Meet Brad Scott | Photographer, Videographer & Drone Pilot

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brad Scott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brad, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always loved the flexibility of having my own business. The last time I had a regular 9-5 job was when I was in my early twenties. I didn’t like the constraints of working for a corporation that puts a cap on how much you can earn and the time flexibility with 9-5 jobs makes it hard to travel and follow your passions. Wildernessframed.com started as both another stream of income for my photography business as well as a passion project to share my travel photography with others as art for their homes or office spaces.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My whole childhood until my early twenties revolved around skiing and competing in competitions all over the United States as well as Canada and Europe. Nature has always inspired me and I’ve always felt most relaxed and in my zone when I’m surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Growing up in South Lake Tahoe I was surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world but I always loved to travel and see what the world had to offer.

After high school I lived in Hawaii for 5 years. That is where my career as a professional photographer really started. I photographed seascapes and Hawaii’s beauty as well as surfing. I learned a lot from a mentor Eric Ippel who is one of the top surf filmmakers on the North Shore of Oahu. He really helped me hone my skills behind the camera and showed me a bit about reaching out to companies to get them to pay to license images etc.

Money was always a struggle with surf photography but the lifestyle was great. It wasn’t really until I moved back to Tahoe and started working with a friend who was a realtor where I really started to make decent money with photography. Word of mouth spread fast about my architectural photography and videography in the Reno Tahoe area and I was able to build up my business quite quickly to 6 figures doing luxury real estate content as well as content for builders, architects, interior designers and hotels.

My style of capturing the essence of nature really transferred well into architecture and interior photography. Capturing beautiful natural light lighting up spaces and different textures in buildings as well as their surroundings set my work apart and made my business grow through word of mouth.

The income I generated through my photography services helped fund my travels to capture landscapes, seascapes and aerials in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. The additional income from selling prints of my travel photography was enough to not only pay for the trips but generate additional profit on top of it to put back into the business.

Being a full time photographer definitely has its ups and downs and it’s not always easy. You always have to constantly stay on top of marketing and most importantly build relationships with the right people to have a thriving business. I think if you are consistent and passionate about your craft, others notice and want to work with you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Scottsdale and Phoenix have some incredible areas. Being in the Sonoran Desert Scottsdale is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes that offer great opportunities for nature photography. Here are some of my favorite areas to photograph nature in Scottsdale:

McDowell Sonoran Preserve: The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a vast protected area that covers more than 30,000 acres of land and offers a variety of landscapes to photograph, including mountains, desert vistas, and diverse flora and fauna.

Pinnacle Peak Park: Pinnacle Peak Park is a popular hiking destination that offers breathtaking views of the Sonoran Desert and the surrounding mountains. Photographers can capture stunning shots of the desert landscape, as well as the unique rock formations.

Camelback Mountain: Camelback Mountain is another popular hiking destination that offers incredible panoramic views of the city and the desert landscape. Photographers can capture stunning shots of the mountain, as well as the unique flora and fauna found in the area.

Salt River: The Salt River runs through the Sonoran Desert and offers great opportunities for nature photography, including shots of the river itself, as well as the diverse wildlife that can be found in the area. It’s absolutely stunning to see the red rocks light up during sunset.

Desert Botanical Garden: The Desert Botanical Garden is a beautiful oasis in the heart of the desert that offers a wide range of plant life to photograph. Photographers can capture stunning shots of the garden’s unique cacti, succulents, and other desert plants.

Scottsdale offers a wealth of natural beauty that provides opportunities for nature photographers. Whether it’s the unique rock formations, the diverse plant life, or the breathtaking desert vistas, there’s no shortage of stunning landscapes to capture in this desert oasis.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had my own photography and videography business for well over 10 years now and I owe it to all of my clients who have hired me to make their stories come to life through visual content as well as my art collectors who have supported me by purchasing prints.

My biggest shoutout though goes to my wife Lindsey who has been by my side on just about every photoshoot for the past 8 years and has helped me grow the business I have today. She is the reason I work so hard to be able to follow my passion for photography and has been my biggest supporter.

Website: http://wildernessframed.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/bradscottvisuals

Youtube: http://YouTube.com/bradscottvisuals

Other: http://bradscottvisuals.com

Image Credits
Brad Scott Visuals