Figments of imagination: St. George woman creates photography that’s anything but ordinary

Written by Jessi Bang
October 18, 2023

ST. GEORGE — From Kolob sunsets to infrared redwood trees, this award-winning, internationally-known photographer transforms the ordinary into works of art that feel like peeking into another world.

Photographer and creator Shirley Smith stands next to her solo show display at The Tilted Kiln Gallery in St. George, Utah, Sept. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Photographer and creator Shirley Smith stands next to her solo show display at The Tilted Kiln Gallery in St. George, Utah, Sept. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“Even when I say I’m going to try and do something that’s normal, it doesn’t come out normal,” photographer Shirley Smith with 11000 Lakes Photography said. “It’s not nature; it’s a figment of my imagination.”

Smith utilizes her eyes, various digital cameras, post-processing techniques and her sense of wonder to capture the beauty and inspiration of Mother Nature. 

Born and raised in Wisconsin, she moved to Michigan to work in the pharmaceutical industry. She’s been married to her husband, a photography hobbyist, since 1986. In 2012, her husband decided to attend a photography seminar in the Smoky Mountains and encouraged her to come. Hesitant at first, she agreed. 

“When I got back from that seminar, I knew what I was going to retire to (do),” she said.

An image by Shirley Smith features a Kolob sunset against the red mountains | Photo courtesy of Shirley Smith, St. George News
An image by Shirley Smith features a Kolob sunset against the red mountains | Photo courtesy of Shirley Smith, St. George News

After about a year of photographing for others and worrying about what people would like and not like, she decided to start shooting and creating for herself. Her photography business, 11000 Lakes Photography, is named after Michigan’s 11000 lakes.

“Now, if I like it, I don’t really care if anyone else likes it,” she said. “From there I got what I consider to be fearless, and that fierceness has allowed me to expand in doing just about anything I want with photography.”

Drawn in by the weather and proximity to national parks, the couple moved to Southern Utah in 2013. Initially focusing on landscape photography, her work transitioned when she discovered the power and creativity of editing software.

Her photography is made up of compositions, macro photography, infrared shots and more that are manipulated to create her final pieces. One piece started with leaves she found fused together. She put the leaves on a lightbox and added yellow tissue paper underneath to achieve the desired color.

An image by Shirley Smith was created with a balloon full of colored water and a gun | Photo courtesy of Shirley Smith, St. George News
An image by Shirley Smith was created with a balloon full of colored water and a gun | Photo courtesy of Shirley Smith, St. George News

One of her favorite infrared images started with a redwood tree. The tree was captured with an infrared full spectrum converted camera with an IR chrome filter. Using a long shutter speed, she dipped the camera up and down during the shot then took it to Lightroom and Photoshop where she created the final product.

Another shoot included a group of friends who took water balloons, apples, pumpkins and expired cans of soda out to the desert. Balloons filled with colored water were shot by a gun, creating an explosion of color and what appears to be the bullet path in her final photography piece. The photo includes blending modes, which gives the piece a black background.

“This one is a composition of probably about three or four pictures,” she said about the balloon image. “I wanted something that was colorful and unpredictable.”

Smith has also expanded to other forms of art. She attended a book art class at the Mesquite Fine Art Center and went on to create art with cutouts and page folds. Going with the museum’s theme of a spring awakening, she placed third in the over-age-60 category.

An art piece by Shirley Smith is inspired by the book “Fahrenheit 451," St. George, Utah, Sept. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
An art piece by Shirley Smith is inspired by the book “Fahrenheit 451,” St. George, Utah, Sept. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

After re-reading the book “Fahrenheit 451,” she said she found a whole new meaning that called her to create art. In the book’s storyline, books are completely banned and those caught in possession have their homes burned down. With a concern for restricted and banned books in the school systems, Smith’s art piece includes the top 10 banned books such as The Handmaid’s Tale and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Smith is the president of the Color Country Camera Club. Her work has been seen at Utah Tech University, the St. George Art Museum, Arrowhead Gallery, Gallery 873 in Kayenta, Cafe Solei in Springdale, A Smith Gallery in Texas, the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in New York and various venues in Michigan.

See Smith’s current work on display at Trudy’s Spot (formally known as Red Canyon Company), Zions Bank, Art Provides, Mesquite Fine Art Gallery and Red Cliff Gallery.

For more information, visit her website or find 11000 Lakes Photography on Facebook and Instagram. 

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!