Anaheim, California native D. Scott Caruthers is a household name in the professional photography circles. His background in the arts endeared him to portrait and landscape photography. Egged by his supportive parents, Caruthers began drawing and painting as a young kid. His works featured extensively in the high school yearbook. Immediately after high school, Caruthers attended an art school to further his pursuits. At just 20, he saw it fit to establish a studio on the West Coast. With the help of a marketing agency, Caruthers uses the studio to market the business and extend his reach. His works have been featured in local entertainment and lifestyle magazines. The bedrock of his clients are athletes, entertainers, and movie stars.
The wide base of A-lister’s has seen him break into other areas of photography such as wedding and event photography. The other things working for him are the attention to detail and great communication skills. When he is not at work, D. Scott Caruthers spends most of his time traveling, cooking and blogging. Traveling has greatly inspired his photography, especially the landscape and event’s niche. His travels have taken to places as far as the Andes in South America and the Pyrenees in Southwest Europe. In his blog, Caruthers discusses various trending topics from cryptocurrency and food to technology. His interest in the food preparation and presentation arose from working at a restaurant chain owned by his parents.
How did the idea for photography come about or what prompted you to start your business?
I developed an interest in photography while in school, beginning with the love for drawing and painting. Things went a notch higher when my mother bought me a commercial grade camera. I went on to establish a studio at age 20 and soon after become a professional photographer. The knowledge I garnered from the art school played a critical role in my success.
Outline your typical day? How many hours do you work on average?
I am usually busy, especially when work is at peak. My areas of specialty are wedding, events and landscape photography. On a typical day, I normally start by going through the day’s schedule. The next thing is setting up the studio in readiness for pre-production and post-production. When I have an event to shoot, I usually blog the entries as permitted by the client. Shooting on location is my favorite part. These kinds of assignment may entail producing DVD.
What motivates you?
I am driven by the passion for serving those looking up to me. Over the years, I have built a reputation as an accomplished photographer, keen on meeting the deadlines.
How do you generate new ideas?
Even with the most powerful photography equipment, a professional photographer needs to be creative to stand tall. For the composition, I draw a lot of inspiration from analyzing the light. I also draw lots of ideas from traveling and pre-visualizing. The latter helps me set things right.
How long do you stick to a new idea before turning the page?
The duration will depend on the inherent value of the idea. Whenever I come across something irresistible, my first hunch is to jot it down and explore it later, away from work.
What would you do differently, if you had to start your career all over again?
A successful career in photography is definitely going to pay your bills and more importantly, satisfy your curiosity and creative desires. One thing I would probably amend is to get into the wedding photography much earlier. The lucrative subset allows me to connect with clients emotionally and gain inspiration from anywhere, from art blogs to paintings and fashion magazines.
What top three skills does one need to become a successful entrepreneur?
Like most successful entrepreneurs, I believe anyone who wants to succeed in business must work hard, be adaptable and persistence. Working hard entails putting time and effort in cultivating positive work ethics. Persistence is critical when challenges get in your way.
What did you learn from one failure you had in life?
Failure is inevitable at one time or the other. I have learned to overcome challenges by owning up and not giving up after the first attempt. One of the mistakes I used to make at the beginning was paying little attention to depth. Although we visualize images in three dimensions, photography is by enlarging a figment of two dimensions. To become a better photographer, I learned to create depth and its perception by changing the points of view and using perspective distortion.
What’s your greatest fear? How do you manage fear?
That would perhaps be the pressure to learn all the necessary technicalities required of a pro. I managed to surmount this feat by learning one step at a time.
How do you define success?
The true measure of success is gauged on how well we maneuver our way towards the set goals. In my line of work, I will define success based on the impact of my work on the lives of others.
How do you achieve long-term success?
Besides working hard, you can achieve long-term success by maintaining a positive attitude.
Do you believe there is some written script or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
The formula for achieving success is out in the open, and there is nothing extraordinary about it. Besides inculcating stringent work ethics, you can learn a lot from successful people. The whole idea entails picking up successful practices, habits, and mindset.
Who or what has been your greatest inspiration?
I am inspired by hugely successful people like Jasmine Star, a blogger and wedding photographer and Demetrio Fortman, an accomplished entrepreneur and the CEO of photo marketing platform called Defrozo.
What do you like about being an entrepreneur?
I enjoy being an entrepreneur and creative photographer at the same time, due to many reasons. These include the opportunity to control my destiny, change lives and be a role model to others.
In your own estimation, what are the 5 key elements for starting and running a business successfully?
If you want to start a business, you need to plan well and understand the doctrines of good financial management. At the very onset, you need to have sufficient capital and goodwill to start the business along with a supportive team.
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Work balance is important for anyone who wants to stay healthy and maintain a positive attitude off and at work. I enjoy traveling since its inspiring and fun. My roster of non-work activities also includes cooking and volunteering for various causes.
Where do you see the business and yourself in 10 years?
Technology will continue to revolutionize the photography industry. I am looking at the drones and wearable devices being championed by the likes of Apple Watch. Over the coming decade, I hope to grow the market by tapping into wireless connectivity and the burgeoning Apps market.