Biography of Scott Wilson

Houston Event Photography is owned and operated by Scott Wilson. Scott began his career as a photographer at a very early age. In 7th grade, he was introduced to photography at his junior high school. He bought a home darkroom kit and learned how to develop film, and he was hooked after seeing his first print developed. Luckily for him, his uncle Leon Noland was a professional photographer who worked as their Chief Photographer for the local newspaper and TV station. He shared his knowledge with Scott and helped him learn the basics of good camera operation and photographic techniques needed to capture properly exposed images. As Scott matured, so did his photography skills. He was his high school's lead school yearbook photographer and started taking on paid assignments independently. He also had another mentor Mr. Griffin who owned the local camera store and photography studio. Mr. Griffin was his uncle's friend and helped Scott learn portrait lighting, posing, and color darkroom film development. Scott photographed his first paid wedding alone when he was 15 years old. He also took a popular home study photography program from the world-renown New York Institute of Photography and received his Photography Diploma from them when he was 17. After completing high school, he went to Northeast Louisiana University and attended photojournalism study to obtain his BA in Arts. He paid for his studies by working as a paramedic in Monroe, Louisiana, and for Acadian Ambulance in Lafayette. Scott was raised in unusual surroundings. His father was a funeral director and mortician. Growing up, he was always around his father. He went on ambulance runs that funeral homes provided in the early 1940s through the 1960s, exposing him to the life his father had chosen. He also helped his father when he needed to handle body calls. But he knew he didn’t have the same calling as his father after discovering

photography, but he always enjoyed helping those who needed help. Scott obtained his EMT certification in Vicksburg, MS, at 16 by telling them he was 18 years old when he was only 16 by joining the EMT class held for Vicksburg Fire Department. This allowed him to work for his stepbrother Louis Bernhardt who had purchased an ambulance and started his own business in Monroe, LA, when the funeral homes finally stopped providing the service. Scott worked for his brother while he was younger before going to work at Acadian Ambulance. After he finished his studies in photography, he moved to Freeport. TX, where his stepbrother purchased another ambulance service. During this time, Scott opened his photography studio in Lake Jackson, TX, in 1978, and he also started attending college for law enforcement because his brother had been elected county constable and needed a deputy. Scott loved law enforcement, and soon after he graduated, he began working as a patrolman in Richwood, TX. In 1983 he moved to Friendswood, TX, and took on a job with their police department for the next 23 years until he was injured and forced to retire. He also maintained his paramedic certification and worked as EMS Director for a local volunteer emergency medical service that provided 911 service for one of the largest counties in Texas. All the while, Scott operated his photography business and provided photography to corporate and commercial clients in the area. Scott still runs the day-to-day operations at Houston Event Photography and volunteers as Director of Photography for Honor Flight Houston, and he still loves what he does. he has no plans yet to retire and pass on the torch.