Carter Smith (born September 6, 1971) is an American fashion photographer and filmmaker.[1] A native of Maine, he began his career in fashion photography after moving to New York City at age 17, gaining recognition for his gritty, documentary-style portraits featured in publications such as ''The New York Times Magazine'', ''Vogue'', ''GQ'', and ''W''.[1]Smith transitioned to filmmaking with the short film ''Bugcrush'' (2006), which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short at the Sundance Film Festival.[2] His feature directorial debut was the horror film ''The Ruins'' (2008), based on the novel by Scott Smith. Subsequent films include ''Jamie Marks Is Dead'' (2014), an adaptation of Christopher Barzak's novel; the body horror ''Swallowed'' (2022); and ''The Passenger'' (2023).[1] He has also directed music videos and continues to work in photography and advertising.[3]
Early life
Childhood and family background
Carter Smith is a seventh-generation Texan and native of Central Texas.[4] He grew up exploring family farm and ranchland in Gonzales, Williamson, and Edwards Counties, which sparked his early passion for wildlife and the outdoors.[5] At age 8, his grandmother gifted him a subscription to Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine, fueling his lifelong interest in conservation.[6]Smith's family has deep roots in Texas agriculture and land management, with ongoing involvement in farm and ranch properties across central, south, and north Texas.[5]
In the mid-2000s, Carter Smith began transitioning from fashion photography to filmmaking, motivated by a desire to expand his storytelling beyond static images into dynamic narratives that captured emotional depth and tension, influences he had explored since childhood through writing and photography.[7][8] His background in photography, particularly its emphasis on composition and mood, informed the visual style of his early films, allowing him to blend intimate portraits with cinematic movement.[2]Smith's entry into directing came through commercials, serving as a practical bridge that honed his skills in narrative pacing and collaboration while leveraging his fashion industry connections. He directed spots for luxury brands including Lancôme, Tommy Hilfiger, and Tiffany's, often incorporating the sleek, atmospheric aesthetics from his photographic work to create compelling 30-second stories.[9] These projects, starting around the early 2000s, provided financial stability and production experience, enabling him to experiment with motion without the risks of independent features.[8]Smith's initial foray into short films predated this professional pivot with Me and Max (1998), an 11-minute early work that marked his directorial debut and explored personal relationships through a simple, character-driven lens, starring Daniel Louis Rivas in a story of youthful connection.[2] By 2006, he had refined his approach in Bugcrush, a 35-minute horror short adapted from Scott Treleaven's story in the anthology Queer Fears II. The film follows Ben, a shy high school loner (Josh Caras), whose infatuation with the enigmatic new student Grant (Donald Cumming) draws him into a nightmarish web of seduction and body horror, culminating in a visceral revelation of Grant's insect-like transformation. Produced on a modest budget with a focus on atmospheric tension and queer undertones, Bugcrush premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking for its innovative blend of eroticism and dread.[10][11][2]Smith continued exploring short-form storytelling with Yearbook (2011), a 10-minute supernatural thriller that delves into the eerie disruptions at Rockdale High School, where students confront unexplained vanishings and shifting identities among their peers. The production, shot with a tight ensemble including Rachael C. Smith and Lily Burd, emphasizes psychological unease and the vulnerabilities of adolescence, weaving in themes of queer identity through subtle explorations of isolation and otherness amid horror elements like ghostly presences and fractured social dynamics. Debuting at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, the film highlighted Smith's growing command of genre tropes, using high school yearbook motifs to symbolize lost innocence and hidden desires.[12][13][14]
Feature films and television
Carter Smith's directorial debut in feature films was The Ruins (2008), an adaptation of Scott Smith's 2006 novel of the same name, which follows a group of American tourists in Mexico who encounter carnivorous vines at an ancient Mayan temple site.[15] The film stars Jonathan Tucker as Jeff, Jena Malone as Amy, Laura Ramsey as Stacy, and Shawn Ashmore as Eric, emphasizing body horror through graphic depictions of the vines' invasive and lethal effects on human flesh.[16] Produced by DreamWorks with a budget of $25 million, it grossed $22.9 million worldwide, marking it as a box-office disappointment. Critically, it received mixed reviews, with a 52% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, praised for its tense atmosphere and practical effects but criticized for predictable plotting and excessive gore.[17]In 2014, Smith directed Jamie Marks Is Dead, an adaptation of Christopher Barzak's 2004 novel One for Sorrow, which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival.[18] The supernatural drama centers on high school student Adam McCormick (Cameron Monaghan), who forms a haunting bond with the ghost of murdered classmate Jamie Marks (Noah Silver), supported by a cast including Liv Tyler and Judy Greer.[19] Exploring themes of grief, isolation, and adolescent identity through ethereal visuals and emotional introspection, the film blends coming-of-age elements with ghostly apparitions.[20] It garnered a 56% Rotten Tomatoes score, with reviewers noting its atmospheric mood but faulting its occasionally murky narrative.[21]Smith's television work includes directing the episode "Midnight Kiss" for Hulu's anthology seriesInto the Dark, released on December 31, 2019.[22] This vampirehorror installment follows a group of queer friends celebrating New Year's Eve in the desert, only to face a sadistic killer who turns one of them, blending slasher tropes with themes of friendship and desire.[23] Starring Augustus Prew, Scott Evans, and Lukas Gage, the 89-minute episode emphasizes bloody confrontations and interpersonal tensions amid the supernatural threat.[24] It holds a 4.8/10 IMDb rating, with mixed reception highlighting its energetic pacing but critiquing predictable twists in the vampire lore.[22]Returning to features, Swallowed (2022) marked Smith's exploration of extreme body horror, premiering at the Overlook Film Festival and winning the U.S. NarrativeFeatureGrand Jury Prize at NewFest 2022.[25] The film follows best friends Ben (Cooper Koch) and Dom (Jose Conde), whose cross-country trip to LA turns nightmarish after ingesting parasitic creatures in a remote encounter, delving into queer romance and bodily violation.[26] Produced independently with influences from directors like David Cronenberg, it features visceral practical effects to depict internal terrors and emotional intimacy.[27] Critics gave it an 82% Rotten Tomatoes approval, lauding the performances and thematic depth on queer identity amid horror, though some noted pacing issues in its confined setting.Smith's most recent feature, The Passenger (2023), is a Blumhouse-produced thriller written by Jack Stanley, centering on shy fast-food worker Randy (Johnny Berchtold) who must flee with his violent coworker Benson (Kyle Gallner) after a workplace massacre. Drawing stylistic influences from Steven Spielberg's suspenseful character-driven narratives, the film unfolds in real-time during a tense road journey, focusing on psychological unraveling and survival.[28] It premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival and received an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, with acclaim for the leads' chemistry and taut direction, establishing it as Smith's strongest critical success to date.[29] As of November 2025, no new feature films or television projects from Smith have been announced or released; however, he directed the short film Atlantic City (2025).[1][30]
Personal life and legacy
Personal relationships and identity
Carter Smith resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Stacy, and their son, Ryland. The family attends Woodlawn Baptist Church and is active in managing their family farm and ranch holdings.[31][32] Smith has maintained a low public profile regarding his personal life, focusing primarily on his professional contributions to conservation. A native of Central Texas, he has expressed a deep connection to the region's natural landscapes, shaped by his upbringing and career in wildlife management.[33]
Awards, recognition, and impact
Smith's extensive career in conservation has earned him widespread recognition. In addition to the Victor Emmanuel Conservation Award from the Audubon Society, the Sam Beasom Conservation Leader Award from the Texas Wildlife Association, and the 2016 International Award of Excellence in Conservation from the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, he received the Harvey Weil Professional Conservationist Award in 2018.[34] In 2022, Smith was honored with the Seth Gordon Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for his leadership in wildlife conservation, as well as the Texas Outdoorsman of the Year award from the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation.[35][36]His impact on Texas conservation is profound, having led TPWD through expansions in state parks, private-lands initiatives, and advocacy for federal legislation like the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. Upon retiring in January 2023 after 31 years with the agency, Smith was celebrated for strengthening Texas's natural resource stewardship, influencing policies that protect habitats and promote outdoor recreation for future generations. As of 2025, his legacy continues through ongoing TPWD programs and his advisory roles in conservation organizations.[33][37]