Becky Smith was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She was in the photographic industry for nearly twenty-one years with her husband, Scott.

She was actively involved in the following professional organizations:

Professional Photographers of America
Southwest Photographers Association
Texas Professional Photographers

She was their business manager, principle dark room technician, and photographer behind the camera during many of their sittings. Her interest in Polaroid SX-70 photography began in 1997. Rarely did a weekend go by without a trip to an old town or other event for the purpose of creating new images. Pola-paintings (as she called them) were a life changing form of creative expression for her.

She spoke at photography guild meetings across the southwest and was a featured speaker at the 1999 Texas Professional Photographers Regional Convention. In 1998 she entered professional print competition for the first time and received four out of four merit scores and three awards. In 1999 she again received four merit scores as well as five awards. From her first years entries, two images were selected to be included in the PP of A Loan Collection. She accumulated 14 print merits in three years of competing and was a featured speaker at the PPA National Convention in Las Vegas.

Becky co-authored a book on the subject called “Pola-painting, The Art of SX-70 Manipulation.” In 1999, she exhibited a large collection of her work at the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum in Oklahoma City. The museum has since selected one of her images to be part of the museums permanent collection.

Becky recieved the final merits needed to achieved her degree as a Master of Photography just days after her death. Earning her degree was accomplished entirely with Pola-Paintings. She was the first person to ever do this. Professional Photographers of America knew of her situation and shipped her Masters Medalion to Fort Worth so Scott could place it on her for the funeral.

Becky never had the chance to walk among her fellow masters as a master herself. Because of this, all Master Photographers who attended her funeral, wore their degree medalions in honor of her and her accomplishment.

Scott is now continuing to keep Becky's Pola-Painting presentation alive and expanding with more of Becky's images. This program is available for conventions, guild meetings and photography schools. To learn more about this presentation, click here.

To learn more about Scott and Becky on a personal level,
visit the Personal area.

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