Moving forward...catching gigs

[tukaniray]

I wanted ask you guys for tips on moving forward.

For me, I have not been going at the game for too long, but have learned quite a bit over my short period in the field.

My story:
Well, I graduated from AI Dallas back in 2005, and have worked in the Video side of the field since then.

I jumped into Still photography in 2009 and have enjoyed it.

Now, I have found myself having issues catching gigs, and when I do ... other pros have told me I am still too low, in other words low-balling myself in both the video side and still photo side.

Although, I have plenty of experience with in these short years, I don't have alot of work to show and I don't have years of experience.

I have worked for a few different tv studios from dallas to here in Houston and have done plenty of live events. Now for the past 3 years I have been doing Corporate work for the Oil and Gas companies. But, I want to venture out into more automotive and entertainment sides.

My issues are, the corporate gig guys will not let our studio show off the work we do let alone the individual members show off the work. A few of my fellow photographers and videographers in our studio have moved on, but can't find myself doing the same. Just yet.

I did create a small business account to cover for my side freelance gigs but still fill like I am not getting off the ground very easily that way. I do have an on-going freelance gig that happens once a month, but would like a few more, not alot but enough to just keep my freelance side a float and happy. Part time for now.

What are your thoughts on where I go from here? Or should I just keep my course and things will begin to pick up? I am not frustrated, because I am still working in the field, just want to move more towards a freelance life as oppose to working under a company. I am taking baby steps, but that's because I want to make sure I will be able to float once I get out alone with out the net of someone else's studio.

-Ray-

[kayumangi]

But are you a photographer or a videographer? Can't be both.

[tukaniray]

Why Not? I ask because being in the Video field, have learned that you have to do multiple things. It didn't use to be like that ... but over the past 5 years it's changed dramatically to being diverse in the media.

And for the past 3 years as a Corporate Shooter, I have had to be both many times.

One week they need me to shoot with ENG Camcorders and the next week they only want photos of the processes going on.

So, for 3 years I have been doing both.

But I would love to hear what your reasoning is to only doing one as oppose to doing both.

-Ray-

[kayumangi]

The thing is people come to you because they know you're good at something.

In photography alone you have people who are experts in babies and small kids, then you have high school seniors, then you have interior/architectural people, then you have sports, then then you have the most popular field which is weddings. Heck even being a paparazzi requires some skill.

In Weddings you have sub-groups too, you have PJs, you have traditionalists, you have heavy-action photoshop people.

One thing I learned if you're a jack-of-all trades then you're a master of none.

All the gurus I know started to be an expert on one field, as they grew and gained more biz they expanded but they never took all sorts of jobs on the onset.

So ask yourself which one are you really an expert with?

[tukaniray]

Ah yes, I understand that completely. Learned about honing my skills to a few genres as oppose to doing it all. ... No one can be an expert at all. Kinda like being good at software.

I have found myself not a wedding photog nor video person at all. I have helped others as a back up for those, but not a person who can do it as a main go to.

Sports video and photography isn't my big thing either.

I have though loved doing video and graphics for live events and shows. Of which I have done quite a few for. I also find myself doing alot of video on the commercial side of things. So, I stand as a commercial, corporate and entertainment video person.

Now in Photography, I have learned that my ability to shoot people still is where I stand the most. I don't really shoot sports or landscapes ... but have dabbled in them.
So, I see myself more of a growing portrait photographer than anything else. Corporate rigs are nice, but don't really care to shoot them as a freelancer.

Does that narrow down my field some?

-Ray-

[kayumangi]

Yup that's a start. See, you just answered your own question =)

Narrow down to what you want to specialize and be good at it. And then start marketing your expertise.

[hue-e]

I've been struggling to find what niche I want to be in... and I've found a few I'm interested in. For now, I'll take a few gigs on each, under the radar, and see what takes hold first, get that rolling then branch out to others.

I ultimately see myself having three or four websites that cater to each niche I'm interested in.