Through photography, video direction and graphic design, Eric J. Smith has a knack for creating content that resonates. With work published, broadcast and shared by millions of people, Eric builds brands while shining a light on the most pressing issues of our time. With a discerning eye and a powerful set of creative tools, Eric’s award-winning storytelling evokes a sense of dynamism and timelessness. A former SVP of Content & Creative at the social good division of CBS, Eric is now sole proprietor of his multidisciplinary content & design studio which services small and medium sized businesses as well as nonprofits across the country.
FEATURED PROJECTS
Eric photographed ten of the premiere properties on the Las Vegas Strip for VICI Properties, a New York based Real Estate Investment Trust. Featured properties include the Venetian, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay. The photographs are now part of VICI's content library and will be used for marketing purposes and investor relations.
Eric photographed Fox 11’s Chief Meteorologist Adam Krueger and his family for the cover and feature of the May/June 2025 issue of L.A. Parent Magazine. The shoot took place at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California.
VIDEO: Lexus “Beautify Earth Campaign: Adrian Wong“
Director: Eric J. Smith, Agency: Team One, Production Company: Givewith, Client: Lexus
Eric directed a series of digital shorts for the launch of the Lexus UX200. Targeting Gen Z urban dwellers, the auto company partnered with a nonprofit called Beautify Earth that supports local mural artists. The series features three artists who drive the UX200 across Los Angeles as they create their murals.
Regenerative Social Finance is an impact-first financial services organization revolutionizing the meaning of money. RSF envisions a world where all people have the power to use their money to regenerate people, communities, and the planet. Eric created the organization’s new identity “Interconnectedness” which utilizes a woven transparent burst as a metaphor for innovation and ideas. The main form is the Kanji shape for human which has been duplicated and repeated to reference a community. This burst is intertwined with line work that stands for earth and sky – people working together in harmony for a healthy environment and a better world.
Music Will is a nonprofit that transforms the lives of children by uplifting music education. For more than two decades, Music Will has provided access to music education to over a million students who might not have otherwise had access in their schools. These programs teach students popular genres such as rock, pop, R&B, Latin, rap, and country, along with styles found in typical school programs such as classical and jazz. Eric has been photographing Music Will's events and celebrity school visits for over ten years. The most recent shoots have included Tom Morello, Idina Menzel, and Kenneth “Baby Face” Edmunds, Taj Mahal, Josh Groban, Andra Day and Rhiannon Giddens.
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It's known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. Eric traveled to the Moremi Game Reserve which occupies the east and central areas of the region. Here, dugout canoes are used to navigate past hippos, elephants and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos. From the air, the animals navigate the waterways of this unique landscape.
Eric photographed protests against the Trump Administration which drew over 40,000 people to Downtown Los Angeles. Musicians Neil Young, Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers headlined the event for speakers Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
NEWS
Eric's aerial photograph of the massive Potash evaporation ponds in Moab, Utah was selected for inclusion in LACP's annual members exhibition. The show, entitled “Conflict,” was curated by Anne Massoni, Executive Director of the Houston Center of Photography. The exhibition was on display at LACP's gallery in downtown Los Angeles.
“BEARING WITNESS”
“Bearing Witness: The Photographs of Eric J. Smith“ is Eric's first book, chronicling his assignments and world travels during a ten year span from 2010 to 2020. “Bearing Witness” is a selection of Eric's very best photographs and makes a meaningful gift.