Scotty Stephenson Interview

From Cumbria to the Dolomites through Sass Fee, Laax and the Swiss Alps. Breathtaking sunsets in warm and enveloping colors. Scotty Stephenson is a young English filmmaker and photographer who is part of the new generation of Igers. We met him at the end of last season, during the private session we had organized in the beautiful setting of Seiser Alm, calling together a large part of the national freestyle snowboard scene.

Hi Scotty. Can you tell us who you are?

Hello, my name is Scotty Stephenson and I come from the North West of England, more precisely from a small fishing village called Arnside, on the edge of the Lake District. I am a keen photographer of sunrises and sunsets.

Where does your passion for photography come from?

I must be honest, I always liked taking pictures, from the early years of my teenage years, during the holidays on skateboarding or snowboarding. I get excited about catching sunsets and sunrises, if I have the motivation to get up early in the morning before starting a working day.

You especially like landscape photography. What do you look for in your shots?

I’m looking for the most surprising colors, those sometimes dictated by luck. I can not explain the feeling of being in a location with vivid and brilliant skies, but it is the place and the moment when I am happier. There is always a small part of me stressed out and frustrated by never having enough time to devote to obtaining images that I desire. So I often find myself panicking looking for the right angles or the best settings for the perfect moment.

You often shoot action shots, especially related to snowboarding. Where does this passion come from?

I started by taking photos of some skater friends. The snowboard arrived later. Combining shots and actions with some of the most incredible landscapes is my perfect mix.

Last year you were in our country with the Italian snowboard team. Tell us more about this experience.

These last winters have been incredible for me. Not only I met some of the most amazing and genuine people, but I can say that I have also found a lot of new friends to travel with in Europe and carry on my passion. I really can not tell you how grateful I am to Filippo and to the team for bringing me with them. And a big thank you goes to my good friend Nico Dioli, without him I would never have had this opportunity.

“Italy is simply amazing! It has everything I want in life, friendly people who seem to want to help you in everything, beautiful landscapes and mountains”

What has fascinated you more than Italy?

Italy is simply amazing! It has everything I want in life, friendly people who seem to want to help you in everything, beautiful landscapes and mountains. And the most surprising food: fresh bread, cheese, fruits and vegetables. I still remember my first grocery shopping with Nico. I was kidnapped by all that fresh and tasty food.

Many young people like you take photos and shoot videos at the same time. What does attract you more and why?

It is hard to say. There are times when I just want to go out with the camera and film some snowboarding action or some landscape clips, as well as other days I prefer to wake up and walk with my camera. It only depends on the day or my mood, but I like trying to do both with the same weight. In this way I never get bored and I always have new ideas to experiment.

What does it mean to live in a place of origin like yours?

The Lake District is a truly beautiful part of the United Kingdom, full of lakes and mountains. I know how many tourists attract and I understand why; the same for which I probably started working in the world of landscape photography.

Which is your relationship with nature?

I love nothing more than waking up motivated, grabbing my coffee thermos and heading to the lakes in the hot summer or winter mornings, studying the sky and trying to work where lights and colors are turned on. And then try the shots and wait for the magic moment to happen. I love nature and how the landscape can change so much over the 12 months. Its unpredictability is the reason why I love it; there are days when you come home with a handful of flies, others with crazy shots.

About magic moment. What was the best?

I lived it when I was in Wanaka, New Zealand. I had set the alarm the night before, for a beautiful sunrise that took hold after studying the predictions. That morning I was stunned by the colors that came out of the sky; it was all bright red, so bright that my cheeks and nose were bright red.

What are your greatest passions in addition to photography?

After many years of learning and building houses and gardens for my father’s company, I realized that I really like working with my hands and this has contributed to the creation of ramps for me and my skateboarders friends. I really like starting something new from nothing and see your work completed and appreciated.

What will Scotty do when he will grow up?

Where I will be or what I will be doing in the years to come is a thought that scares me, but I hope to be happy and still capture images or videos. I want to be able to look back when I am older and see the different phases of my life, how it has evolved and how I have changed, for better or for worse. I just want to be happy to do what I do.

Future plans?

I would like to invest some time to set up a full video, a sort of winter recap with the highlights of the season. I love doing short edits for Instagram or Facebook, but I’ve never made a feature film. I want to try to invest resources and energy in filming to tell a real story, for my friends and I, to present it at a mini premier, as opposed to those little edits that you have to hurry up to get out in time for the next day.

Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to tell my passion and a big thank you goes to the Italian team for everything they do for me.