Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Southwell
Hi Scott, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Born and raised in San Antonio, I’m a native Texan. Over the years I have watched my hometown grow from a sleepy, little town to become one of the fastest growing cities in the country. People from all over have discovered San Antonio!
Photography has always been a passion of mine. I started out way back in the film days with a Black & White darkroom. It was painfully slow to process photos that way. But it taught me to make every shot count. Now not only can you instantly see the photo just taken but with mirrorless cameras you can see how the photo will look before you take the shot. Photography has come a long way.
Flying airplanes was also a passion for me. I got my Private Pilot’s license at 19. I wanted to be an Air Force pilot but back then having 20/20 vision was a must. Mine was a bit off so the military route was out for me. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin I went to flight school in Houston. There I got my Instrument Rating. I was on my way to an Airline Pilot career when an opportunity came up to work in our family business.
I spent the next 30 years at The Southwell Company back in my hometown of San Antonio. We made all sorts of signage. My older brother and I eventually bought the business from our parents. Just 8 months before we all learned the word COVID, we sold our 153 year old family business. God truly blessed us.
In 2020 I got my Real Estate Agent license. I spent the next few years selling residential houses. I was good at it and I liked it. I would hire photographers to take the listing photos for homes I was selling. I was interested in their equipment and techniques. I thought, “I could see myself being a Real Estate Photographer” and I started learning the craft.
My old photography skills and Real Estate Agent knowledge quickly propelled me to becoming an in-demand Real Estate and Architectural Photographer. I used my Pilot knowledge to easily pass the Part 107 Drone Pilot License test and got a Drone. I call it my flying camera.
These days I am busy taking listing photos for Realtors. I work with several prominent Architecture firms to photograph their recent projects. I make property walk-through videos, Drone photos of vacant land, Drone videos of properties, Matterport Virtual Tours, professional Headshots for businesses as well as family portraits. About the only type of photography I don’t do is weddings. That’s a specialty all to itself. I truly enjoy photography!
I am married to the most wonderful woman ever, Michelle. We have a daughter, Morgan, and a son Scotty. We also have our first grandbaby, Lolo. She’s 3. I’m Opa and Michelle is Gigi.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been fairly smooth for me to transition from Real Estate Agent to Real Estate Photographer. When I was an active Realtor I would find homes for sale near where I lived. I would schedule a showing and ask the listing agent if it was OK for me to practice taking photos there. They always agreed and asked me for the photos. I quickly got better with some coaching from seasoned photographers who would critique my work. It didn’t take long and I was making beautiful Real Estate photos. As for Architectural photography, to me, a commercial building is just a large house. The skills I learned taking photos of houses fit right in with large, commercial buildings.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Scott Southwell Photography is a full service photography and video company specializing in Real Estate and Architectural photography.
– Listing Photos for Realtors
– Commercial property Photos for Architects
– Walk Through Videos for Realtors and Architects
– Drone photos and videos
– Matterport Virtual Tours
– Virtual Staging photos
I also do Professional Headshots and Portraits
What sets me apart from other Real Estate Photographers is I am also a licensed Real Estate Agent. As for Drone Photography, I am also a licensed Pilot who can fly real airplanes. I carry General Liability Insurance for my customer’s protection.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t believe in luck. I do believe in God and his good graces. I also believe in Karma. My philosophy is God is always watching and Karma keeps good notes. Do the right thing even when it’s easy not to. You reap what you sow. Treat people right. In business I under-promise and over-deliver.
Pricing:
- It varies depending on the project and/or size of house
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.scott-photos.com
- Instagram: @scottsouthwell
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/scott.southwell.3
