Scott & Clients
I guide real people and pro talent to share a Story (sometimes theirs, most often stuff we make up). If it’s emotionally true, you feel it. The connect. That’s the good stuff.
I’m protective of the term Story. She has stained tattered edges along with Design, Authentic and a few others. Overused, overexposed stars.
The first stories I remember are my fathers…. He and two roommates breaking into his military school cafeteria, summers street racing cars, dancing on American Bandstand. He told them with such joy and pride to my 5-6 year old ears.
My parents and grandparents are from a small mill town south of Pittsburgh long with stout working people, local dive bars, rusted trucks and church on Sunday. I spent a lot of joyful time there as a kid and it formed me. Elementary school, we moved to Southern California 15 minutes from the beach and all its sun baked possibilites. The blend gave me a dual citizenship of eastern work ethic and blind romantic optimism. My parents were simple people. My brother and I are Artists - we don’t know how that happened.
Me? I was the kid too smart for his own good - several years ahead in math with no idea what a semicolon does. Restless, idealistic, I wanted more than my parents claimed for their lives and I was ready for it yesterday. I didn’t go looking for photo… she found me in Raleigh, NC sitting on the court for NC State vs North Carolina basketball. Guy to my right shoots for Sports Illustrated, guy to my left works for Associated Press: I was hooked. Working on State’s paper gave me purpose, a family of friends and some swagger. My grades suffered. My parents were mortified.
The School of Visual Arts has a slogan “To be good is not enough - when you dream of being Great!” The depression era work ethic of my grandparents had twisted into “I’ll do it myself and show you” bravado with a side order of charm. Photo picked me but making it a career? advertising? At 22, might as well shouted, I’m going to be a global rockstar!! I mean really, looking back on it the odds are about the same…. but remember that kid and his math skills? Turns out photo is all math. At SVA, I discovered my voice.
The greatest surprise of my adult life was daughters. I dove in with full force and thrived in it. The volume of homework and constant loop of wet towels and mountains of food supporting their elite Swimming/Water Polo lives. Cliche, It completely reset what was important in my life.
Potent stories are never linear…. lost my mom to a long term illness. Lost some good people to the politics of divorce. The faith of getting married again to Michelle: second rodeo for both of us. Our move back to NYC. My story is a good one. It’s messy and scratched up and glorious and still going.
Play for me now is food, a few or more hours on my road bike (Scott Mont on Strava) and a good bookstore. I have a mild obsession with cooking. I know people who eat only to avoid hunger: they’re not my people. I prefer spoons, sometimes eat with my hands and judge you if you don't share :) I use my grandfathers 100 year old Griswold #10 daily. Michelle says I have a man crush on my Dominican butcher. I can’t rebuild a car engine but I can go into any kitchen and feed you a good meal.
Fun Fact: my high school job was selling Cokes/peanuts/hotdogs/malts in the stands at California Angel baseball games. In front of thousands each night I learned how to entertain a crowd, deal with drunk fans, hustle for commission, flirt with popcorn girls and see the occasional double play. I never caught a ball.
Thanks for your interest. Production is an odd unicorn of a business. The adrenaline, the obsessive detail, the olympic problem solving skills, the planned magic. It’s a gift to do this. I hope to see you on the road soon.
Recognition: Communication Arts Photo Annual • Lurzer's Archive • American Photography • APA National
Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Andersen Windows, Aramark, Bearpaw, Damen, Del Webb, General Electric, Land O’ Lakes, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Memorial Sloan Kettering, National Park Service, Nationwide Insurance, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Pennsylvania Tourism, Pfizer, Pulte Homes, Proctor & Gamble, Shea Homes, Sprint, State Street Corp, Sunovion, United Healthcare, US Army, Univ. of California Irvine, Verizon, Werther’s, Wyndham