Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Scott Dressel-Martin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Scott, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

As a photographer/filmmaker working predominately in the not-for-profit worlds of the environment, health, science, housing and culture I spend a lot of time photographing people that aren’t used to being photographed. It is always my goal to make them feel comfortable in front of my camera and to make the experience fun, uplifting and memorable. To help make it memorable I always offer to share the images with my subjects so they can keep them in their family photo archive. I’ve had people come to me years after being photographed and thank me for taking the time to photograph them well and sharing the photos with them. At this point in my career I have shared thousands of photos with my subjects. It makes me feel great to know that in some small way I’ve been able to help them remember and rejoice in their own past. I chose photography as a career because it was a great context within which I can experience the world. Sharing those moments I’ve captured with people has been a great privilege. Knowing that those photos are out there hanging on their walls or on their refrigerators feels great! My legacy is mostly about the people whose lives I’ve been able to touch and whose lives have touched mine through photography. I carry with me a little piece of each person I’ve photographed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I have always been a photographer. Beginning as a freshmen in high school when I first picked up a camera I knew I wanted to use the lens as my window on the world and film and digital as my way to preserve the moments I experience. Photography is a catalyst for me. It’s a context within which I can experience the world and reflect those experiences back to the world in a compelling visual way. Among other things photography is a form of self-expression. I use the camera to express my ideals. I started my career as a photojournalist but quickly realized that my talent and mindset were better suited to creating an idealized view of the world through images rather than the objective view needed in journalism. I didn’t want to just capture my subject. I wanted to use my eye, my skill and talent to re-interpret the world into a slightly idealized version. A vision not just of what is, but what can be. With that in mind I began working with clients on projects focusing on nature, the environment, the built space, science, healthcare, housing and culture. I shoot still photos and produce short films on these topics for my clients. Each set of images or short film is an attempt to inspire the viewer to see the potential in the world and in themselves. In my images I try to convey the beauty, symmetry, balance, power and potential of my subjects. In my films I try to reach past the information to create emotionally impactful stories.
The final piece of my professional puzzle is teaching. From the moment I learned to operate a camera I have been sharing my knowledge, skill and experience with others. I attended grad school at Syracuse University on a teaching assistantship and learned how to organize and order my teaching and speaking into a passionate and coherent message. I currently teach mostly adult learners with an emphasis on helping them find their own personal mindset from which they can create images.
Photography has been the consistent thread through my adult life both personally and professionally. I practice my craft with passion and a growth mindset and I’m always looking for a new way to photograph a familiar subject. There is always something new to see.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe it’s my professionalism and my good reputation that have helped me achieve success in a very competitive field. I can literally walk someone through my entire career from the age of 15 to today and go over each person, how they are connected to me and each other and how I have grown. Rarely do I get new clients that don’t already know my work and my reputation. Maintaining those connections has been critical to my success.

I’ve had the great fortune that many of my clients have become personal friends and some of my friends have become great clients. Early on in my freelance career while shooting projects for a resort hotel the Marketing Director told me she preferred working with me over another local photographer with more experience because I was more relaxed, more collaborative and less high-maintenance. I went on to work with her for many years and learned a lot from working with her.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I believe nearly every job has a component of creativity. Any time you are asked to synthesize information and come up with a new way of doing something you are being creative. Marketers, managers and lawyers are among some of the most creative people I’ve met. But when it comes to a creative field like photography the challenge is often not just in coming up with novel and interesting solutions to visual branding issues, but being able to collaborate and compromise during the process so the clients expectations get met and exceeded while still remaining true to your own creative impulse.

I consider myself a craftsman and a commercial artist. My goal is to always solve my client’s visual challenges first. When you hire me to shoot photos or tell a visual story I will do all I can to understand your brand, mission and vision. It’s my job to interpret those concepts into visual ideas and express them to your market. It’s important for me to create a quality product so that I can maintain my integrity in the field. It is just as important for me to express your brand in a creative and interesting way that is consistent with your overall messaging. It’s always a great day when all these goals are met simultaneously!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dresselmartin.com
• Instagram: sdresselmartin
• Linkedin: Scott Dressel-Martin
• Twitter: @DresselMartin

Image Credits
Maroon Bells photograph by Scott Dressel-Martin Scott Dressel-Martin photo by Taage Dressel-Martin