Alison Smith

Alison A. Smith is an Assistant Professor in the School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU). Specializing in Photography and Intermedia Arts, she received her MFA in studio art - photography with Distinction from the University of Georgia in 2010 and a BFA in studio art - photography with a minor in Women's Studies from Miami University in 2006.

Smith's photographic practice combines analog and digital techniques, using a 4x5 large-format view camera in her natural-light home studio to create large-scale archival prints. Her work explores conceptual themes of tension, ambivalence, and loss through seasonal adaptations in ambient light. At SIU, she teaches foundational and advanced courses in digital and analog photography, history of photography, business of photography, and special topics since joining the faculty in 2011.

She also manages the Photography Area's equipment and facilities, ensuring students have access to professional analog-to-digital hybrid workflow resources. Her expertise bridges technical instruction with conceptual development in photographic arts.