We were lucky to catch up with Roberto Cordero recently and have shared our conversation below.

Roberto , appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

At the top of the list of what it takes to be successful is a willingness to work hard. Success that’s too easy is something that’s not as valued, at least by most people. If you just happen upon success, you may start thinking that it’s owed to you, that you don’t have to do anything and it will come, or that it will always be there. That’s a form of dead-end thinking. Life isn’t one success after another, certainly not success that just happens to come your way. To be successful, you must put in the hard work to earn it. That simple.

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?

In the year 2014, I started photography as a hobby. It began taking self portraits and portraits of my friends – posting them online (Tumblr) and that’s when I thoroughly enjoyed something for the first time. My passion for photography grew and grew over the years and I dived into everything portraiture. Fashion, weddings, maternity, families, senior – anything that had to do with people, I enjoyed capturing. Being an eager learner & determined to improve, I paved a path into videography around 2015. I want to grow as an artist and soak in as much knowledge as possible. I didn’t want to hit a plateau. I worked for multiple school portrait companies, worked at a photo studio, and worked for a company doing two years of video production. I learned so much from these jobs and took all that knowledge and created something for my own.

In 2019, I decided to go full-time with photography and videography. That’s when RC Creative Media was created. Specializing in portraits (weddings, maternity, families, lifestyle,, senior) brand + social video marketing; my aim is create timeless imagery/videos for anyone and anything. Brands need a video marketing strategy — this idea isn’t new. What has changed is how important video has become on every platform and channel. We help businesses and individuals to create high quality & storytelling imagery to best represent their brand and lifestyle.

Video is no longer just one piece of your overall marketing plan. It’s central to your outreach and campaign efforts – especially your social strategy.

I’m lucky enough to call this passion my career. I’m currently in my home state of Arizona, working as a photographer and videographer. I’m thankful for each person who lets me into their life through my lens and allows me to share their story.

What am I most proud of?

For me, what I’m most proud of, is simply the determination and persistence to keep going. To keep growing, learning, and evolving. I’m always a student first and always been super observant to my environments & people. I love placing myself in uncomfortable situations – I feed off the feeling of being nervous because I know that in itself is going to help me improve.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Start by connecting with photographers/videographers in your area on social media. Get to know their work and what you can learn from it. Take note of how they present themselves and their portfolio, as this is going to help build your own personal marketing strategies. Then, reach out to them. Spending time with fellow creatives is a great way to learn new skills, generate new ideas, and get leads on potential work.

Photographers/videographers will often collaborate on big projects, so getting to know the other professionals in your area gives you a chance to work with them. In addition, this process helps build up a network of people that can help you out should you find yourself in need of assistance on a job. Photographers who find themselves unable to take a certain job often recommend someone they know, so introducing yourself to the local professional community will often result in gig opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

Be reliable and consistent. Sounds simple. That means showing up on time and committing yourself fully to the job, as well as delivering edited work in whatever time frame you promise to others.

So many photographers ruin their local reputation by being inconsistent and unreliable. It doesn’t matter if you’re the most talented photographer in the world, if you don’t do what you say you’ll do, then no one will want to work with you.

The best thing you can do as a new professional is show up on time, deliver the photos your client is expecting, and get your editing done promptly. Never give anyone a reason to complain about you and always act with integrity — word travels fast in tight-knit communities, and photography is no different. If you want to be a professional, you have to be a professional.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Bringing a new idea to life is the most rewarding aspect of my work. During the creative process, I feel most inspired when I have a new idea and the vision to create it. There is a creative voice in all artists. We as artists are often solitary humans as we work, and the only voice in the room is our own. When we find our own voice and listen, we experience the pure joy of exploration, innovation, and creativity, and are able to share the results with the world. I am rewarded every day when I trust and believe in my inner voice and the world hears me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.robertocorderojr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rccreativemediaco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCCreativeMediaCo
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertCorderoJr
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RobertoCorderoJr
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@robertcorderojr

Image Credits
RC Creative | Roberto Cordero