The Backline Series

SCOTT McDERMOTT

Photographer | Director | Visual Storyteller

Scott McDermott is an American artist whose vision has been shaped by a life lived across cultures. Raised as an expat in the Netherlands and Switzerland, McDermott developed a keen eye for visual storytelling during a gap year traveling through the Himalayas and the American West. Upon returning to the United States, he earned a degree in Photography and Cinematography, with a minor in Art History, from Ithaca College. He has since spent over two decades in New York City building a prolific career as a photographer and director.

Internationally recognized for his stylized portraiture, McDermott has captured some of the most compelling figures in film, music, art, and politics—including Spike Lee, Ice-T, Jeff Koons, Adrien Brody, and Sharon Stone. His work spans global campaigns, editorial features, and award-winning documentaries, but always centers around a singular goal: telling emotionally resonant, visually arresting stories.

Alongside his commercial work, McDermott has cultivated an evolving fine art practice. His acclaimed portrait series Scar Storiesexplored the beauty of imperfection and survival, while Mandela Day documented the faces and hands of those championing Nelson Mandela’s legacy. His portraits accompanying the film Pop Culture highlighted the complexities of modern fatherhood.

His latest body of work, The Backline Series, marks a new chapter. Born backstage at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, this series pays tribute to the unsung heroes of live music—the instruments themselves. Shot in vivid color and rendered at monumental scale, The Backline Series transforms road-worn guitars, battered drum kits, vintage amps, and studio gear into modern relics. These objects, once extensions of the artist’s body, now stand alone—weathered, iconic, and full of stories. The project celebrates the tactile power of music and the physical tools that helped forge the sound of American rebellion.

McDermott’s fine art photography has been exhibited internationally in solo and group shows, and is held in both private and institutional collections. He is also a film director and co-founder of Magenin Films. His feature documentary Danica: DRIVEN—chronicling race car driver Danica Patrick’s final season—was an official selection at ten film festivals and received multiple awards.

When he’s not behind the camera, Scott builds guitars, writes children’s books, and lives in New York City with his wife and two children.