BRI Featured Artist
David & Whitney Scott
How long have you been shooting pro?
I played around at photography part-time for about four years until we jumped in together, full-time two and a half years ago.
Describe your education & training in photography.
Whitney - I actually started out in college wanting to major in photography. One year into it, I walked into a three hour course on lighting... and walked right out again. So much technical detail just sucked the “art” right out of what I was doing. It took away what I loved about photography. I switched my major to Psychology and went on to get a Masters degree. Only after our daughter was born did I pick up my first digital camera and find the art I loved again. And as it turns out? My Psychology degree really wasn’t wasted. I use it all the time in the business (and on my poor family....).
David - No formal training in photography, but I am a book, magazine, internet and seminar junkie, which helps!
What challenges did you face early in your career?
Our biggest challenge is also our biggest blessing - living and working together as a couple and a family. We not only work from home, but also homeschool our two children. Discovering our roles in the business and home is an ongoing negotiation.
What is your secret to balancing your
photography business and your personal life?
David - Creating and sticking to boundaries has been key. There will always be more work to do, but our children will only be young once. I don’t want to miss their growing up because I was editing pictures of someone else’s kid.
Whitney - One thing David and I do that has helped our business tremendously is meeting for breakfast once a week outside of the house. We discuss the business and plan our week. We are also in constant conversation about what we envision our business and life to look like in the future. If you don’t know where you want to go, you’ll never get there.
Define your photography style.
Our work is all about emotion. We want every photograph to tell a story or evoke a feeling - funky fun, quiet sweetness- vintage cool. Sometimes that means breaking the rules of “proper” photographic techniques. We shoot from a place of passion. Sometimes it’s a crazy mess, but isn’t that what art is all about?
Finding your style requires lots and lots of shooting! It’s coming back from every session and looking at what you’ve done - seeing what you like and what you don’t like, and trying to figure out why. The next time you shoot you will have grown from that. It’s a constant honing of skills. A constant developing of your eye.
What inspires you artistically (a person, place, movie,
you name it!)?
Whitney - I keep an “inspiration” file on my desktop. Every time I run across something I love, it goes into the file. Before sessions I will usually peruse the file to give me ideas and to prime my vision. It’s not just a file of photo ideas either! I often get inspired by the tone of an image, a grouping of colors, a beautifully decorated room - even an outfit or hairstyle.
David - Whitney inspires me - the way her eyes catch the light, the way her hair blows in the breeze...
When going into a session, what motivates you?
Whitney - I’m motivated to create something beautiful that not only the client will love, but will excite and inspire me as well. I’m easily bored, which is why I rarely shoot the same location twice. I’m always looking for the next new thing.
David - It’s also an ongoing challenge to give the clients an awesome experience and to make them feel beautiful. So many women especially, are camera-shy and self-conscious. If they can look at a photo of themselves and see something lovely and new, then we’ve done far more than simply snapping a picture.
When working with your clients, how do you evoke the
perfect expression
and pose?
If a client is not comfortable with you, nothing you can do or say will get a good natural expression. We spend lots of time chatting and acting dorky with people. We laugh a lot with our clients. Nothing builds a relationship like a good giggle and snort.
What business tip would you give the new photographer?
1. Keep your overhead low and watch every penny. It doesn’t take a lot of money to be a great photographer and run a successful business.
2. Have a clear vision of where you want to go and make a plan on paper for how to get there.
3. Make friends. All things being equal, people will do business with people/photographers they like. All things NOT being equal, people will still do business with people/photographers they like.
4. Be kind. Do your best for everyone. Tell them your dreams. You will be surprised by who can help you get there.