Scott Porter is a local photographer who has traveled with us this year on mission to Haiti and Belize. He’s a bit quiet and unassuming, but that’s because he’s focused on capturing the moment rather than being in it. Scott’s got an inimitable talent for capturing an entire story within a single frame. It’s always hard to explain what it’s like to be on mission, but his work represents the layers of emotion, the purity of spirit, and the sweat equity involved in the work.
We love his heart for mission, and we wanted you to get to know him a little better. He’s a pretty special human being who we’re grateful to know.
Tell a little about yourself.
Grew up in the DFW area. Went to UNT for advertising and worked as a copywriter at various ad agencies for over eight years. A few years ago, I was applying for a job as a writer at a nonprofit, and during the course of the interview, they asked what my dream job would be. The answer was to travel and take photos. And hearing myself say that out loud for the first time, I figured that if that really was my dream job, I should probably pursue it. It took a couple years of learning and growing as a photographer, but I’m finally getting to do what I love. I became a full-time freelancer in August of 2016. I still write, but I’ve been able to go on several international trips as a photographer: Guatemala twice, Haiti, and Belize.
What is it about mission work that inspires you?
Even when I was working in advertising, I always preferred our nonprofit clients. The work I did for them felt more meaningful and more gratifying. That’s still true today. I’m not a doctor, diplomat, businessman, or educator; I have a camera and a desire and ability to go. I love what I do, and I hope the pictures I take end up making some kind of difference. Plus, it’s just really fun to be around people who are experts at what they do and are nice enough to do it to help others.
What was it like being part of the Haiti & Belize missions?
I really enjoyed it. I saw surgeries for the first time and was happy to find out that I’m not squeamish. I especially enjoyed meeting everyone who went on the trips and made some good friends. At the same time, I felt keenly aware that I had the least important job, but I think that was a healthy realization. I was there to play my part. And when I got tired or my feet hurt, I just realized that the same was true of everyone there, so there was really nothing to complain about – even to myself.
What have you learned about LEAP in this process? What have you learned about yourself?
It was interesting to see the instant gratification of what LEAP does: a kid comes in with a problem, the next day he has surgery, and the problem is fixed. But that said, three days later and these surgeons have gone back to America. Some kids have to wait another year to be treated, and some kids have problems that can’t be helped through surgery at all. It can feel overwhelming because you can never help everyone. But on the other hand, you can look at a mom holding her child and know that that one surgery meant everything to them.
If you could spend time in any part of the world doing this, where would you go?
I’ve only just begun traveling, and there’s nowhere on Earth I don’t ultimately want to visit (I’ve applied for jobs in Antarctica the last two years in a row but no luck so far.). But the place I want most to work in is the Middle East. I have a heart for refugees in general but specifically Syrian refugees, and I’d love to see with my own eyes what they’re going through.
