Meet Erin Scott | Owner of One Shot Scott Photography

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

Hi Erin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When my son was born 14 years ago we were surprised at birth with his cleft lip/palate and club foot. The first few weeks were a whirlwind meeting with specialists and learning all about everything that was about to be thrown our way. One of the things we found out was that he would be having his first surgery at 2.5 months old to close up the cleft in his lip. When I learned that the panic set in. I loved him and his face exactly how he was born and wanted to document him how he looked in that moment. At that point, I had a basic point and shoot camera that took subpar photos. That was not good enough so I raced out to the store and bought the most expensive DSLR camera I could find. I did zero research but I figured the most expensive camera must have meant the best one, right? I got the camera home, opened it up, and went to take a photo of him. I realized that I knew nothing about photography. I went to the internet and learned a bunch and practiced until I got results that I liked. This went on for years. I had two more children and took thousands of pictures of them continuing to fine tune my skills.

Over the next 10 years I took many pictures of my kids, friends, and family. Every time I picked up my camera, I loved it! I wrestled with the idea of opening up a business but I already had a full time career and was raising 3 kids. My plate was full and we were living in a state where the cost of living was high. We didn’t have the resources to pursue our passions. One day I woke up and realized that I wasn’t happy living the life that I currently had so I decided it was time to do something about it. We sold our house and all of our belongings and moved across the country to a place with a lower cost of living. My husband and I made a vow to ourselves to follow our dreams and do what made us happy. I immediately started researching exactly how I was going to start the career of my dreams and become a destination photographer. It was important for me to teach my children that it was never too late to start doing what you love and to take risks to make that happen. I wanted to share my talent and passion with the world to document their life so they always have these moments and memories to look back and smile at. I’m so happy I took that risk to start my business and will continue to learn and grow and be the best photographer I can be.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The thing I am most proud about with my business is that my clients have memories and photos to share with their loved ones for generations to come. The thing that sets me apart is that I want to document people exactly as they are. I want people to see their love, their laughter, and their true authentic selves in each of their photos. Many of my clients become my friends because I really focus on getting to know them so that their photos are real. I run my business with my heart and treat people the way I would want to be treated.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m constantly traveling around the world because that is my passion. When anyone travels with me or visits me there are a few things that usually end up on my list no matter where I am in the world. I start by taking them on a hike. I love nature and all the amazing scenery around the world. Then I search for a restaurant with good food and craft cocktails. Small plates places are my favorite because I love sampling all different types of foods and I love sharing food with good friends. No matter where we end up I can promise there will be lots of laughter, great conversations, and good times because that’s what life is all about.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and friends have been so supportive of my business. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their love. When I’m feeling defeated they lift me up and remind me of the reasons I started this business in the first place. They remind me that I’m meant to be here.

Website: www.oneshotscottphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneshotscottphotography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneshotscottphotography