Catherine Pittman Smith: Memory Maker Great ideas sometimes ...
Transcript of Catherine Pittman Smith: Memory Maker Great ideas sometimes ...
Catherine Pittman Smith: Memory Maker Great ideas sometimes take flight from unexpected sources. Photographer Catherine Pittman Smith took portraits of a group of friends that wanted those images made into a calendar to share; the next time, the calendar morphed into a book and so starts the story of
Art{Full} Creations. Catherine’s passion for storytelling through images burgeoned into beautiful custom coffee table books on luxury paper and presented in a lovely bookcase. Families turn to her when they want to capture an aspect of their lives and give it an intimate and unique presentation. Her client
Cathy Harvey wanted to tell the story of her Rosemary Beach house where her family had spent so much time for 10 years. “Catherine really captured the essence of the place and its memories. She is a true stylist as well – and that is huge! She set up the shots perfectly,” says Cathy. “She really understands the sentimentality of it all, capturing pictures of my
children’s artwork and the soul of the house. She gets the type of images that you would never think of yourself.” The completed book will also include photos of the family and their friends, notes Cathy. “The process can be as collaborative as you want,” says Catherine. “Telling the right story is very important to me, and it is a process discovering how best to tell that story. Some clients are very involved in each aspect while others give me more free reign, but everyone sees the final images and layout before the book is printed.” These thoughtfully created books are a most unique gift, but they don’t happen without a lot of effort and tenaciousness. For some projects, the clients want to capture their family home in all four seasons and at the most advantageous times of day, so Catherine commits to being up at all hours and in all kind of weather to realize the images that will fulfill her client’s dreams. Catherine is also very gifted at creating images of unexpected details, glimpses into life on the farm, beach, lake or anywhere. Current client Spencer South is having Catherine document his family’s
circa 1839 farm near Gallion. “The photos she sent to me so far are nothing that I would have been able to capture. She really has a gift,” says Spencer. “What appears ordinary to the naked eye, I capture on film, revealing a more personal and far deeper meaning – without distraction,” says Catherine. When someone unwraps such a personal presentation, the results are sometimes known to bring tears. “When someone calls and says there were ‘tears and tissues’, I know I have done my job.”
“She is also very intuitive and sensitive which allows her to capture authentic pictures of people,” say Kelly Hulsey who had two books made (one for her parents and
one for her in-‐ laws) full of family photos in her gardens. “She picks up on people’s relationships in a very natural way -‐ the kids were playing, everyone was talking, but she coordinated
everything and made everyone so comfortable.”
Apart from photographing homes and families, Catherine will take any idea and run with it. She documented life at the University of Alabama on the campus, around town and especially the thrill of game day football even gaining access on the sidelines. The results were a photo mélange of all things Crimson Tide for Tricia Holbrook who gave it as a gift to her avid fan of a husband. “Catherine was amazingly thoughtful and creative in coming up with ideas for my University of
Alabama book for my husband. She spent a lot of time capturing places that were there when Jim was in college, even going so far as getting a picture of his old composite in the Phi Gam house,” says Tricia.
No matter what you do with Catherine, it will be an enjoyable experience for sure. “She is so much fun to be with. It was a great collaboration. I can’t recommend her enough,” effuses Cathy. “She is so joyful and personal,” adds Kelly. If you are interested in making memories the Art{Full} way, contact Catherine at 205.492.3350 or [email protected]
Alice Welsh Doyle n June 2014