Meteorologist Ben Smith shares more about award-winning hobby
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – The Tennessee Valley has been lucky to have Meteorologist Ben Smith delivering forecasts and tracking storms for 15 years.
He has an Emmy recognizing the hard work he does; but did you know Smith is an award-winning photographer? A relatively new one at that.
Opening day for North Alabama’s first freestanding emergency department
“Two years ago I had never picked up a camera,” Smith said.
He has Sports Director Olivia Whitmire to thank for his accidental slip into the photography world.
“I was going to a football game with my friends as fans and both of them couldn’t go, and I wasn’t going to go by myself. I asked our sports director, ‘Hey, can I get one of those press passes?’ Do you have one of those forms I can fill out?’ I filled out a form and they approved me as a photographer! I went to the store, picked out a cheap camera, got a quick 101 on how to do photography, got on the field; had a ball!”
He said while he was not proud of his first batch of photos, he knew with time, he could be the kind of photographer he realized he wanted to be.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard announces pregnancy with boyfriend
“With practice, my shots are getting better. I got a little longer of a lens, got a little more reach, got a better camera and basically just learned this by practicing,” Smith said. “You’re not going to get every single shot, but you just hope you get that one good one that is fantastic.”
He said his day job helped teach him too.
“Photography and weather are very similar, it’s not an exact science,” he said. “You have to keep practicing and you have to have the right conditions and it’s not going to be perfect and you have to keep going and going and just see what happens and it’s like that every single time.”
Aside from practice, he said he’s gotten help from friends made along the way.
New ‘smishing’ attack may target your iPhone, Apple ID: What to know
“Some buddies of mine I’ve met through being [in the field] and being at football games, I’ve brushed elbows with some of these guys that are fantastic and I’ll be like, ‘Hey what’s your ISO at? What’s your aperture, What’s your shutter speed?’ [They say] ‘Ben just make this small little adjustment.’ One little adjustment can make all the difference in the world.”
Often though, Smith hits the road by himself. Distance is never a deal breaker.
“I went out to a place that was a two-hour drive, a four to five-hour wait and then you have to drive two hours back. You spend all day out there, but you get a few shots, you get the experience, you get to see new places. You find little secrets where animals are hanging out at and you don’t tell anybody — those are the ones you don’t tell anybody about!” Smith said.
One of his favorite spots is only 30 minutes from the News 19 station: Guntersville.
Frustrations mount in the Houston heat after Beryl moves on and leaves millions without power
“In the sunshine, you have the water, it’s gorgeous up here, it’s something I look forward to because it’s relaxing, it’s not work for me up here,” Smith explained.
The scenery is not what gets him to the water though. It’s the animals!
“My main thing is wildlife, shooting the eagles,” he said.
Bald eagles get plenty of attention, but they’re far from his sole focus.
“I’ve done rodeos, I’ve done motocross, I’ve done marathons — seeing them coming across the finish line. There’s just so much. My favorite of all, It’s probably a tie between wildlife and football,” he said.
Outdoor Alabama has recognized Smith’s talents, honoring him with an award for his photography of a water skier.
It is a photo he showed months earlier during his semi-weekly segment that happens on News 19 at 9 a.m. It’s called Ben on the Go.
“Mondays are so much fun because I get to show my photos. The feedback from everybody at News 19 is fantastic. The viewers love my photos and I appreciate that. To hear the positivity has been absolutely amazing and I absolutely love it and I very much appreciate it,” he said.
Busy Ben on the go has no plans to slow down.
“This is something that’s fun, its something that’s relaxing, something that I can unwind with,” he said. “It’s just a monster blessing. It’s amazing and I’m going to keep on going and see what’s next.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
