Scott launched his professional photography career in the late 1990s, photographing music, fashion, and high-profile cultural events in New York City for The Patrick McMullan Company. In 2001, Scott relocated to San Francisco, where he photographed the city’s vast and colorful underground, independent music and fashion scenes.

His passion for music eventually brought him back to New York City, where he served as staff photographer for the first three Electric Zoo music festivals. During this time, he assisted Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer John Filo at CBS Photo while also photographing editorial and publicity assignments for the organization.

That experience led to a decade-long tenure as staff photographer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at The Ed Sullivan Theater. Working alongside Stephen Colbert and a daily roster of A-list guests, he created publicity, editorial, and archival imagery spanning taped and live broadcasts, backstage portraits, celebrity interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments.