We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Scott Indermaur a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Scott, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve been in business for over 30 years and have earned a full-time living from my creative work the entire time. There have been plenty of ups and downs—slow economies affecting corporate budgets, collaborations that didn’t work out, and other life speed bumps—but I’ve always stayed persistent.

I started right after college in Arizona, then moved to Kansas, in 1992, with the goal of becoming a newspaper photographer. This was before the internet and before I even had a mobile phone. I visited every newspaper in Kansas and Missouri, calling editors at just the right times to get assignments. I stayed in touch with dream clients like The New York Times until I eventually got work from them. In the first six months, my motivation was simple: if I didn’t get work, I’d be back at my college job delivering pizza. Within a few months, I knew I’d never have to do that again.

Later, I transitioned into corporate photography by approaching the top corporate photographer in the region and asking if I could assist him. It felt like a small step back—especially since I had a family and was already working full-time as a photographer—but I put aside any ego and jumped at the chance to learn from him while still doing magazine and newspaper work. That experience led to my own thriving corporate and editorial photography business.

When I moved to Rhode Island in 2007, I focused on building new contacts while staying connected to past clients. My work expanded into larger corporate projects and more commercial lifestyle photography. One of my biggest pivots was adding video production. Many clients needed both photography and video, so I learned to shoot video myself and began collaborating with other top-level videographers when the project required it.

Over the years, consistent outreach has been my most effective marketing tool, and I’ve stayed open to pivots that keep my career interesting, relevant, and creatively fulfilling.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a photographer and videographer who has been telling stories through images for more than 30 years. My work has taken me to well over a dozen countries and every U.S. state but three—many of those trips for photography and video projects. I’ve photographed presidents, CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, and everyday people whose stories are just as powerful. I feel fortunate to have built a career doing work I love.

I discovered photography in high school, when I was gifted a camera for graduation. By my second year of college, I changed my degree from Computer Science to Photography, and I’ve never looked back. I began in photojournalism and spent years working for newspapers and magazines, which taught me how to move quickly, adapt, and capture authentic moments. Those skills still shape my corporate, commercial lifestyle, and documentary work today.

Indermaur Media provides both photography and video services—sometimes it’s just me, and other times I build a team of highly skilled creatives. On larger productions, I’ve hired as many as 50 contractors to bring a client’s vision to life. I’m known for being flexible, calm under pressure, and able to connect with people in a way that helps them relax in front of the camera. That connection is what makes the portraits and stories feel human.

One project I’m especially proud of is REVEALED (revealedproject.com), a deeply personal exploration that became a book, a collaboration with NPR, a solo museum exhibit, and a film. It challenged me as an artist, helped me connect with subjects on a deeper level, and left a lasting impact on viewers.

Whether I’m working with a multinational corporation or an individual entrepreneur, my goal is always the same: to tell a story with honesty, creativity, and heart.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My career has had many pivots—from photojournalism, to corporate photography, to commercial photography for corporate clients, and later expanding into video production. Over time, I also began building teams to help bring a client’s vision to life.

One of my biggest pivots was moving from Kansas to Rhode Island. It was about a two-year process. At the time, I had a thriving corporate photography career in Kansas—well-known in my market, booked non-stop, with a full-time assistant and a studio. But something was missing. Kansas was wonderful, but I was ready for a change.

I began looking at where I might want to live in the country, and it was actually easier to figure out where I didn’t want to move. I even consulted an astrocartographer to help pinpoint the best location for me and my family. Rhode Island kept coming up as the right fit. After a few visits—and without knowing anyone here—I took the leap. Some friends thought I was crazy to leave a thriving business for a place I’d only recently visited.

This move was purely based on my personal wants—filling my heart and soul. I never researched the market, the business climate, or how my career might do in Rhode Island. I moved 100% for personal reasons, trusting that if I was happy and my life was full of adventure and joy, a successful business would follow.

In the end, leaving a successful Midwest business to start over in New England was one of the best decisions of my life. That leap of faith gave me exactly what I was looking for—and more.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

When I meet someone new, I connect with them on LinkedIn. Over the years, my outreach has evolved—from phone calls, to email campaigns, to social media. Today, I focus on LinkedIn, a monthly email newsletter, and consistent outreach to both past clients and potential future ones.

Early in my career, I would fly to New York City to show my portfolio in person, constantly seeking out new clients face-to-face. Now, those meetings have been replaced with LinkedIn introductions, personalized emails, and phone calls.

I still believe in the power of a personal touch. I write handwritten thank-you notes and mail them—yes, actual snail mail. I’ve had clients call just to say they’d never received a thank-you note from a vendor before. On some visits, I’ve even seen my photo thank-you cards displayed on their walls. I also send notes to potential clients who chose another photographer or videographer. I’m genuinely thankful for the opportunity and always strive to keep relationships strong for the future.

Most importantly, I truly enjoy these working relationships. This isn’t just networking for the sake of business—it’s about building authentic, long-term connections with people I respect and look forward to working with again.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.indermaurmedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottindermaur/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottindermaur/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@indermaurmedia
• Other: The REVEALED Project I mentioned can be found here – https://www.revealedproject.com

Image Credits

All images are by Scott Indermaur, www.indermaurmedia.com