Ali Smith is…
a portrait and documentary photographer relocated to the UK from her home of New York City where she has worked consistently for years. She’s a regular shooter for The Guardian, The Observer, The New Review, The New York Times and other publications internationally. She’s shot advertising and promotional campaigns for Rimmel, Disney, Johnson&Johnson and many others, and has released two critically acclaimed books of photography. The most recent, Momma Love; How the Mother Half Lives, won two international book awards, was featured by The NY Times (and others), activist Gloria Steinem called it a gift to moms, and photographer Amy Arbus deemed it “essential.”
Ali has taught, lectured, and exhibited internationally, including at The International Center of Photography, New York University, School of Visual Arts, Alfred University and Milk Studios in a show curated by David LaChapelle. She designed and taught a photography course to teenaged girls for Tarana Burke’s Girls for Gender Equity and Step Up Women’s Network. Helping young women find and respect their voices through photography is a passion of Ali’s.
Ali’s personal work centers on gender equality and environmentalism. A grant from The Puffin Foundation financed her completing a project about incarcerated mothers in a maximum security prison. Her two books—Laws of the Bandit Queens (Three Rivers Press) and Momma Love (Thunder Baby Press)—both focus on women’s equality. She’s written about motherhood and medical marijuana for The New York Times and The Guardian, and published a series of articles about climate change for The Village Voice.
A memoir about Ali’s years as a touring musician will be released by Blackstone Publishing, January 2024. You can hear some of her music here and here and find some writing here, here here and here. (Please reach out for other writing samples.)