Richard Paine Smith

Richard Paine Smith Photographer, Photo Editor & Graphic Designer

Richard has been a photographer for 30 years, initially, in 1980, he worked as a civilian for the British Army doing reconnaissance, battle camps and PR. He then worked as a photographer for Criterion Studios. After moving to London he trained as a junior photographer at Sky Studios. One of the larger fashion studios in the early 1980’s.

Whilst working as a model for Lanvin, he met Gian Paolo Barbieri, one of the most celebrated fashion photographers of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, who took Richard on as an intern, which was his introduction into fashion photography. From this he then he became a fashion week named photographer in the 1980’s, travelling the world on campaigns for many high-end retail brands and magazines.

Richard still undertakes contracts to this day, however, in recent years he has built a name for creating government tourism office photo libraries, especially in The Caribbean, The United States, Oman, The Middle East and The Indian Ocean, where he has compiled libraries comprising all aspects of tourism related subject matter including aerial and underwater.

Today he works on modelling portfolio's for newcomers to the industry and commercial work for fashion and retail brands.

ICONIC - THE BOOK PROJECT. With friend John Stoddart

Richard is now focusing on photography as an artform and has managed to develop a photo library from his worldwide travels, work in the fashion industry, magazines, advertising/marketing for high-end retail brands, commercial, architectural and portraiture.
Richard has now embarked on a new book project entitled 'ICONIC'. A book which focuses on the women that inspired millions during the 1980's and 1990's. This is a two year project with an anticipated launch at the end of 2023. With fellow photographer John Stoddart, the aim is to include in the region of 44 iconic women in a 12inch x 12inch hard back, coffee table style book, sold globally and published by Clearview books.

Exhibitions featuring the images of these amazing ladies in New York, Los Angeles and London will be used to launch the book as part of a PR campaign. In addition, a televised series entitled, 'A day in the life' will follow the photographers and spend a day with the each celebrity as a documentary of the making of the book

Today he works on modelling portfolio's for newcomers to the industry and commercial work for fashion and retail brands.

Image of Jerry Hall by John Stoddart

Look through the lens and

'See the bigger picture' with Richard Paine Smith

'Stoned'

Mixup of images