‘Multilocalism’ – Portraits of London by Andy Smith
As a part of Adobe’s ‘Visual Trend Multilocalism’, they are exploring how increased global consciousness and a yearning for authentic, local experiences are influencing visual culture. For photographer and Adobe Stock Premium contributor Andy Smith, Multilocalism is all about connections: “Multilocalism, to me, is the fact that there’s such a diverse group of people in one place, but that one place is connected through common interests.”
Smith’s home town, London, is exemplary of this diversity, as I can very well vouch. London welcomes millions of immigrants from all over Europe, Asia, North America, the Middle East, and beyond. The unique stories and customs these individuals bring weaves a robust mosaic of heritage and culture.
Smith was tasked Andy with capturing this vibrant scene in an exclusive photoshoot for Adobe Stock’s Premium collection.
Take a look at the results below…
A critical element to his shoot was authenticity. As Smith explains, “It’s not often I get a brief – be it a stock brief or a brief for a client – that doesn’t have the words genuine, authentic, real, in there somewhere. This is what people are looking for.” And diversity and authenticity go hand in hand. “As a stock photographer, diversity is important because we’re reflecting what’s going on in the real world, and the real world is diverse.”
So when it came to casting, Andy made a purposeful effort to find real people, rather than models. It was important to him to capture them in their natural element and document what they do on a daily basis, whether they are a cab driver, barber, butcher, or a traffic police officer.
This documentary approach is the norm for Smith. He sees photography, and stock photography in particular, as a way to satisfy his curiosity about people and places. “For me the interest in photography was always about people. It usually starts with the people and the location and those two things together tell a story, and we build the rest around it.”
Although all of the characters Smith photographed are from different business, as well as different backgrounds, what brings them together is their shared love for their multilocal city, London.
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
