How do you move from showing your art in group exhibitions to building a loyal circle of collectors who not only buy your work but champion it? In this conversation, we dive deep into the lived experience of an artist who has done exactly that.

From humble beginnings in group shows to being invited into exhibitions in New York, Japan, and Europe, our guest shares how community, consistency, and serendipity shaped a career sustained not by social media clicks but by human connection.

We explore:

• Building Collectors: How early supporters became long-term champions who now buy new work before it’s public.
  
  

• Real-Life vs. Social Media: Why genuine conversations and showing up in person often outperform online likes.
  
  

• Printing Philosophy: Why Moab Luster paper brings photography to life like a “window into reality.”
  
  

• Archiving & Editing: A practical system in Lightroom to organize decades of work while leaving space for rediscovery.
  
  

• Film Revival: How DSLR scanning revolutionized archiving film—fast, precise, and surprisingly affordable.
  
  

• Creative Tools: From smart collections to Google Earth, the surprising ways digital tools fuel analog creativity.
  
  

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Accidental Photographer

05:10 From Marine Biology to a High School Darkroom

07:29 Finding a Focus in Skate Photography

14:59 The Evolution of a Creative Eye

17:10 Photography as a Way to Preserve the Present

21:37 A Deep Dive into Landscape and Nature

27:28 The Process: Planning, Gear, and Google Earth

33:41 The Creative Dance of Fatherhood

39:28 Building a Collector Base for Your Art

43:33 The Art of the Archive: Lightroom, Keywords, and DSLR Scanning

52:39 Final Thoughts on a Winding Journey

 

Connect with Darnell:

 

Follow Darnell on Instagram:https://darnell-scott.com/

Darnell’s Website: https://www.instagram.com/_darnellscott_/?hl=en

 

Support the Show

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This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa.

 

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