Open your eyes…

London based photographer, Dan Tobin Smith, would appear as a man who has successfully managed to avoid any and nearly all main stream publicity.  In fact, if you were to Google his name, maybe one or two actual written articles would come up and the rest would be blogs which feature his work and chat about his visual genius.  And, as your search proves unsuccessful, you might find yourself wondering why it is that a man who captures with his glass eye some of the most tangible,poignant, and visually stimulating photos would choose to remain an introverted mole; a modern day Degas, constantly developing and molding his craft.  But, the truth is, that in this case, a picture does tell a thousand words…

When you look at Tobin’s artwork, and yes, I believe his Photographs are a work of art, all that you wanted to know about him can be extracted from his photos.  If you were to closely observe his still life photographs, like the one above, you would learn that Tobin is precise, with a sharp eye for detail and unfailing taste.  He is not afraid to take chances and he is able to think outside of the box. Which, in my opinion, is one the more important attributes associated with an artist.  You must be able to throw caution to the wind and forget about your primary schooling.  You must take the tools which your instructors have given to you and be able to mold them to your own style.  Yes, take their critiques, take their classic technique, but no, do not make these teachings the soul of your art.  Classic training is your base, your fallback when you find yourself struggling to express your ideas.  It’s your backbone and as an artist and you can’t let yourself be ruled by it.  And, well, to end my rant, that is essentially what Dan Tobin Smith is able to do.  He is able to express himself, his ideas, his emotions through his pictures without letting prior training or outside influences disturb his work.  And that, my friends, is all you REALLY need to know about Tobin.

And if you find yourself somehow not satisfied with his still life, then perhaps you will appreciate his long list of credentials.  Tobin has shot for Nike, Absolut, Malibu Rum, Visa, Coca Cola, Bacardi, Sony, and Orange in major campaigns.  He also is a frequent contributer for Wallpaper Magazine and for all you music lovers, Tobin contributed the cover art for Jay Z’s latest hit album, Blueprint 3 (Released July 2009).  Watch the video below to see all the hard work that goes into a high profile photography shoot and watch as Tobin uses paint, not a photoshop program, to create brilliant color!  To see more of Tobin’s vivacious color use, take a look at his Letter Series, which he is continually working on!