It was a winding road that led Scott Houston from a small fishing town in Scotland to a life in New York as an international photojournalist and film maker. In my audio interview, Scott shared with me how he ended up in New York and how his time spent studying film and photography at NYU left him crazy for photography. It was then, he says, that he discovered what he was meant to do.
He describes photography as having been an explosion for him, since he began until now, and as you listen in on his stories about being on assignment for important magazines photographing Neo-Nazis, youth culture, ecstasy users, and the like, all around the world, I’m sure you’ll agree with him, photography really can be quite the explosion.
To hear my interview with Scott Houston, click on the audio link below:
A Selection of Scott’s Photos
Evan, a non racist skinhead outside CBGB’s in New York City.
Four women from Estrella Jails chain gang unit wait for a coffin to bury a homeless indigent during “ burial duty,“ at White Tanks cemetery near Phoenix Arizona.
Female inmates from Estrella Jail’s chain gang unit on the bus at dawn going to perform “burial duty,“ at White Tanks cemetery, near Phoenix, Arizona.
A row of working class houses in East Liverpool, Ohio.
A young woman watches two children running at a fair in East Liverpool, Ohio.
A young black man with chains after performing chain gang duty at Estrella Jail in Phoenix, Arizona.
A company man enters a corporate building in New York City.
A woman photographs the Freedom Tower in lower Manhattan.
Male inmates from Estrella Jail’s chain gang unit wait to leave the prison to perform chain gang duty.
A trustee of Estrella Jail’s chain gang unit watches traffic near two officers while on chain gang duty near Phoenix, Arizona.
A transvestite in New York City.
Suzy who is high on heroin in her home in East Liverpool, Ohio.
A local man in East Liverpool, Ohio.
Family members and friends attend a funeral of a loved one in East Liverpool, Ohio.
A portrait of a child in a home in East Liverpool, Ohio.
Scott’s Films
Scott’s Gear
- Film: Mamiya 6 x 7 with 65mm and 80mm lenses.
- Digital: Canon 5D Mk 3, and Cannon 1 DX, with a 24 – 70mm , 50mm and 70 – 200mm lenses.
- The Chain Gang film was shot in 5 days with the Cannon 5D Mk 3 and a Rode Stereo Video microphone.
Scott’s Greatest Influences
- Walker Evans
- Irving Welsh
- D.W. Winnicott
- Charles Traub
- Francis Bacon
- Fred Ritchin
Scott’s Book Recommendations
- The Education of The Photographer by Charles Traub and Adam Bell
- Vision Anew by Charles Traub and Adam Bell
- The Book of 101 Books … Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century
- Everything by Gerry Badger, Dian Arbus, Adam Phillips, Lyle Rexer, Weegee,
