Meet Scott Flathouse | Endurance Sport Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Scott Flathouse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Scott, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
As a former triathlete, I have a sense of the time and effort involved in training for an endurance event. I wanted to create images that capture the excitement and epic nature of triathlons, distance running, cycling, and swimming events. Race photography generally has been a volume business, and I wanted to focus on creating a quality product that represents the culmination of all those hours of training on race day.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
About 10 years ago I began working as a race photographer. The race photography business is generally aimed towards volume: getting as many images of each participant as possible. I was paid an hourly rate, showed up at the event, took pictures at my assigned spot according to instructions, and handed over the digital cards at the end of the event. Although it was a way to be involved in the events, exercise some photographic skills, and make a little money, it was generally unsatisfying. Having a background in endurance events, I knew the time and effort that many of the participants had put in training for the events. I wanted to make better images that required more creativity. I began attending events independently, and photographing athletes that I knew. I also began to hone my skills in Photoshop, where I would edit the race images and enhance them. As a way to showcase the photos, I launched an Instagram page (@scottflathousephoto) where I began to receive positive feedback on many of my race photos. In the past few years I’ve grown a following through social media and have been hired to do promotional photography for events. I also offer pre-race portrait sessions at certain events, and continue to create awesome race images for endurance athletes. One thing that makes me proud is when someone comments, “I didn’t think I looked that good!” upon seeing their photo from an event.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The Greater Houston area offers amazing opportunities for outdoor recreational and fitness activities. I’d start out north of Houston at Lake Conroe with a stay at the Margaritaville Resort. There we could cycle through the Sam Houston National forest, go on an open water swim in Lake Conroe, and do a myriad of other activities including kayaking, sailing, and boating. From there we could go stay at The Woodlands Resort with world class golf available. We could run the Ironman Texas run course along the waterway and around Lake Woodlands. There’s also kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding available at Riva Row Boathouse in the canal. Moving to the city of Houston itself, I would book a stay at the Marriott Marquis downtown and go for a run, bike, or canoe trip along Buffalo Bayou. No trip to the Houston are would be complete without a visit to Galveston, where we would stay at the historic Hotel Galvez or the luxurious San Luis Resort. The Galveston seawall offers miles of beachfront running and the opportunity to cycle the Ironman 70.3 Texas bike course down the length of the island.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out to Aaron Palaian, who was a race director in the Houston area for several years. Aaron created the Bayou City Triathlon series, the Bayou City Half Marathon series, and co-created the Run Houston! Race Series (among others). Aaron recognized the marketing value of quality race photography for his events. I, and a handful of other photographers, worked for Aaron at his events where he encouraged creativity and experimentation.

Website: www.scottflathousephoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottflathousephoto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottFlathousePhotography/