your mindset and creativity. Think outside the box and create the art you enjoy.

Who inspires you to create; where do you draw your inspiration from?

Oh gosh! That is a good, but tough question. Honestly, the community of photographers that I engage with and the people who show me support are my biggest inspiration. Reading all the positive comments and DM's on Instagram really motivates me to continue creating and doing what I love. I have a lot of photographers that I really look up to that have made what they love doing into their career and grind every day to grow and create.

Some of those friends are Alex Qian (@_alexqian), Larry Bommarito (@sekondtry), Gabriel Desanti (@gabriel.desanti), Jon Burkey (@jonburkey), Evan Ranft (@evanranft), and literally so many others. Those few though put so much work into their photos/video and its showing. They are continuously improving their craft and showing the world that you can truly turn your passion for what you love into a career which has been BEYOND inspiring.

Explain some hardships you’ve experienced as a creator.

There are SO many times that I get in an editing rut, photo shooting rut, and just an overall depressed state of mind when it comes to creating. It is at those times that I have to tell myself to step back a little bit and focus my mind on other things. It helps rejuvenate my thought process and clears my mind. All photographers I am sure are able to relate to that. A lot of people believe that we go out, shoot, come home, and have hundreds of photos on standby ready to edit and share. In all reality, I can go out, shoot 400+ photos, and then come home with maybe a solid 10-15 that I will call shareable or worth editing. I have gone on weekend trips, shot all day/night and maybe only came out with 5 photos that I personally liked. We don't always catch the shots we envision, but it’s always worth the effort to try.

What is your ideal career path and your end goal in this creative community/industry?

Ideally.....I want to turn this passion into my career. Whether that's shooting products, portraits, videos, etc. Heck, I will do it all. I enjoy the creative process and putting my spin of creativity onto a photo or video. Seeing the end result is the best feeling, regardless of if others don't like it. At the end of the day, if you're happy with your work, that's ultimately what matters most.

When you are out shooting—how much of it is instinctual versus planned?

I would say 70/30. I go out a lot and just wing it, but there are other times that I have a photo in mind, but it truly depends on the type of light, sky, subjects, etc.

Do you take any lighting or extra equipment with you on when going on a shoot?

Everything I currently shoot is natural light. I plan on getting a flash, trigger, and softbox very soon since I have been getting more into portraits over the past several months.

Aside from photography/videography, are there other artists such as, writers, music, architects, or philosophers, that inspire your work?

I can't really pinpoint any other type of artists that inspire my work, but music has a big impact on how I edit and look at an image/scene during the creative process. When it comes to shooting video, Evan Ranft and Peter McKinnon are my biggest inspirations. I can relate a lot with Evan Ranft when it comes to Street Photography and video. Of course, Peter McKinnon...who doesn't he inspire, right? His work and personality are top notch, not to mention his tutorials have made a MASSIVE impact on me and has shown me so much in the creative world.

Are there any clichés in photography/videography that you actively steer away from in your work?

Yes, I used to be all about getting that 'Instagram" banger, whether that was using a lensball, bokeh raindrops, shooting cliche locations, etc. Yes, sometimes I will shoot some bokeh shots or popular locations, but its all about your unique perspective. Switch it up, be creative, and think outside the norm! Do not go to a spot and replicate the EXACT angle and edit. I understand some locations can only be shot in a certain way, but use different focal lengths or add a subject into the frame. I can't tell you how many times I have taken a shot that I saw on Instagram, but added a 70-200 perspective to it or added a person in the frame to switch it up. It adds personality to the image. Overall, avoid cliches as much as possible. I know those Instagram bangers are cool looking and might get you tons of likes, features. and follows, but think different and expand your creativity past the norm. Trust me, you will be more satisfied with the outcome.

Describe the art community where you live.

It's.....different. There are a lot of cliques in the photography scene in Indianapolis. We have a TON of photographers here, but everyone seems to stay to themselves and their close friends. Not a ton of networking across the community, which is kind of sad. I have been talking with some local creatives about getting a quarterly meetup together to help the community grow and come together as creatives. It will be rewarding for all photographers to network and grow together.

What’s something about you that would surprise our readers?

Well, a lot of people do not know probably that I am actually a Father to the best son ever! His name is Rylan and he is 7 years old. He is everything to me and motivates me daily to keep grinding to make my dreams come true. I do not know where I would be without my little buddy!

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