Meet our week's Artist Spotlight, Scott Osborn, a Utah local who transformed his passion for photography from a hobby in 2011 into a professional pursuit by 2016. His journey behind the lens has afforded him incredible life experiences and opportunities to collaborate with renowned brands like Jeep, Red Bull, Camelbak, and Peak Refuel. Whether mountain biking, paramotoring, hiking, skiing, or traveling, Scott's diverse skills and industry relationships enhance his ability to capture stunning moments and build lasting connections with creators, professional athletes, and businesses. We asked Scott a few questions so let's get into it.
How did you transition from pursuing photography as a hobby to making it your full-time profession?
I got into photography after assisting a professional photographer (John Gibson from Alberta) at the Red Bull Rampage event here in Utah. It was one of those things I quickly became obsessed with just for the sake of creation alone, as this was in 2011 before the days of Instagram being what it is today. There was never any intention of it being a full time profession when I started, but over the years as I did a few portrait sessions and started to charge a few bucks, shot a few weddings, worked with some mountain bike brands, and then continued to work with more and more brands, it honestly just felt like a happy accident. It wasn't quick, I really just went with the flow and things happened slowly over time and now I solely focus on working with outdoor brands.
What is your go-to camera and lens setup for landscape and adventure photography, and why do you prefer this equipment?
I've been with Nikon my whole career, and been using the Z6 ii since it came out (desperately waiting for the release of the Z6 iii just like everyone else). The holy trinity stays in my backpack at all times but I have a few other lenses as well that are more specialty type lenses like the Nikon Z 180-600. As I got invested into Nikon and I've personally never felt there was a solid enough reason to jump ship to another brand, my setup has allowed me to capture everything I have ever wanted to from every type of genre of photography.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your travel and outdoor photography, and what have been the most rewarding experiences?
Shooting full time, the hardest thing for me is the fact you have to work to get work. I really just want to shoot and edit, but the reality is marketing is one of the most important aspects of any full time freelance photographers business. In addition to that, dealing with brands who want you to do free work in trade for a $50 product is every photographers nightmare.
Can you name a few locations that have profoundly inspired your photography?
Our own backyard here in Utah continues to be such an inspiring place to me, the lakes up in the Wasatch mountains East of the Salt Lake valley had a strong pull early on and got me outside playing with my camera more than most places. Banff and Jasper National Parks were places that delivered on every front, the type of places that leave you wondering how all that beauty can exist in one location!
Based on your experience, what advice would you give to someone just starting out in this field?
In addition to consuming as much knowledge and hands-on experience as possible, my main piece of advice would be to build as many relationships as possible. So many of my jobs and incredible experiences with photography have come from making new friends and putting in the time and effort to continue nurturing all those different relationships. Be a genuine and respectful person and others will want to keep working with you.
Thank you, Scott, for sharing your inspiring journey and insights with us. Your passion for photography and the outdoors is truly contagious, and we appreciate the glimpse into your adventurous world.
Get to Know Scott:
As a Utah local, I started photography as a hobby in 2011 and transitioned it into a professional skill around 2016. Photography has given me the ability to have some of the most incredible life experiences, and the opportunity to work with brands ranging from Jeep, Red Bull, Camelbak, Peak Refuel and many more, all while building new friendships with creators, professional athletes, and businesses along the way. I have an extremely laid back personality and energized outdoors loving spirit, and have been able to pair photography with my many passions like Mountain Biking, Paramotoring, Hiking, Skiing, and Traveling, which has benefited me by having a mix of skills and knowledge in the outdoors, and relationships with people across different industries.