A Leap of Faith

What Makes It Great? / Featured / May 24, 2023

By Elin Spring

Some of the world’s most influential photographers have sprung from the fashion industry and Rodney Smith (1947-2016) ranks among them. While his name may not be as familiar as Irving Penn or Richard Avedon, his distinctive images are instantly recognizable. Playful and alluring, sophisticated and stylish, Rodney Smith’s trendsetting photographs belie his complex and unsettled character. A radiant retrospective of his work is being celebrated in “A Leap of Faith” solo exhibition at Robert Klein Gallery in Boston through June 30^th, 2023 and in the book recently published by J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

EDYTHE AND ANDREW KISSING ON TOP OF TAXIS, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 2008, BY RODNEY SMITH, COURTESY OF ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY, BOSTON.

TWINS IN TREE, SNEDENS LANDING, NEW YORK, 1999, BY RODNEY SMITH, COURTESY OF ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY, BOSTON.

While it has been the reaction of many an artist to exorcise a troubled childhood or process difficult circumstances with wrenching images, Rodney Smith sought light, order and beauty to soothe his soul. While studying at the Yale Divinity School, he became enamored of photography and studied with Walker Evans there. This diverted his career choice, first to photojournalism, then portraiture, and eventually to fashion photography. In all genres, Smith’s exacting disposition was reflected in his devotion to technical mastery – especially Ansel Adams’ Zone System – while his questioning intellect and empathetic nature was echoed in the philosophical depth of his images.

JAMES IN INNER TUBE WITH DUCK, LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK, 2006, BY RODNEY SMITH, COURTESY OF ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY, BOSTON.

SAORI ON SEA PLANE WING NO. 2, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 2010, BY RODNEY SMITH, COURTESY OF ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY, BOSTON.

The magnetic charm of a Rodney Smith photograph may glide across its surface, but deeper meaning is rooted in subtle paradoxes that mirror competing cravings for stability and excitement. Smith’s settings are stunning and structured, often exploiting natural surroundings and ambient light, which imbue his scenes with a soothing sense of order. His model subjects are equally gorgeous, further romanticized with his signature positioning, gestures and props. While Smith showcased clothing to its best advantage, it was his implication of a lifestyle both elusive and desirable that attracted his commissions and infused his personal work.

WOMAN WITH HAT BETWEEN HEDGES, PARC DE SCEAUX, FRANCE, 2004, BY RODNEY SMITH, COURTESY OF ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY, BOSTON.

The longer you look, the broader a range of moods is revealed. Against consistently opulent backdrops, Smith’s subjects enact quiet contemplation, reverie, curiosity, élan, humor, or passion – and often an athleticism the photographer himself lacked. It is rather remarkable that Smith’s agonizing precision and exacting technique produced such a sense of spontaneity, fun and delicious wit. His complexity is indeed embedded in each nuanced photograph, every one, Rodney Smith’s symbolic leap of faith aspiring to a lightness of being.