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

Leo , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you identified some of your key partners/vendors and how you made those relationships work?

One of the most meaningful partnerships I’ve developed came from working with organizations that are deeply connected to the communities they serve.

I actually discovered one of these organizations after photographing a wedding at their venue. While I was there, I started learning more about what they did beyond hosting events. After the wedding, I spent some time reading more about their mission and realized they were much more than just a venue — they were an organization actively involved in education, environmental programs, and community engagement.

That immediately stood out to me because the kind of work I enjoy doing as a photographer and videographer is centered around storytelling. Organizations that are deeply rooted in their communities tend to have powerful stories to tell, whether it’s through events, initiatives, or the people they serve.

The process of working together didn’t start with a formal partnership or a large contract. It began with simply reaching out and offering to support their work through professional photo and video coverage. When organizations are constantly hosting events, programs, and community gatherings, strong visuals help them communicate their impact much more effectively.

One of the reasons I wanted to work with an organization like this is because community-driven groups often have strong networks and long-standing relationships. When you do great work for them, it can naturally lead to more meaningful opportunities — not just more projects, but the chance to work alongside people who care about making a positive impact.

Looking back, I believe the reason they were willing to work with me was because I approached it from a place of service rather than purely as a transaction. I focused on helping them showcase the work they were already doing and making it easier for them to share their story with their community.

What I’ve learned from that experience is that partnering with organizations that have strong ties to the community creates a different kind of opportunity. Not only are you providing a professional service, but you’re also helping highlight initiatives that genuinely make a difference. That makes the work more meaningful and often leads to additional opportunities to serve the community while growing your business at the same time.

If I could do anything differently, I would intentionally seek out more organizations like this earlier on — groups that are mission-driven and deeply connected to the communities they serve. Those partnerships tend to lead to the most impactful work and the most rewarding long-term relationships.

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 journey into photography and video production started through marketing and storytelling. Early in my career, I worked in the family entertainment industry where I helped create marketing content that promoted experiences for families and visitors. A big part of that role involved producing photo and video content that helped businesses communicate what made their attractions and experiences special. That environment showed me firsthand how powerful visuals can be when it comes to capturing attention and creating an emotional connection with an audience.

Later, I moved into tourism marketing, where I had the opportunity to create visual content for a variety of small businesses and organizations. I worked with everyone from local restaurants to nonprofits that were trying to increase visibility for their work. In the tourism world, visuals play a major role in how people perceive a place or decide where they want to spend their time. Being involved in that type of marketing taught me how impactful strong imagery and video can be when it comes to helping businesses tell their story.

Over time, what started as part of my professional responsibilities grew into a real passion. I found myself becoming more and more invested in the creative process and the storytelling side of the work. Eventually I decided to take that passion and build something of my own, which led me to launch my production company.

Today, my work focuses on professional photo and video production for organizations and corporate clients. A large portion of what I do centers around conferences, summits, expos, and corporate events. These types of events are often major milestones for organizations — bringing together industry leaders, clients, and teams — and high-quality visuals play a big role in helping those organizations showcase the energy, professionalism, and impact of what they’ve created.

Beyond event coverage, I also produce brand videos, client testimonial videos, and sit-down interview content for businesses. These types of projects help companies communicate their message more effectively and build trust with their audience. Whether it’s highlighting a company’s story, capturing a customer success story, or producing interview-based content for marketing, the goal is always to create visuals that elevate the brand and make their message clear and engaging.

At the core of my work is helping organizations present themselves at a high level. Many companies are doing incredible work, hosting impactful events, or serving their communities in meaningful ways, but they don’t always have the visual content that truly reflects the quality of what they’re doing. My role is to help translate those moments and stories into visuals that feel polished, professional, and authentic.

One thing that sets my approach apart is my background in marketing. Because I’ve worked on the marketing side of organizations, I think about how content will actually be used long after it’s captured. I approach each project not just from a creative perspective, but also from a strategic one — considering how the photos and videos will support the client’s brand, their messaging, and their long-term marketing efforts.

What I’m most proud of is the opportunity to work alongside organizations that are bringing people together and creating meaningful experiences. Whether it’s a conference that brings an industry together, a business sharing its story through video, or an organization highlighting the impact they’re making, being able to capture and help communicate those moments is something I take a lot of pride in.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to help organizations tell their stories in a way that feels professional, compelling, and true to who they are.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

One of the best sources of new clients for me has been proactive outreach. Early on, I realized that a lot of organizations that could benefit from professional photo and video production aren’t necessarily searching for a photographer or videographer at the exact moment you’re looking for work. Many companies host conferences, events, or produce marketing content regularly, but they often rely on whoever they already know or whoever happens to be in their network.

Because of that, I’ve focused a lot on thoughtful cold outreach. I spend time identifying organizations that regularly host conferences, summits, corporate events, or that are actively investing in their brand and marketing. Then I introduce myself, share examples of my work, and explain how professional photo and video coverage can help them better showcase their events and tell their story.

One tool that has been surprisingly helpful in that process is ChatGPT. I’ve used it as a research assistant to help uncover organizations, industries, and potential clients that I might have otherwise overlooked. There are so many associations, companies, nonprofits, and event organizers doing incredible work, but unless you intentionally look for them, it’s easy to miss those opportunities.

What I’ve learned is that there are far more organizations that would love to work with a professional photographer or videographer than most creatives realize — they just don’t know you exist yet. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of introducing yourself at the right time and showing them how your work can support what they’re already doing.

Cold outreach also helps me stay connected to industries that are constantly hosting events, whether that’s corporate conferences, professional associations, or organizations that bring people together around a shared mission. When those relationships start to develop, they often lead to repeat work or introductions to other organizations within the same network.

For me, the biggest lesson has been that waiting for clients to find you isn’t always the best strategy. Being proactive, doing your research, and reaching out to the organizations you genuinely want to work with can open doors that might not have appeared otherwise.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One thing that entrepreneurship teaches you very quickly is resilience. In the creative industry especially, there are natural highs and lows that come with running your own business.

There are times when things feel very active — multiple projects, client meetings, events to cover — and then there are the quieter periods. Those silent moments can be challenging because when your calendar slows down, it’s easy to start questioning whether you’re doing enough or if the next opportunity will come.

I’ve experienced that many times in my journey. There have been stretches where things feel quiet, and then out of nowhere an email will come in from a potential client looking to work together. Those moments are always a reminder that opportunities are often moving behind the scenes even when it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.

What I’ve learned is that business often moves in cycles. There are seasons where you’re harvesting the work and relationships you’ve built, and there are seasons where you’re planting seeds through outreach, networking, and continuing to put your work out into the world.

Even when you have repeat clients or retainer relationships, those cycles can still happen. That’s simply part of how business works.

The biggest lesson for me has been learning to keep my emotions steady during those quieter times. Instead of reacting to the ups and downs, I try to stay focused on consistently putting in the effort — reaching out to potential clients, improving my work, and continuing to build relationships.

For other creatives who might be going through those same silent periods, I always remind them that the ups and downs are normal. The key is to keep showing up, keep planting seeds, and trust that the work you’re putting in today often leads to opportunities tomorrow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.capturedbyleo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capturedbyl.e.o/

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