Bergen County Camera

Ian Macdonald-Smith Presentation

Free Grand Opening Event
Join Bergen County Camera and Olympus on May 28th at the Drapkin Theater at the Bergen Pac. This free presentation which is part of Bergen County Camera in Englewood's Grand Opening. Advance tickets are required so please call 800-841-4118 to reserve yours now.



Ian Macdonald-Smith has been capturing images of the world since 1986. A native of Bermuda, Macdonald-Smith specializes in abstract and graphic fine art photography, but he has also published seven books on landscape, architecture, travel and sailing. With a passion for preservation and the environment, Macdonald-Smith has dedicated much of his career to documenting both and has established The Global Archive Foundation to create a repository of current and archival images that demonstrate how the world is changing.

Ian Macdonald-Smith
Up Next: Macdonald-Smith continues to tirelessly travel the world in his trusty VW van, taking images for The Global Archive Foundation, which begins launching online in 2008. His book on the architecture of M. H. Baillie-Scott will be published in fall 2009.

Visionary Perspective
As a photographer, Macdonald-Smith looks at his art also as a great responsibility. “One of the reasons I am so committed to the Global Archive is because you just never know what will happen. The 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia and other natural disasters have tragically underscored that. We [photographers] get to experience amazing places at amazing times of day, but not everyone has the opportunity to do that. It’s very important that we share what we see because it allows people to appreciate the world we live in.”

In His Own Words
“This image was taken in Venice and is part of my series on water reflections. Over the past 20 years I have honed this series into a unique vision, which excites me and fuels my passion as a fine art photographer. This form of Abstract Expressionism is dynamic because it entails a true communion between man and nature and also between art and science so necessary for great photography. Having a wide range of interests allows me to exercise multiple visions when I’m on the road and never allows boredom. “I took this with the Olympus E-510 and the 50-200mm lens. The conditions for taking water reflections are specific and as a result elusive. The light on the object reflected must be intense, the water dark enough to hold the reflection and then the water conditions have to be perfect. Fast shutter speeds are necessary and aperture between f5.6 and f11.”


This shot was taken in Venice and is part of a series on water reflections.

Olympus Visionaries
The Olympus Visionary program celebrates the work of some of the most talented still photographers of the day. Olympus works with more than 20 artists whose work covers a wide range of subject matter, including travel and documentary, fashion, food, people and places, nature and landscapes, street, commercial and fine art.