CLARKE L. SMITH
CINEMATOGRAPHY
STEADICAM
STILLS
Cinematography & Stills
I began a career in television in 1985 as a P.A. in a small NY studio. In 1991 I was fortunate to join CBS where I honed my camera operator skills working on a soap opera and in TV News for 7 years; I left the TV business for 6 years, and returned to CBS in 2005 where I now work as a Steadicam operator. My passion for learning new skills forged my new path forward into cinematography...
At the age of 12, I began photographing and developing prints in an old fashioned (analog) lab after school. At age 20 I purchased my first, new, professional still camera: a Nikon FM2. Fifteen years later I purchased my first digital still camera and never looked back. Over the years I've been blessed to have my photographs published in magazines, books and broadcasted on TV in promos for CBS News...
Gear I Use And Sell
Sony FX6 Full Frame Cinema Camera
Wave 1 by Betz Tools...
Sony FX6 Full Frame Cinema Camera
The gear I own and use for my productions is gear I am familiar with and trust. It is meticulously maintained and once in awhile, I sell and update some of it with the newer versions. Check out my store for some great bargains of my pre-owned, very well cared-for gear.
​
I give my trust and business to some great equipment manufacturers and resellers who in turn offer me great products and excellent support. Here are a few... (in alphabetical order)
​
Adorama, Aputure, Arri, Atomos, B&H Photo & Video, Bright Tangerine, Canon, DJI, Fiilex, Kessler, Matthews, Miller, RODE, Sachtler, Sennheiser, SmallHD, Sony, Teradek, Wescott, Wooden Camera, Zacuto and Zoom.
About
Clarke L. Smith
My name is Clarke L. Smith, and I am an Emmy Award-winning cameraman, Steadicam operator, and cinematographer. Originally from New York, my family relocated to Switzerland when I was five, where I completed my studies.
​
At 12, I learned to develop prints from 35mm black-and-white film, but my passion for moving pictures didn't ignite until 1985, when I started working as a P.A. for VCA Teletronics. Under the mentorship of Lew Herman and other staff, I mastered studio and location production, sound, grip, lighting, and camera operation
During my five years with VCA, my first US boss, Lew Herman, taught me how to run a video sound stage; three other staff employees, Mike Pelech, Ed Henning and Frank Angelini taught me a lot about studio and location production, sound, grip, lighting and camera operation. On "dark days", mostly weekends, I would go to the studio to practice lighting and photographing friends with my newly acquired Nikon FM2 35mm film still camera.
​
In 1991, I joined CBS Broadcasting Corp. (Now Paramount Global), where I went on to work as camera operator on a soap opera (As The World Turns), Talk Shows (Geraldo, Gordon Elliott) and TV News (CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News). These days, I operate a Steadicam and sometimes a Jib for various productions at CBS News.
​
My experience with film school came in the form of online learning through organizations such as MZed, Masterclass, The Academy of Storytellers, Lynda.com and through podcasts from NoFilmSchool and the Wandering DP; of course, YouTube is always a place where you can learn more about gear, shooting and editing methods from your peers… But I never learned more than while being tutored and actually working with other likeminded professionals.
​
Biography:
Clarke L. Smith is a professional photographer and Emmy Award Winning cameraman and Steadicam Operator based in the New York City metropolitan area. His photos have been published in books, newspapers and magazine publications such as American Cinematographer Magazine and The New York Times and through various social media platforms, like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. His Cinematography has aired in CBS News TV promos and on the web for commercials. He's available for freelance assignments and speaks English and French fluently.
Contact
Let's talk...
Come visit...
P: (415) 279-2911