Debora Smail

08/05/2026

Tabasco Spill

It’s National Oyster Day.
Oysters aren’t something I enjoy eating.
Photographing them is another story.
I’m drawn to the contrast between the rugged shells and the delicate oyster, the crushed ice or salt, the reflections, and the subtle color palette. They have a quiet beauty that’s easy to overlook.

07/14/2026

07/10/2026

good light.
crispy edges.
fresh grated parmesan.

happy national french fry day.

07/09/2026

6:30 AM
07.08.2026
pre-sunrise
the day begins quietly

06/24/2026

the beauty of hibiscus tea.
finding its own way through water before quietly becoming tea.

06/24/2026

06/05/2026

This morning I had one of those unexpectedly happy moments.
I was scrolling Instagram and suddenly there was Brandee Younger in a collaboration with Samara Joy, preparing for Nomad Jazz Festival, and I literally gasped.

These few photographs came rushing back.

In 2010, two years before this building (Dakota Lofts) became my studio,
I photographed Brandee here.
Even then, she had this beautiful, strong yet quiet presence. She knew herself & what she wanted.

Watching people grow into who they are meant to become is such a gift. And she is going all the way up!
Check her out here .

Anyway…
felt like these deserved to come out of the archive.

05/24/2026

dreams arrive in fragments first.
rock with life reaching for light.