Jim Smart

I developed an interest in photography some 50 years ago when I took a high school course and made a pinhole camera, shot with a Speed Graflex, and took surfing photographs in Hermosa Beach with a 35mm Pentax. Since then I have traveled throughout the western United States and used Leicas, Hasselblads (film and digital), a Mamiya 7 medium format film camera and used many of the Canon cameras made since the 1970’s. I now shoot exclusively with Fujifilm X series digital cameras, the X-Pro1 and Ex-1. These cameras are light, and produce outstanding results, near film like images. And you can use some of the old film camera lenses, like the Minolta 58mm lens, from the 1950′s, a lens that produces amazing results.

Some images here were taken in the Mojave National Preserve where I recently was an artist in residence. I have had about half a dozen shows in Santa Ana and Hollywood, at the 29 Palms City Hall, in the main hall of the Joshua Tree Inn, and in a private gallery in the city.

I have studied under one of the premier photography teachers, Bob Killen, and highly recommend him for serious students of the art and Photoshop. He is a certified Adobe expert in the use of many of their programs. He teaches in Hollywood and Santa Ana. bobkillen.com

I teach university courses in Communication Studies and English, including basic and college-level English courses, journalism and journalistic photography, online journalism, writing for the media and PR, public speaking, interpersonal communications, rhetoric, the reporting of public affairs and investigative journalism. I currently serve as the adviser to the CSUSB university student newspaper, teaching editors journalistic procedures, photography, editing, and headline writing.

I also conduct seminars for public relations officials and foreign public information/press officials, provide counsel for executives and public officials regarding public relations issues and challenges. I have managed a media relation’s staff and department and worked for nearly 20 years as the head of media relations for the LACMTA and one of its predecessor agencies, managing a staff of professionals during construction of the first phases of the modern Los Angeles rail system. As part of a team, we raised $3 billion for the Los Angeles project.