Terry Smith – America’s Finest Kids

In 2001, Terry Smith hung 51 images in a California Starbucks. Nine days after the show opened he was forced to take them down.

Although steeped in a desire to facilitate social awareness, Smith’s images make some people uncomfortable. They’re provocative, the nature of the subject matter gritty and raw.

Based in San Diego, Smith’s work depicts a class of society the average person doesn’t consider beautiful – street kids, punks, juvenile delinquents. Kids that are “all tore up inside.”

Smith has been involved in social work since the 1980s, as a missionary with his church and with juvenile delinquents at shelters in L.A and San Diego.  His art is an extension of his humanitarian efforts, his attempt to show that, despite the outward appearance, these “damaged” kids are all beautiful.

His photograph-to-film project, America’s Finest Kids, is deeply personal and emotional. Since first picking up a camera Smith has been photographing people he knows, neighbours and friends. He’s developed relationships with each of his subjects and at times, has helped them work through their own personal struggles, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies.

Smith funnels his passion to do right by these boys through his art, creating profound and often disturbing images of young men who, while fleeting and hurt, will always be remembered as beautiful.

Interview by Melissa Fox

Why do you shoot?

In the beginning, photography literally saved my life. In ’94, ’95 I was dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts – struggling with who and what I wanted to be. I’d grown up very conservative and had wanted to do photography like I am since I was about 19. I got a photography text book, studied on my own. Went to some counselling. Took long hikes in the foothills here in San Diego county. Then in May of 1996 I just thought, “It’s time.” I bought a Canon 35 mm camera and started photographing some of my friend’s teenage surfer and skater sons.

Equipment

A Cannon EOS Elan 2 35 mm

How long have you been shooting?

Coming up on 15 years. In May of 1996 my “Photo essay on Youth Culture as Art” began. Originally, I simply wanted to celebrate the beauty and strength found in the young American male.

What do you love shooing most?

I love meeting and photographing the young American male, or the youthful male in general. I’ve photographed youths from Mexico, Canada, France, Germany and the UK as well.

It’s a freeing experience to photograph the body, something I’ve always thought was beautiful. One thing I’ve noticed over the years with young guys – the sexuality always becomes a part of the discussion, the thought process. But whether the young guy is gay, bi or straight, they kind of want to celebrate their youth and this is very classic, it’s nothing new. It’s a narrcisistic thing, and the photographer often times lives vicariously through the subject. It’s a classic experience I’m having between my photography and the models.

Favourite photographers

First of all, I must say I was influenced by media, like any kid growing up in the US. Movies impacted and influenced me. In 1980 I had a double date with a friend of mine, we each had a girl – he took my cousin – and we saw The Blue Lagoon. Wow! I was amazed. The nudity, the beauty of both sexes…I’d only seen friends wearing Speedos at the pool or on occasional glance in the locker room after football practise, or Africans on National Geographic running around naked, or as we got ready for Church on a Sunday morning. Amazingly beautiful characters in this film, this new experience. So, to answer the question, at first it was the “image”, not any photographer. But I did learn of Bruce Weber and Herbert List about the same time, so those two influenced me early on.

Worst shoot experience

Well, I’m not sure how to answer this. Over almost 15 years, I’ve had all kinds of experiences, good and bad. Once this 18-year-old’s uncle called the cops on us. Nothing happened. But the worst isn’t the shoot experience going bad, it’s losing someone. Most recently I lost Bray to suicide. He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge in August of 2009. I’ve lost four of the young guys I’ve photographed and filmed…some others too that I never got a chance to do our first shoot.

Favourite shoot experience

It’s too difficult to describe a favourite anything, maybe ice cream or something. I’ll always cherish the memory of my first day out with my new camera – I photographed Nathan at La Jolla Shores. I’d know him since he was 12, he was 18, almost 19, for this first shoot. He died in 2000, leaving behind a 4 year old son. His little boy now is 14. I can still hear N8′s voice.

What would be your dream shoot?

Simple question, impossible to answering with meaning and sincerity. Off the cuff, perhaps someone I’d fall in love with and be with to the end of time…or maybe bring all of the boys back that I’ve lost for a resurrected group photo-shoot…

What’s the perfect picture?

A “perfect picture” – perhaps it looks like it felt when recording the visual image, in the moment.

What’s next for you?

The documentary – it’s become something that’s stretched out over several yeas. I thought I’d finish in a couple years but it didn’t work out that way. I’ve been filming for six years or so and sadly, I’ve lost some of the boys. Two suicides, one died in a car crash with his girlfriend and one was killed by the LAPD.