We were lucky to catch up with JP Douvalakis recently and have shared our conversation below.
JP , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made (either in terms of time or money)? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
As a business owner in photography, getting clients can be a challenge. The market is oversaturated with professionals everyone has a smart phone and can be their own cinematographer with modern apps and editing software. It can be a real struggle standing out in the crowd. I have recently began to invest more time and money into my craft of creating and decided to take the leap into a workshop across the country to learn more about my area of excellence. My career in photography and freelance work has happily taken a step forward because of this. While at this creative workshop, I was able to connect and meet with many other influential and creative people across the globe. I have been lucky enough to learn and watch how other successful freelancers have begun their business and manage it still to this day. My only challenge will be to take what I have learned in the workshop and apply it to my everyday practices of obtaining clients and having a proper and professional work flow. It was an exciting thing to do despite the cost it took to get there, but the workshop and its leaders took me in and taught me everything I need to know in order to also be successful in what I do. It has taken me years to take this leap and ask for help/ guidance in this field I call my profession. I have been blessed with the opportunity to talk with people who inspire and influence me and my work and get credible feedback and lessons in which I can bring home and learn from to create the business of my dreams! The moral of it all is, invest in yourself! The money will come back twofold.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is JP Douvalakis and I create. My specialty is in roadtrip adventure photography in rebound to my lifestyle of always being on the road exploring the world. I am proud to say I love what I do and what I do fuels my everyday activities. It has come a long way from dreaming of being a “vanlifer” back in middle school and now actually seeing it come to life when companies ask me to take their products and photograph them while being able to use the product in tandem such as an entire Van! Thanks @van_craft! I strive to photograph the adventure along the route and show my followers that the journey is as exiting as the destination. I love working with brands to create images for them to campaign their latest feature with. Thanks to workshops and social media, I have made friends with other creatives across the globe who motivate me and inspire me to continue to create and find new ways of sharing my explorations. If there is one thing I wish my clients would know about me is that they will always have quality and fun while working with me. I believe strongly in having a positive attitude and workflow to what I do, thus meaning I won’t ever take on a brand I don’t truly enjoy and love. Its my passion to be genuine in my photos.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The absolute best part of what I do is that it can be paired with anything. From snowboarding videos, freestyle competitions, offroad 4wheeling, and downhill mountain biking to simply driving from state to state, photo and video production is everywhere. Everyone needs a portrait, or a family photo, maybe a wedding or baby shower event that calls for a photo/drone specialist. Being a creative allows you to plug your career into any category in life and run with in. Its truly amazing how many types of photography you’ll find. Though most start with landscapes, an easy subject and slowly move to models, a less simple subject, photography allows you to find your own outlet and capture its moments in the frame you see fit for it. Life is beautiful, if you don’t stop to capture and remember it once and a while, it could all be forgotten.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Pictures tell a thousand words but videos grow your audience. TikTok has revolutionized the way we do social media. Videos have become the ultimate tool to grow your audience and become someone on social. TikTok itself has given way to many influencers also growing on other social platforms such as myself. My numbers dramatically increased on instagram all thanks to people finding my videos on tiktok and going to instagram to see what else I create. If you’re looking to be somebody on the internet, you should’ve started on that new app, Vero tue social, yesterday. It is very possible for anyone to gain followers and create an audience for themselves on social media as long as you stay up to date and work with the trends, not against them. Know what works, look for big influencers and see what they do to get lots of views. Don’t go and copy anyone but learn what works and what doesn’t and make it your own! People want to know you, who you are deep down. It gives them the chance to feel human and connect with you. Just be yourself but do it in video form!
Contact Info:
- Website: Prsmproducts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johny.prsm/