Today, I’m sitting on the end of a dock entranced by the ripples created by the comfortable breeze and the bright sunshine.
Over my shoulder in the western sky, late summer thunderheads are building and white egrets are shrimping. This setting makes me think of a question I hear often, “How did you get here?” Specifically in regards to my path with videography but also how I got to a point in my life where I can live comfortably abroad and sit on a beach in Costa Rica while my friends are at their desks in the U.S.
So, here’s a quick trip down my trail and three simple tips to help you get started as a money-making videographer.
I was introduced to videography during a photography course and it changed my life.
That introduction led me to create a few simple videos and I surprised a potential client with one promoting their business. They saw the value in video and, at the same time, I realized the potential it could have on my life.
Whether face to face, through photography or my videography, telling stories is who I am. It’s what I like to do.
Over the last several years with my camera, assignments have taken me all over the U.S. and abroad to places like Turkey, France, Thailand, Tanzania, and throughout the Caribbean and Costa Rica.
With all the opportunities available in videography markets today, I continue to create conversations that lead to more work with existing and potential clients.
Whether you want to create stock video clips for online agencies, promotional videos for brands and businesses, love stories with wedding footage, or documentaries about favorite people and places, you can make it happen.
Here are three simple tips to help:
Tip #1: Shoot what you love
Mentors have always encouraged me to shoot what I love. If you love it, you’re more likely to be familiar with it which will help you create quality content. This outlook will create connections with like-minded folks who will give you opportunities.
Tip #2: Quality over quantity
Make it count by creating video with composition in mind and use a support system such as a sturdy tripod to eliminate shaky footage. It won’t cost much to invest in a few key tools that will help you set yourself up as a pro from the start. Once you have a rock-solid set up, you can focus on the storytelling.
Tip #3: Be a storyteller
Create multiple clips of a subject. Start wide, move in closer, and change your perspectives. Think about every possible angle you might shoot. Then shoot some more. Trust me, you’ll be happy to have all the footage when it comes time to edit.
I hope it changes your life, too. I’m off to look at a sailboat!