After graduating from Drexel in June of 2004, Schrott began shooting press photos for a number of local bands in Central Pennsylvania, in addition to a few small editorial projects. He is currently working part time in construction with the intention of making photography his full-time living one day soon.
"I don't want to do anything besides photography," admits Schrott, who loves to shoot Polaroids in his spare time.
Last year, Schrott was hired for a couple of assignments by Asterik Studio, an emerging music and graphic design firm based in Seattle that works with almost every major music label, as well as hundreds of artists such as Jimmy Eat World and Liz Phair. The experience was a significant boost to his confidence.
"I felt like they must have really liked my work to take me on just out of college," he says.
While that experience was rewarding, Schrott says that it can be trying at times as he attempts to establish himself in the industry.
"It costs a ton of money to do any kind of promo work," he explains. "Getting a consistent work flow is a real challenge."
While at work behind the lens, Schrott says that he tends to give in to the moment.
"A lot of my work is very whimsical," he says. "I'll find a nice location and I'll say, 'Okay, we're going to go here today and whatever happens, happens.' I feel like the spontaneity of things is a real key to my pictures. Typically, I like to notice things that the models are doing or something that they're wearing."
He speaks of one such experience when he hired a few local models for a shoot close to home.
"We had a boat out on this river and I just said, 'Why don't we have them lay down in it,'" he explains. "It was a very spontaneous thing that just sort of came together for this really beautiful photo."
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