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Russell Smith

Film & Photography

Russell Smith

I was born in Hartlepool during the 1977 “Summer of Punk”

I grew up surrounded by mass de-industrialisation….on an industrial scale. The Coal Mines were closing, the Ship Yards fell silent, the factories were mothballed, and the once mighty Heartbeat of North-East Industry was rapidly consumed by mass unemployment, social degradation, social decay and dwindling hope and health.

The late 80’s seemed to have a permanent grey cloud looming over the entire North East. Then in 1990, aged 13, Italia 90 and Acid House crept into my tiny box room, in our three bedroom Semi-Detached house, providing mind altering music, mind blowing art, an introduction to new culture, brand new fashions…..and drugs. The summer of KLF, Gazza’s tears, Adidas shell suits and a 16th of Blow brought a wonderful technicolour opportunity.

Fast forward 3 decades and I’ve just completed an M.A. in Film and Photography with a multi-award winning Documentary in the can. And my love for music, art, fashion, film making and exploration has never been stronger. After years in the murky wilderness of corporate bullshit, rate races and dealing with people you genuinely despise, I turned my back on it and decided to get back to what really turned me on.

I never stopped buying records, I never stopped going to gigs. At times I had the typical response of, “they just sound like a bad My Bloody Valentine”, but the passion never dies. After hitting and shooting a few festivals, getting in amongst some pretty tight knit, hardcore local communities, and photographing Drug Dealers in Portugal, I realised I was finally doing what I love.

The music has changed, yet it stays the same. I sat on stage with Oasis at The Arena in Middlesbrough the night the news broke that Kurt Cobain had blown his head off. I accidentally ended up backstage of the backstage with Morrissey at Earls Court in the early 2000’s and I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many other completely mad experiences, that all just seemed to happen.

Then I saw the band “Sorry” at Leeds Brudenell and everything changed, again.

I’m currently shooting and filming on the following:

Nikon F5 (film), Nikon Z6 (digital), Polaroid Flip (cartridge), Fujifilm Instax (cartridge), Beaulieu 6008 s (8mm cine film), iPhone 17 Pro (digital)

I’m using Ilford Delta 3200 Pro, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, Polaroid I-Type colour and B/W, Fujifilm Instax Mini colour and B/W, Kodak Tri-X 8mm B/W cinefilm & Wittnerpan reversal 100 cinefilm

All 35mm film is processed by Take it Easy Lab, Leeds www.takeitseasylab.com

All 8mm film is processed by Julien Dorgere in Galway and Berlin www.super8productions.ie

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