Episode 001: Scott Toepfer
Photograph by Scott Toepfer
“If you love it - and you love it enough to hate it, too, and still keep going - that’s the type of attitude you need, because it’s not all easy street.”
Scott Toepfer (@sgtoepfer) is a commercial photographer and director with an affinity for everything on two wheels. His work is characterized by a grungy aesthetic and story-driven style. Past clients include: Mercedes-Benz, Harley-Davidson, Visa, Gibson Guitars, Uber, Converse, Indian Motorcycles, Sperry Topsiders, High Noon Vodka, Red Bull Media House, and many others.
Please enjoy!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. After the episode, join me in the Green Room to keep the conversation going.
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Scott Toepfer:
QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW
"I've always been a huge proponent of the personal project because I think it's the best way for someone to take pictures of things that they're passionate about, which translates to people who are doing the hiring."
—Scott Toepfer
"You can be a technically good photographer very easily. Then there's another step that we all need to take to find what we're really passionate about and what we can visually speak to."
—Scott Toepfer
"Take what you want to get, then add more to that because someone is going to talk you down."
—Scott Toepfer
"I try to feel people out. They'll drop hints like, 'It's a tight budget,' or 'We have limited resources,' or 'This is only for social media.' There's always a phrase where people will let you know what their budget is."
—Scott Toepfer
"As a photographer, sometimes you're a button-pusher and a technician, and sometimes you're more like a film director on a set where you're creating the experience from essentially nothing."
—Scott Toepfer
"You try to figure out the parameters you can work within. Sometimes the constraint is budget; sometimes the constraint is time; sometimes the constraint is there's one person we need to satisfy and we need to take care of that person's needs first, and then we can be super creative."
—Scott Toepfer
"Sometimes you cast off of headshots, sometimes you're asked, 'Who are some real people from this world that you might know that we can bring in?' And if there's anything that requires expertise in a certain field, you really have to bring in someone that understands that world."
—Scott Toepfer
"We did a bunch of work a few years ago for Sperry Topsiders, which is traditionally a boat shoe company, so we're going to spend five days on boats. You need talent that 1) doesn't get seasick; 2) can manage being in weather and still keep a good attitude; and 3) seems like they're up for a good, wild, strenuous time."
—Scott Toepfer
"If you have someone that's beautiful on camera but can't handle the situation you're putting them in, you can make for some pretty bad pictures and a tense environment on set."
—Scott Toepfer
"Shooting is always about trying to keep a lively environment and keep people in a good mood and enjoying themselves."
"I like to know the people that I'm working with and who's got the right vibe for a certain situation."
—Scott Toepfer
"I'm always trying to check in with the creatives at the agency level, cause sometimes they're hands-on, and sometimes they're not. So I always try to gauge how happy they are, what they want to see, or do they just want me to do my thing and send them selects at the end of the day."
—Scott Toepfer
"I try to manage those relationships and keep in touch with people. I have a quarterly newsletter that I send out just to let people know what I was doing...I'll send people 3-4 images and tell them what it was, why I was asked to do it, and how we finished it."
—Scott Toepfer
"I've never been very good at selling myself with one picture. I like to show series and case studies of projects I've done."
—Scott Toepfer
"I almost never shoot magazine covers, but I always feel like I do better with magazine features because I can get into details, and I can get into telling a story."
—Scott Toepfer
"I had reps on and off for years. I've worked with a couple of great people, but I never found that to be a very successful business model."
—Scott Toepfer
"I've always just been better with one-on-one. I'll just email that person that I know is a creative decision-maker and say 'Hey, what are you working on? Anything interesting?'...Whether I've gotten work out of it or not, I've made contacts and friends that I'll have relationships with forever, whether or not we're shooting together."
—Scott Toepfer
"It's a financial nightmare at times. You have to be used to getting rejected a bunch and you have to manage your expectations for yourself."
—Scott Toepfer
"Making a career out of photography...it takes a strong stomach, it takes a lot of flexibility. I would just tell people to shoot and put it out there, and find something you're really passionate about."
—Scott Toepfer
"There's a reason that Sally Mann has amazing books and is famous, it's cause she photographs her family. She photographs these things that are close to her."
—Scott Toepfer
"Danny Clinch is a music afficionado and he's a genius and he photographs musicians better than anyone alive. And there's a reason: It's because he's a rockstar himself."
—Scott Toepfer
"You have to find that thing that you love and you have to run with it, because if you're really good at shooting everything, it's hard to stand out."
—Scott Toepfer
"If you love it - and you love it enough to hate it, too, and still keep going - that's the type of attitude you need because it's not all easy street. You have to love it to keep pushing through the hard times."
—Scott Toepfer
"I know some people make money off of Instagram, but I don't know how they do it. I don't think I've ever made a dime off of Instagram. I've made some good contacts but I don't think it's ever been a job."
—Scott Toepfer
"You gotta hit up ad agencies because those are the people with the money."
—Scott Toepfer
PEOPLE MENTIONED