I first found Scott’s work one day when a P52 member linked his great video on motorcycling, “It’s Better in the Wind”.
Watch it. All with DSLR video.
I became an instant fan. The words I use for Scott’s work are fresh, surprising, intimate and classic. I expected the work to be film, and much of it is, but Scott makes his digital files look more like film than digital.
Scott discusses the making of this short film in the first part of the interview.
I have been told on occasion that my interviews are too long. I think that they are as long as they have to be to cover what we need to cover. This interview is about an hour and 40 minutes cut into two parts for you. I don’t think of that as too long.
I think of that as a long form, detailed look into the work and thought process of a dynamic young photographer. One that you can’t get in a twelve minute discussion or 10 questions answered in text. This is the way I like to meet someone.
Grab a beer… hell, maybe two. And meet Scott Toepfer.
This is Part One: a discussion on Scott’s work, marketing and how he works with clients. It is 40 minutes or so.
This is Part Two: Scott shares some images with us, and we chat about the making of photographs. It is a tiny bit over an hour.
All images copyright Scott Toepfer.
Thanks Scott. I am very happy to have met you. And the beer is on me next time I come through Ventura.
Don, thank you for bringing this interview our way. This is a session I could listen to over and over.
Scott, thanks so much for taking the time to share with us. I’ve been a fan of yours ever since coming across “It’s Better in the Wind”…as a Bonnie driver, that powerful piece sent a chill up my spine, it’s that good. Listening to your chat with Don has breathed some new life into what has lately been a photo rut for me. Thanks much for the inspiration and talking-to that I needed.
Having been a fan of and inspired by Scott’s work for a few years now, I was really excited to see this post. Really appreciate the time offered up by both of you here. It’s great to get a little peak behind the curtain of someone that’s making work they enjoy, and getting hired to produce that. Scott’s a great example of the importance of creating those personal projects in the style that you want to be hired for, of making those personal relationships and keeping the passion for your work alive. It’s cool to hear his love for the craft as a craft.
Thanks Don and Scott!
What I like about Scott’s work is the creative cropping. I kind of think it shouldn’t work but it does. The image of the girl on the back seat of the car is a great example.
Thank you both very much for this interview, very insightful !
It’s interesting to see how commercial photography can always be taken from an editorial angle (“There’s always a story behind the shoots”)