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 around the world, 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 the CBS Corporation, 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
VICI Properties: The Venetian, Las Vegas
Eric photographed the famed Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip for VICI Properties, the New York based Real Estate Investment Trust. The images of the property, which include restaurants, theaters, public interior spaces, exteriors and aerials, are now part of a photo library that will be used for investor communications and marketing endeavors. Eric also photographed VICI's other Las Vegas properties which can be viewed on the Case Studies page.
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.
BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN: RSF
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.
PHOTO SERIES: STUDIES IN MOVEMENT
Eric photographed actor and dancer Jacob Bowers in LA's Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve. The initiative is the beginning of a fine art series of local artist portraiture.
PHOTO SERIES: LA ProtestS
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.
PHOTO SERIES: “60 Minutes” with Bill Whitaker
As a part of “My CBS Journey,” the diversity initiative at CBS, Eric photographed acclaimed journalist Bill Whitaker at the New York office of “60 Minutes,” the longest running and most watched news magazine on television.
BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN: KINDERSYSTEMS
KinderSystems is a software company that creates products for childcare providers to remain subsidy compliant with state agencies. With a new name, the company needed a new graphic identity designed to reflect the importance of supporting pre-k learners. Eric designed a new symbol that consists of a letter K rotated 90 degrees to reveal a child reading a book. The bright color palette maintains sophistication while appealing to the childcare market. This video introduction features company leadership as well as a KinderSystems client who runs a childcare center in California.
VIDEO: Envase Technologies
Director: Eric J. Smith, Clients: Envase Technologies & Firmament
PHOTO SERIES: MUSIC WILL
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.
PHOTO SERIES: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S HOLLYHOCK HOUSE
Eric photographed Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece Hollyhock House in Los Feliz. As in all of Wright’s homes, the attention to detail and integration of furniture is stunningly beautiful.
NEWS
“Conflict” Los Angeles Center of Photography Members’ Exhibition 2024
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.
First Place “THRESHOLDS” EXHIBITION, Los Angeles Center of Photography 2024
Eric's photograph of the Griffith Observatory has been awarded First Place in the exhibition “Thresholds 2024: Photography and Architecture.” The exhibition was curated by Crista Dix, Executive Director of the Griffin Museum of Photography. The exhibition was held at the Helms Bakery Design Center in Culver City, California.
“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.