We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Christopher Scott Carpenter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Christopher Scott below.

Alright, Christopher thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My grant to live and work in India, awarded to me by the American India Foundation (AIF) as a Clinton Fellow, commenced in the fall of 2018. I was flung headfirst into a provocative, thrilling, colorful, loud, and kinetic kaleidoscope of spirituality and culture. I lived in India for two years, the longest I’d stayed in any place so far outside the United States. India is dazzling in its chaotic grandeur, and in order to catalogue and make sense of my experiences I devoted myself, for the first time, to utilizing my camera as a tool to connect, explore, and interpret. As I was so gleefully submerged in chaos, the art and craft of photography enabled me to create order – through the composition of elements in the frame and the utilization of light and motion, I was able to hone my skills in photography while simultaneously expanding my worldview – a true baptism by fire.

Christopher, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I hold a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China as a recipient of the Schwarzman Scholarship (https://www.schwarzmanscholars.org/), a highly-selective full-ride scholarship that assembles a diverse global cohort to study cultural, political, and economical through-lines to better understand the world of tomorrow. I also graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern California where I earned B.A. degrees in Film & Television Production and Cognitive Science, in addition to earning a Minor in Advertising. I have consulted with and produced media for organizations in Japan, Kenya, India, and others, measuring impact to inform policy. I produced and directed “The Happiness Diaries,” a documentary series exploring the Government of Delhi’s Happiness Curriculum initiative. I held the William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service in India and the Global East Asia Fellowship for Study in China, and have led service trips to Thailand. I am from Salt Lake City, Utah, and live in New York City.

I am available for assignment worldwide. I am passionate about and specialize in the documentation of human culture.

Text me at +1 (801) 910-6479

Email me at [email protected]

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of creating work is the slow accumulation of confidence that comes only from habitually chipping away at self-doubt through the act of sharing and connecting with audiences. In my opinion, for something creative or artistic to be elevated to “art” it has to be shared with an audience, and while I am still fraught with insecurities over the work I put out, the fact that my comfort in sharing has increased even marginally means progress. And if the work I put out evokes an emotion or inspires the pursuit of knowledge in a viewer, then even better.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After graduating from USC, I was certain my path would be through talent representation and agency life; after giving a few years to that career, I found myself longing deeply to be working creatively in the field again, documenting, interviewing, and collaboratively producing media. A friend passed notice of an opportunity to work with a non-profit organization in Japan as a filmmaker, and I jumped at the chance. The practical hurdles of extracting myself from Los Angeles were easy after I’d committed to following the feelings in the deepest part of my heart. The work I did in Japan led to a series of opportunities that have propelled me to where I am today, and I am thankful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.christopherscottcarpenter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherscottcarpenter/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherscottcarpenter/

Image Credits
Photographer: Christopher Scott Carpenter