ince a kid, Scott Morrison remembers shooting photos with an Instamatic camera at family gatherings. He graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) in 1983 with a triple major in Management Science, Marketing and Computer Science, and began working in sales. While traveling, photography was always a hobby, especially when shooting the breathtaking scenery in national parks. When critiquing his results, Morrison recognized that his photos didn’t look nearly as great as the subjects he shot. That’s when he decided to really learn the ins and outs of photography, and took classes at Rocky Mountain School of Photography, the Nikon School of Photography, The Cleveland Institute of Art and EPIC. He honed his skills, and in 1991, formed his company, Discovery Photo, while working at a video production company. His motivating factor was to fill a gap within the company when it decided to have a photographer on staff. With his new company formed, Morrison also began shooting weddings which, in his words, were the hardest subject to shoot. “To be a good wedding photographer, you have to be a photojournalist who is an expert in shooting portraits, candids and architectural shots, all of which takes a lot of talent,” he said. “You’re capturing once-in-a-lifetime shots and you don’t get a second chance.” “Additionally,” Morrison added, “you have to be somewhat of a psychologist to keep the bride and groom calm so you can capture beautiful photos and ensure that everyone has a stress-free day.” He was pleased to share that most brides with whom he’s worked have been great to work with, and he’s had very few “bridezillas.” Although Morrison gained experience by shooting events, he also became a certified forensic photographer, documenting evidence at crime scenes. He enjoyed this type of shooting, but jobs became less frequent as digital photography became more popular. In 2005, Morrison’s business continued to grow. He was having fun, and decided to became a full-time photographer, adding corporate, industrial and aerial photography to his repertoire. In spite of his added skills, Morrison’s true passion remained as a wildlife and nature photographer, and he has traveled to 47 states to see the beautiful landscapes that span our country. In recent years, Morrison started shooting movies. “I met quite a few models while Behind the Lens with Scott Morrison S shooting head shots, which opened new doors in the film industry,” he said. “I have excellent lighting equipment and the knowledge to effectively use it to establish certain techniques,” he added. “And since lighting is lighting, I began working on local sets.” Morrison just finished shooting “Lux in Tenebris,” where he was the gaffer and still photographer. The movie stars Eric Roberts (pictured, opposite page, bottom left), and is scheduled to be released at film fests in the first quarter of 2015 to gain recognition and mass distribution. He also just competed in a 48-hour film festival where he and his team won three of the five awards for which they were nominated. When asked to share tips for the novice photographer, Morrison shared the following: • Learn the basics of exposure and shoot manual so you can be the creative force behind the camera instead of the camera being the creative source behind you. • You’ve got to know your camera. It’s the only way to be creative. • Whenever possible, use a tripod. It slows you down, which is good, and makes you think about what you’re doing. When using a tripod, you get a much steadier, sharper shot. • Experiment and have fun! Take a lot of pictures and learn from your mistakes. Morrison shares his passion for photography by teaching the art to others by offering photography lessons and teaching the photography club at Fuchs Mizrachi school. He also shares his passion by doing philanthropic work for various organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, The American Lung Association, Ratner School and Beachwood Chamber of Commerce, just to name a few. “Customers are very good to me and so is the community,” he said, “I believe everybody should give back and it feels good to give of myself.” “I love my job, look forward to going to work every day, and feel really lucky,” Morrison added. “Diversity is what keeps it exciting for me. I’m not doing the same old thing every day.” Morrison has been published locally, nationally, and internationally in magazines such as Outdoor Photographer, Evidence Technology, Properties, Beachwood Buzz, and Trump Magazine. Dozens of his prints, featuring stunningly vivid landscapes and visceral wildlife, appear in galleries across America, including the Cleveland Museum of Art. Discovery Photo specializes in fun, unique and creative portraits. “We do everything from basic head shots to full portfolios and have a state of the art studio located right here in Beachwood,” he said. “Cleveland is full of a wide variety of locations, from beaches to urban, and we are willing to go the extra mile to get the perfect shot.” When he’s not working, Morrison, his wife, Liz, and their two children, Daniel and Amanda, travel the countryside in style in their travel trailer. His two favorite places in the world are Glaciers National Park in Montana and Arches National Park in Utah. In his spare time, Morrison enjoys driving his classic 1964 Dodge convertible, and also enjoys making craft beers. Morrison has a great selection of landscape photography documenting his travels, which he sells on canvas, metal and metallic papers. He can be reached at discoveryphotoonline. com. 18 Beachwood Buzz n January 2015