We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eduardo Contreras a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eduardo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

One thing my parents did right was instill the idea in me that if I worked hard enough I could have anything I wanted. My parent’s never verbally told me this but they showed me it everyday. They taught me the value of a good work ethic and to work with what I had. They were always quick to remind me that it’s important to make something of yourself with the opportunities you are blessed with, because not everyone gets opportunities. This has helped a lot in my career because in the moments where I feel out of place or not good enough I’m reminded that I got this far for a reason. Remembering the hard work my parents did to have a better life is like fuel to a fire. Who am I to give up if they never did. With a goal in mind and the want to work, just like my parents, I too can make a dream, a reality.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Eduardo and I’m a videographer/ photographer. I came into the industry the same way I think a lot of us do. Doing free gigs for experience until we decide we’re good enough to get paid for it. At the moment I am currently working freelance. I have experience as a DP, 1st AC, and as a Grip and Gaffer. I also film/photograph but am not limited to documentaries, short films, weddings, social events, and concerts. I feel as if anything where my job is to hold a camera, and make something look pretty, sums up what I do.
I believe the greatest problem I solve for clients is ending their search for someone who will do the work and do it well. This type of work isn’t always easy nor does it get you all the praise, but it will always be rewarding to me. I believe the scariest thing in life is never discovering one’s passion. I have found my passion and not a day goes by where I don’t love doing it as a job.

The main thing I want clients to know is that with once I have a clear understanding of what they want out of me, I will deliver.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have two main things that drive my creative journey. The first being my family. The one that currently exists and the one that will one day exist. I want to be able to give back to my parents for everything they once had to give up for me. For my future family that I hope to have one day, I want to be the proof that my parents were to me. That hard work does pay off. The second thing that drives me, is my hope to one day be able to start a program that helps the youth get the camera gear they need. Camera gear is expensive and isn’t always accessible to a lot of people. I just know there’s a kid out there with a dream just like mine who is ready to prove himself. All he needs is a camera.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of my favorite stories to look back on is from the time I decided to finally start charging a solid rate for my work. I was still a waiter at a restaurant. I had been doing a little bit of photo/video work on my days off up to this point but not enough to be able to go full time just yet. My manager at the time had mentioned that his wife was looking for a photographer to take their family pictures. He asked me if I’d be willing to take them. The day came of the photoshoot and he asked me my rate. Of course I said some small amount because I didn’t really know how to charge for my work at the time. I remember him refusing to pay that little and telling me to know my worth. He ended up paying triple of what I asked for. Sometimes you just need someone to remind you that the work you do is special and should be valued as such. For me this was a turning point in my life. The moment where it stops being just a hobby and starts being your career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://capiitale.myportfolio.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleAOXjRpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAafGVZIGd7L2ywvqg3-f8QoRfY7FFRQaeiHIIoQpe9bRz-nFBWigV-SM9hIOcA_aem_oRejUp5xoHnd2zvoHOnNWg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capiital.e?igsh=eW10ZnF2ZXk2cTE0&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

Eduardo Contreras, Grant Mateo, Ryan Michalowicz