Rachell Smith is a British photographer and director known for sculptural light and stillness. She shoots celebrity portraits, beauty and fashion, working between London, New York and Los Angeles.

She takes commissions worldwide, from editorial, beauty and jewellery campaigns to film key art and music artwork. She works mainly in the studio, using in-camera techniques. Every image is sketched out before the shoot.

Her sitters include Cate Blanchett, Twiggy, Vanessa Kirby, Kerry Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Diane Kruger, Austin Butler, Lily James and Stephen Graham. She shot the official BAFTA portraits, including Tom Cruise, and the Vanity Fair BAFTA portraits. Her portrait of Twiggy is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Her work has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Empire and The Telegraph. She studied at London College of Communication. In 2024 she founded DEFINED Magazine.

She is Global Ambassador for the mental health charity Body & Soul and supports chronic illness charities, including NASS.

Selected clients: Netflix, HBO Max, BBC, BAFTA, Universal Music, EMI Records, L’Oréal, Maybelline New York, Dyson, Redken, eBay, Global, Revision Skincare, Decléor, La Suisse Derm.

Talks: Houses of Parliament, speaker for NASS. Fotofest. University of the Arts London. Birmingham Metropolitan College. Makers Symposium. Visual Education Talk Show.

Podcasts and interviews: A Photographer’s Portrait - YouTube episode by KK Kaerber, Models Diet, The Photography Is Dead, On a Mission by Ellie Mckay, Visual Education, Absolutely, Arts Emergency (10 Minutes, 10 Questions).

Exhibitions: Selfish (DAZED), The Masks We Face (Shoreditch Art Wall), Dig The New Breed, Beauty Portraits Un-Touched (The Print Space).

Awards: ND Award Neutral Density Photography Award 2020 Fine Art and Conceptual category, Judge, AOP Awards 2020 and 2023.

See press here.