Photo of Marvell Smith

I wanted my first blog in Tampa to be about our vacation and relocation but I felt I needed to do this first.

As a photographer, I look for inspiration everywhere. In the winter of 2011, I was introduced to the work of Marvell Smith by my friend Jennifer. Jennifer was looking to get family portraits done in the Spring and mentioned that her good friend in Utah was also a photographer. Most photographers have a second job and Vell was no different. He worked as a parole officer when he wasn't taking pictures. Now, I collect photography links like a kid might collect Pokeman. As I visited his page and flipped through his pictures, I noticed something different. A good picture isn't just about the composition, colors, or sharpness. Vell had that in spades. What set Vell apart was emotion. You could feel it coming out of his pictures. Vell had that and so much more. 

In 2012, Marvell Smith was named Utah's Wedding Photographer of the Year. An honor he truly deserved. I talked to him a bit through social media and he was always friendly, helpful, humble, and appreciative, even when he didn't know me personally. When I told him that his posing class was posted on the website fstoppers, he couldn't contain his excitement. Through the video of him giving a class on posing, you could tell how much he loved his job and this industry. Vell was willing to share his secrets with complete strangers, something that inspired me to do the same. Vell's love of people made his clients want hire him. People hired him as a photographer not knowing that he would also become their lifelong friend.

On the morning of 18 September 2013, Marvell Smith tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident. I didn't know if I really wanted to do pursue this photography "thing" anymore. After hearing this news, I knew I should never stop. Vell never stopped.

The photography community has joined together and volunteered to edit and shoot all of Marvell's remaining weddings and photo shoots at no cost. That alone says everything you need to know about Vell.

Marvell leaves behind 2 sons, a 7th and 10th grader. My thoughts are with them in this difficult moment. As the days pass by, I hope they remember how great of a person their father was and how he inspired thousands of photographers and thousands of people. I hope they remember how hundreds of couples have his pictures hanging on their walls and how those pictures will get passed down from their children to their children's children. He may not be here physically, but he'll never be gone. That's the beauty of a photograph. Memories may fade but a moment captured is forever. Marvell Smith will inspire forever.

If you would like to see more of Marvell's work, please visit the links below.

http://www.facebook.com/vellvetimages

http://www.vellvetimages.com/#/home--utah-wedding-photographer/

http://blog.vellvetimages.com/

Thank you for taking a moment to read this. Much love to you all.

- Michael