a.leigh smith

Pelton Dam

2012-02-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

Photos from August 2010, taken with an Olympus OM-1

Space is the Place

2012-02-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

Photos from July 2010, taken with an Olympus OM-1 and a Diana+

Dog Mountain

2012-02-14T01:43:00.000-08:00

Photos from November 2010 taken at Dog Mountain, Washington with an Olympus OM-1 and provia cross-processed.

Mackay, Idaho

2012-02-13T00:44:00.000-08:00

These photos are from June 2010 taken with an Olympus OM-1 and a Diana+

FROM VENICE TO JOSHUA TREE

2012-02-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

I spent last weekend in California and it was absolutely amazing. It was a such a wild blur of adventures jam packed into three days that it took seeing the photos to remember all the details. We stayed in Marina Del Mar/Venice Beach the first night where we ate at the most delicious food and drank fancy champagne. Venice is absolutely beautiful! I was mesmerized by the oranges growing in the yards of the cutest bungalows and the smell of salt water as we walked down to the beach. Then we headed off to Joshua Tree and made it just in time for a quick evening shoot before the sun set over the rocky, desert mountains. Went back to the hotel and after hot-tubbing it for a bit, headed off to Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace for some burgers, blues and whiskey. Next morning we headed over to Queen Acres, loaded up the truck and had a wild, old desert cowboy named Jim Queen drive us out to Coyote Hole. Even in his giant 4-wheel truck, we got stuck in the sand and all 8 of had to push that beast of truck out of the hole. We pulled up to a pathway through the sand with towering rock walls on each side that became more narrow the further you walked until it finally came to an end. We set up all our shit and shot till the moon lit the sky. Afterwards we went back to Pappy and Harriet's where Skye and I demolished a whole rack of ribs, then we all headed back to the hot tub for our last night in Joshua Tree where we met two crazy old broads who break into hotel hot tubs on the regular. I had an underwater camera so we all decided to swim in the pool and take some photos, but it's February in the desert... We all lined up along the pool's edge, jumped in, and immediately jumped right back out screaming our heads off as we ran back to the hot tub. A security guard quickly showed up and kicked us all out. Woke up bright and early Monday morning and headed back over to Queen's ranch. Jim was waiting for us in his hot tub drinking a mug full of something he claimed would put hair on my chest. As everyone was getting ready, cowboy Jim - wearing nothing but a robe and a mug of booze, took me for a little ride in his 1960's-something bright red pick-up truck after showing me around his beautiful desert ranch compound. He pretty much floored it right when we got on the main road, windows down, bombing down this hill, holding his mug of booze as he took sharp turns, then showed me this crazy rock house he called the Flinstone's place. Then we all headed out in the pick-up and horse trailer with his sweetheart ranch-hand Robert. After the shoot we left Joshua Tree and headed back to LA with 4 of us crammed in the back seat with bellies full of a delicious breakfast. After burritos in Santa Monica we headed out to the airport and I was sad to say goodbye to the City of Angels. It was a weekend that I'll remember forever, an amazing opportunity with an amazing group of people I hope to spend more time with again soon.

Shot with an Olympus XA with Kodak Ektar 100

The Grotto

2012-02-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Photos from the Grotto: the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, Our Lady of Lavang & Ed's House of Gems. Taken with an Olympus XA with redscale negative film and an Olympus OM-1with Portra 400.

Sister of Reparation

2012-02-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Shot with an Olympus OM-1 & Olympus XA with velvia 100 and portra 400.
Wardrobe provided by: Ray's Ragtime Vintage
Styled by: Sarah Baker
HMUA: Sophia Sandoval
Model: Danica Molenaar

San Diego Summer

2012-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

Two summers ago I went to San Diego with my best friend Marissa. We stayed at her parent's aaaaamazing house in Ramona out in the hilly desert. Their house is the coolest house I've ever seen. It's a giant disc on stilts perched among an avocado farm and desert landscape with a porch that wraps around the whole thing. The inside is decorated with beautiful tile floors with colorful walls and art, many of which was painted by her super talented mother Susan Bainbridge. She also teaches art to kids and for a few days we got to hang out in the sun and make art with kiddos. It ruled.

We laid out at the beach, went to museums, shot guns at tomatoes, and ate way too much mexican food. It was a wonderful trip and I'm looking forward to heading back south to Cali this weekend when I fly to LA and head out to Joshua Tree. One of my favorite parts was driving out to Salvation Mountain and the Salton Sea. It was August and over 100 degrees. Some are shot with a Diana and the others with my Olympus OM-1.

Interviews

2012-02-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

Recently I was interviewed by two really rad blogs. One was for some friends of mine Danica Molenaar and Robert Khasho (who are both amazing artists as well) and their blog Magic Brotherhood. See the interview here. Another was for Gold Rebel. I had never seen Sophia's blog before, but she has had the opportunity to interview some other artists that I've admired over the years so I'm super stoked to be apart of it. Check it out!
<3

BEST OF 2011

2012-01-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

2011 was a year filled with some pretty monumental changes in my life; some for the better and some for the worse. It was definitely a year I will never forget. From January to December, these are some of my favorite photos and most memorable moments of 2011. Some are film, some digital and some taken with my phone. Some were taken by me, others by friends.

Painted Hills

2012-01-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

A few friends and I took off the other day into the desert of eastern Oregon. We headed to Painted Hills, which is part of the John Day Fossil Beds (which are full of fossil remains of early horses, camels and rhinoceroses). A few miles northwest of Mitchell, Oregon, Painted Hills is named after the colorful layers of its hills that correspond to various geological eras, formed when the area was an ancient river floodplain. The black soil is lignite that was a vegetative matter that grew along the floodplain. The grey coloring is mudstone, siltstone and shale. The red is laterite soil that formed by floodplain deposits when the area was warm and humid. It was desolate and spectacular: the photos definitely don't do it justice. Shot with an Olympus XA.

The town of Mitchell, Oregon

Shot with an Olympus XA and Provia 100 cross-processed

CRYSTAL VISIONS ::::: SH+LS

2012-01-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

Another amazing day and shoot with the babes of sugarhigh+lovestoned with Skye Sengelmann channeling the beautiful and magical Stevie Nicks. Shot with an Olympus OM-1 using special effect filters at Trade Studios. Styled/Produced by Tami Snodgrass, with hair and make-up by Shontelle Vincent, and with the set/photo assistant/help of Marissa Winder who saved the day literally multiple times. <3

BEHIND THE SCENES: SH+LS

2012-01-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

Some photos+video from behind the scenes for the ⟐◈⟐ D△Y DRE△M BELIEVER ⟐◈⟐ and the

☾ CRYSTAL VISIONS ☾ shoot for sugarhigh + lovestoned.

⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢⥤◈⥢

SEE BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO HERE

S U G A R H I G H + L O V E S T O N E D

2012-01-07T00:18:00.000-08:00

When Tami Snodgrass emailed me to see if I'd like to collaborate together on a shoot for her and her partner Chloe Chippendale's clothing line Sugarhigh+Lovestoned I was beyond elated. Not only did these chicks and their line look badass, but I had long been admiring their previous lookbooks with the super talented photogs Tamara Lichenstein and Davis Ayer. I feel so lucky to have been able to work with these two super rad babes.

Shot with film by Amanda Smith with an Olympus OM-1 at my friend's beautiful home in Portland.

Styled/Produced: Tami Snodgrass with Sarah Baker

Models: Jessica Smith, Skye Sengelmann & Aaron Felton

HMUA: Sophia Sandoval

Mushroom Hunt

2011-12-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

Some buds and I took a day trip up to Fort Steven's State Park and Astoria. It was truly an amazing day. Shot with an Olympus XA with Provia 100 cross-processed.

BLOUSE

2011-12-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

So pumped that the babes from Blouse wanted to work together on promo photos for their band.

Photographed/Produced by: Amanda Smith at Trade Studios; Styled by Sarah Baker; Hair: Kim Namanny, MUA: Angela McIlvain

/////BLOUSE TOUR DATES\\\\\

And they were so rad to use one of my photos from another shoot for the mixtape they put together for Dazed Digital! <3

Winter

2011-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: Donna Summer

2011-11-17T23:14:00.000-08:00

Donna Summer :: Spring Affair, 1976

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

(Donna Summer with Giorgio Moroder)

It's Autumn

2011-11-13T01:20:00.000-08:00

Styled by Sarah Baker

Hair & Make-up by Shontelle Vincent

Models: Sofie Buck & Sophia Soqui

Shot with an Olympus OM-1 by Amanda Smith

Artist Series: David Wein

2011-11-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

Concept, background, hat and vest by David Wein. Model: Adam Bulgasem. Styled by Sarah Baker. Photographed at Trade Studios by Amanda Smith with an Olympus OM-1. Click images to view large.

Artist Series: Danica Molenaar

2011-11-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

Concept & body paint by Portland artist Danica Molenaar. Models: Adam Murray & Sophia Soqui. Styled by Sarah Baker. Hair & Make-up by Shontelle Vincent. Photographed at Trade Studios by Amanda Smith with an Olympus OM-1 and Olympus XA. Click images to view large.

Backstage: Portland Garment Factory's Launch of Houseline

2011-11-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

Backstage photos of the PGF's Anniversary Party and launch of Houseline. Black and white film, shot with an olympus XA.

MS.MS. Style Portrait: Robin Hilleary

2011-10-24T23:56:00.000-07:00

Robin is truly a one of a kind gem. I had a wonderful time shooting her and her beautiful things at her home. And her little baby cat was quite the charmer...
(view @ MS.MS.)

Styling: Sarah Baker
Hair/Make-up: Shontelle Vincent

PGF’s Anniversary Party & launch of HouseLine

2011-10-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

Portland Garment Factory’s 3 year Anniversary Party & launch of HouseLine

Backstage:

FALL//WINTER

SPRING

***email if you are interested in seeing more photos or need high resolution images***

New Studio!

2011-10-17T22:29:00.000-07:00

Super excited to announce the beginnings of Smith & Baker, a new collaborative photographic/production endeavor between myself and my amazing stylist friend Sarah Baker, co-founder of MS.MS. Operating out of our new studio in NW Portland within Trade Studios, which was founded by Paige Prendergast, founder of Breeze Block Gallery and managed by the amazing artist Mark Warren Jacques. I feel so lucky to be apart of such a beautiful space with some of the most talented people I know. We have a never-ending list of exciting projects we hope to complete, many with other local artists and talents in Portland, but we hope to connect with many more.

Inspiration: Bill Cunningham

2011-10-16T00:17:00.000-07:00

"The wider world perceives fashion as sometimes a frivolity that should be done away with in the face of social upheaval... but the point is in fact that fashion is the arm to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you could do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization."

-Bill Cunningham

October, two years ago

2011-10-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

From October 2009, shot with an Olympus OM-1

(me by Natasha Henton)

TUNNELS

2011-09-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

TUNNELS shoot with Nick Bindeman :: hear music

Summer Road Trippin': New Mexico

2011-09-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

Roswell and Carlsbad, New Mexico. August 2011.

Shot with an Olympus OM-1 with Provia 100 cross-processed.

Carlsbad Caverns is probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. Super disappointed I forgot my flash and high speed film because what little came out definitely don't do the place any justice.

Summer Road Trippin': Colorado

2011-09-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

Most of these are from Colorado, but there are few from Oregon, Utah and Texas.

The Royal Gorge, Colorado Springs & Manitou Springs, Colorado: July 2011

Eastern Oregon

Ogden, Utah

Utah

Red Rocks, Denver, Colorado

Cypress, Texas

Summer Road Trippin': Texas

2011-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

The last 2 months I have driven almost 5,000 miles from Oregon to and throughout Texas. Here are a few photos from a roll of Kodak Ektar, shot with an Olympus XA.

Lamesa, Texas

Surfside Beach, Texas

Krause Springs near Austin, Texas

red and desolate

2011-07-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

slide film cross-processed from 2009

KATE BUSH TRIBUTE NIGHT AT HOLOCENE

2011-07-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

Holocene presents...

CLOUDBUST WITH US: A CELEBRATION OF KATE BUSH

Thursday July 28, 2011

In honor of Kate Bush's 53rd birthday on July 30th, Holocene has put together a birthday gift to her from Portland - an evening celebrating the art-pop goddess and her incredible body of work. Featuring live covers by: Parenthetical Girls, Neal Morgan, Lost Lander, Rocky & The Proms, Prescription Pills, The Crow in collaboration with Breakfast Mountain, Golden Spun, Ultimate Woman (Ashley from Sex Life). Dance performance by Jin Camou. Kate-centric DJ set by DJ Bill Portland. Visual art tributes by Amanda Smith, Sarah Baker, Katy Knowlton, Carlie Armstrong, and Vivian Hua.

If you live in Portland, you should definitely check this out!

Here are the tribute photoshoots Sarah Baker and I collaborated together on... Some of these will be showcased at Holocene during this event.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS:

(click link above to view video)

Model: Marrissa Winder, Styled by: Sarah Baker

BABOOSHKA:

(click link above to view video)

Model: Nouel Riel, Styled by Sarah Baker

BREATHING:

(click link above to view video)

Model: Danica Molenaar, Styled by: Sarah Baker

Much thanks to Gina Altamura at Holocene, Jacob Portrait for letting us use his studio, Nick Bindeman for lending me his lights & smoke machine, Sarah Baker for her beautiful styling, and models Marissa, Nouel and Danica! <3 a

Colorado: December 2010

2011-07-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Taken with an Olympus OM-1 and a Diana, with filters.

MS.MS. July LookBook for Animal Traffic

2011-07-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

MS.MS. July LookBook for Animal Traffic!

I was super stoked to photograph this month's lookbook with Animal Traffic. They're one of my favorite shops in Portland, and their awesome vintage stock made it super easy to channel the Taxi Driver vibes I was hoping for.

Styling: Sarah Baker
Photographer: Amanda Smith

Hair and Make-up: Angela McIlvain and Shontelle Vincent.

Models: Shontelle Vincent, Sophia Sandoval and Dan Hanson.

Bend, Oregon

2011-06-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yashica - test roll

2011-06-25T01:56:00.000-07:00

So stoked on my free (thought it was broken originally) Yashica T4. Ebay rules sometimes.

Mount Angel & Camassia

2011-06-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

From 2008. Film. Taken with a Minolta Maxxum. These are scans of prints.

Olympic Peninsula

2011-06-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

Taken with an Olympus OM-1 and Provia 100 film, then cross-processed. March 2011.

(above: me, taken by Max)

MS.MS. June LookBook for YO VINTAGE!

2011-06-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

MS.MS. June LookBook for YO VINTAGE!

(Including Outtakes)

Styling: Sarah Baker
Photographer: Amanda Smith
Hair and Make-up: Angela McIlvain
Models: Sofie Buck, Rosalie Lowe, Cara Swift.

Shot on location at Sauvie Island.