Mic Smith wins national ‘Photographer of the Year’ honors for second year in a row

Communicators Association praises Smith’s photos for South Carolina Living magazine

CHARLESTON, SC – Mic Smith’s work for South Carolina Living magazine once again earned national recognition from the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA), which named him 2015 Photographer of the Year. Smith won the top honor in 2014 as well.

The Lowcountry photographer also received four additional CCA awards this year for entries capturing high school rodeo, Civil War re-enactors, the Charleston Tea Plantation and a Medal of Honor recipient.

Based in the Charleston area, Mic Smith Photography LLC provides corporate, family portrait, wedding and editorial photography. Corporate clients include Trident Technical College and WestRock Land and Development as well as health care providers and financial institutions. See galleries of his work at micsmithphotography.com.

A three-judge panel for CCA’s annual awards contest praised his repeat performance as Photographer of the Year, noting a body of work that demonstrated excellence in portrait, landscape and action photography. The judges also complimented Smith’s ability to engage viewers with his images.

“These photos were so well done, I could hear the action and feel the emotion of the people in the shots,” one said. Another talked of Smith’s intriguing portfolio. “Each of these shots made me want to know the story that went with the image,” he said. “A powerful image can tell a story; these invited me to ask questions.”

Smith previously worked for two decades as an award-winning newspaper photographer for The Post and Courier in Charleston and The Herald in Rock Hill. He frequently contributes to South Carolina Living magazine, the state’s largest circulation magazine. Published by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc., the monthly magazine covers the people and places of the Palmetto State and goes out to more than 490,000 homes and businesses, with online content at scliving.coop.

An organization of professionals who communicate for cooperatives, CCA promotes excellence in writing, photography, editing, video, layout and design. In addition to being named 2015 Photographer of the Year, Smith received CCA awards in these categories:

• Photo Essay: First Place for “Learning the ropes” cover story on the South Carolina High School Rodeo Association championships, and Third Place for “Living History” cover story on Civil War re-enactors at Boone Hall Plantation.
  
• Cover of the Year: Second Place with Sharri Harris Wolfgang for “Honor Student” featuring Medal of Honor recipient and former Marine Kyle Carpenter.
  
• Portrait: Third Place for photo of Charleston Tea Plantation tea taster Bill Hall.