Dave Smith is a photographer currently residing in Deep Cove,
North Vancouver. 

I began my career studying journalism, dreaming that someday I’d write for Powder Magazine but quickly found a deeper pull toward visual storytelling, design, and the strategic side of communication. Over the past 25+ years, I’ve worked across traditional and digital advertising, evolving from designer to art director to creative lead. Through it all, I’ve stayed focused on what lasts: ideas rooted in context, culture, and clarity.

My work of late has ranged from large-scale campaigns to community-driven branding with a particular focus on post-secondary education, renewable energy, and cause-based initiatives. At studios like Signals Design Group and Wiseblood, I’ve led projects grounded in Indigenous engagement, public participation, and place-based design. These experiences taught me how to bring strategy and storytelling together in a way that respects both people and process.

Today, I split my time between creative strategy and documentary-style photography, working on sustainability-focused narratives across BC and Alberta. My goal is to help clients communicate complex systems like land stewardship and infrastructure development with honesty and nuance.

Colleagues often describe me as a hybrid. I'm someone equally comfortable in a workshop or behind a camera, developing a campaign framework or shaping its creative direction. I bring a visual mindset to strategy and a strategic mindset to creative. More than anything, I believe strong ideas come from listening closely and building with, not just for, the communities we serve.

Throughout my career in advertising, my dreams have never stayed too far from the goal of seeing my ideas in the pages of magazines but looking back I never thought it would be as a photographer. As an outdoor lifestyle photographer, I’ve built a reputation for capturing the raw feeling of North Vancouver’s iconic mountain biking scene under the most challenging conditions. My work has been featured in the pages of the Patagonia Catalogue, Mountain Life, Bike Magazine, Beta, Mountain Flyer, and was recognized as a semi-finalist in the 2021 Redbull Illume Image Quest. Recent collaborations include creating compelling brand narratives for Patagonia, Norco, Kona, Smith Optics, and Whistler Blackcomb. Whether editorial or advertising-based, my goal is to create images that inspire people to explore, move, and connect with the world around them.

Clients include: 7’Mesh, Anthill Films, Kona, NeilPryde Bikes, Norco, Patagonia, Rocky Mountain Bikes, Smith Optics, Whistler Blackcomb and Yakima Racks.

For over 25 years, I have worked in advertising as a creative lead for agencies across North America. A selection of my work is available at: cargocollective.com/aprogressinwork 

Email: smithalexdave(at)gmail.com
Instagram: @dasmith