Dusenberry-River Library invites you to an exhibit by local photographer Jeff Smith, on display until February 16, 2026.
Artist Statement:
At age 5, my father said to me, “If you’re not going to be in the photos, maybe you should take them”. I acquired 2 cameras within the following 3 years. When I turned 10, my family moved to Tucson, where I have lived most of my life.
Many a summer night, my father and I watched the monsoon storms rolling in over the Santa Catalina Mountains. This amazing, natural energy was breathtaking and exciting. For the past 30 years, I have spent my summer nights in the Arizona desert chasing lightning.
My lightning photographs encompass two categories. Iconic Landscapes - being in the right place at the right time. Catching a hue of light, capturing the emotional storm.
Also Drivescapes – where motion and light tell the story of night drives. Color variation and stitching of light patterns, imagery in patchwork and splinters of timeline all contribute to this travelogue of monsoon life.
Riding with lightning, I feel incredibly focused. My peripheral vision widens to the view of the lens. While others sleep, I enjoy the sparseness of the roads and the emptiness. When people think of the desert they think about the brightness. When I think of our deserts, I think about the deep nights I have spent there, looking for light.
Images courtesy of the artist
