10+ Years Behind the Lens: How I Built a Creative Life on My Own Terms
Hey there! 👋 If we haven’t met yet, I’m Kelsey—filmmaker, photographer, and someone who’s been figuring out this whole creative life thing one step at a time.
Over the past decade, my creative journey has taken me places I never expected, both personally and professionally. From experimenting with photography in college to traveling internationally with my camera as a filmmaker, photographer and storyteller. It’s been a winding road, full of lessons, growth, and a lot of figuring things out as I go.
This blog post is part reflection and part roadmap. I’m sharing my story in the hope that it inspires or encourages anyone walking a similar path. Whether you’re just starting your creative career or navigating what’s next, I hope there’s something here for you.
Early Clues I Was Meant to Create
I honestly can't remember a time I wasn't creative. My dad was a chef, and my mom was a big reader and writer, so storytelling and self-expression were just part of everyday life. I was always drawing, building things, and letting my imagination run wild. But video? That came into the picture the first time I got my hands on my parents’ old Sony camcorder. I was probably in elementary school, filming homemade newscasts with my friends and making up little stories with my toys as props. I had no idea what I was doing; I just knew it was fun.
At some point, my parents got me my very own video camera. And I still have it, by the way! That’s when I really started documenting my life—if you can call it that. I recorded myself doing all the things I was obsessed with at the time: skateboarding, playing drums and piano, solving my Rubik’s cube, dancing with my friends, and filming silly skits with them. I didn’t know it yet, but I was building the foundation for what would eventually become my career.
Forks in the Road: How I Started My Path as a Creative
It wasn’t until late in high school that I started seeing video as something more than a hobby. A couple of class projects gave me an excuse to make videos, and then my friends on student council asked me and one of my best friends to create a promo for their canned food drive. Looking back, those were the moments where video shifted from just something fun I did with my friends to something I might actually be good at. Maybe even something I could pursue.
When I got to UC Irvine, I was undeclared with way too many interests: engineering, physics, music, business, and of course film. It took one brutal college calculus class to realize math wasn’t going to be my thing, and I eventually found my way into Film and Media Studies. It wasn’t the most hands-on program—we analyzed a lot more films than we made—but it cracked open the world of cinema for me. I got my hands on a DSLR for the first time, learned to edit on Final Cut Pro 7 (shoutout to the OG), and started experimenting on my own. I made a couple of short films I’m still proud of, #Mondays and Dreaming of Home, and for the first time, film became a way for me to express feeling and emotion.
Toward the end of college, I picked up photography as a way to sharpen my eye for cinematography. I figured it’d help me understand light and framing better. Little did I know, that side hobby would become my ticket into the creative industry. After graduating in 2015, I bounced around a bit—working at a news station, scanning 35mm negatives (yes, for real), and trying to find my footing in the film and media industry. Eventually, I got laid off and had to make a choice: keep chasing low-paying, entry-level jobs… or bet on myself and go freelance.
In 2017, I officially struck out on my own as a freelance photographer. I said yes to almost everything—food shoots, corporate events, live music, real estate, even weddings. Sometimes I made $60, sometimes $500, but every gig taught me something. I loved the freedom. I’d book a job in San Francisco, then stay after to shoot street photography and explore. It was scrappy, but it felt right. I wasn’t stuck in an office or lugging around outdated broadcast cameras to city council meetings anymore. I was out in the world with my camera, figuring it out as I went.
The Hard Parts: Failing, Starting Over, and Figuring It Out
I kept creating. I kept posting. And eventually, an old contact recommended me for a video production role at a San Francisco tech company in late 2019. They brought me on as a contractor for three months. It was the most money I’d ever made, doing what I loved, in one of those fancy open offices with free snacks and free lunch. But it didn’t work out. I didn’t have the skillset they needed, and I didn’t even make it to the end of my contract. I was doing my best work, problem-solving on the fly, and trying to build a video department from scratch… but it wasn’t enough. They let me go after two months. It stung. I had an amazing opportunity and watched it slip through my fingers.
There were so many times I doubted myself throughout my career, especially in those early years of freelancing. I often found myself in situations that felt out of my league. After the tech job fell through, I went back to freelancing for a few short months, before the pandemic hit in March 2020. My bread-and-butter at the time was food and event photography, two industries that took huge hits when everything shut down. So, I made a change. I uprooted my life and moved from the Bay Area to San Diego. I used my savings to survive for six months, taking a much-needed break and spending my days creating, exploring San Diego, and shooting just for fun.
When things started opening up again in 2021, I landed another video role—this time at a solar company. What started as a part-time editing job quickly turned into a full-time position. Within a year, I was running the video department. It was a crash course in everything: lighting, cinematography, directing, producing, editing, and working in a studio. I created everything from documentaries to social media content, and my skills leveled up fast. But after three years, layoffs came, and I found myself back in the freelance game.
Getting laid off (again) was rough. I wasn’t prepared to let go. But that job gave me a portfolio I was proud of and connections that helped me land new clients quickly. I hadn’t built up my freelance business much since moving to San Diego, but my network and experience carried me through that first year back on my own. And now, in 2025, I’ve made another move—this time to LA.
It’s only been about a month since I arrived, but I can already feel the difference. My skills, confidence, and business sense are light years ahead of where they were when I started over in San Diego. Starting fresh isn’t easy, especially the further you get in your career. But LA is the mecca of film and content creation. It’s where I need to be. And this time around, I’m ready to make my mark.
How My Creative Work (and Mindset) Has Evolved Over the Years
Over the last 10+ years, I’m still drawn to the same things that inspired me in the beginning—nature, music, food, events, and everyday moments. I’ve always loved incredible light and vibrant colors; the difference is now I actually know how to find or create them in ways I couldn’t back then.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, something I overlooked early on, is this: story always comes first. You can make the most beautiful images in the world, but people connect with stories, not just pretty pictures. Back then, I was obsessed with making things look good. Now I realize the power is in telling stories people can see themselves in. A great image grabs your attention for a moment; a meaningful story stays with you for a lifetime.
Another lesson I learned throughout my journey is the importance of lighting in photography and videography. When I started, I called myself a “natural light photographer” (which basically meant I didn’t know how to light anything). But over time, by learning from others and experimenting on my own, I fell in love with the art of lighting. Whether I’m shaping artificial light or using natural light to its fullest, lighting has become one of my favorite creative tools.
And while it’s not camera-related, growing my business and marketing skills has been just as important as improving my shooting skills. I went from piecing together $60 shoots to learning how to generate leads, create a professional client experience, and build a sustainable freelance business.
The truth is, no matter how talented you are behind the camera, you’re still running a business. And if people don’t know about you, you won’t get very far. That’s a lesson I’m still learning, but it’s one I’m excited to keep building on. This next chapter is all about making sure the experience I give my clients is as high-quality as the videos and photos I deliver because they have to go hand in hand if you want to thrive.
How Filmmaking Shaped Me Beyond the Camera
Photography and videography have shaped who I am in ways I never expected. They’ve built my confidence, taught me the value of hard work, and deepened my appreciation for human connection. Being behind the camera sharpens your observation skills. You start to anticipate action, read people more intuitively, and understand what someone needs without them saying a word. Spending time truly seeing people, whether it’s a chef in the kitchen, an artist backstage, or a couple sharing their love story, creates empathy. This work has given me a front-row seat to so many worlds I’d never have access to otherwise, and every project feels like its own mini education.
What keeps me coming back is the chance to make people feel like superheroes in their own story, because they are. Telling stories that resonate, that make people feel seen and celebrated, that’s the magic for me. And while capturing moments is rewarding, it’s the impact those moments have when they’re shared that makes all the hard work worth it.
Over time, I’ve landed on a few guiding philosophies in my work:
Show people in the best light, literally and figuratively.
Be a fly on the wall—let moments unfold naturally so the story feels immersive and real.
But also, connect. Make people feel safe and comfortable in front of the lens so they can be themselves.
And always, story first. Beautiful visuals are the icing, but if there’s no story, it won’t stick.
Expanding the Vision
If I had to guess where things are headed, there’s one thing I’m sure of: I want to keep creating. Whether it’s five years from now or ten, I’ll still be telling stories in one form or another. The medium might shift, but the act of making things? That’s never going away.
Filmmaking has stuck with me since the beginning. It’s the medium I’ve felt the deepest connection to, and I see myself continuing to explore it for years to come. I want to keep telling documentary stories about incredible people and their work. But I also feel this pull to explore more conceptual projects: bold visuals, dreamy worlds, and striking cinematography. I want to honor the aspiring DP I was back in college by playing with color, light, and experimental storytelling.
More and more these days, I’m craving collaboration on a bigger scale. I recently worked on a large commercial production as a PA (you can read about it here), and it reminded me how inspiring it is to work alongside insanely talented, specialized teams. I’d love to do more projects where everyone brings their best skills to the table and we create something epic together. And yes… I’m also really curious about AI. I know that’s not the most popular take in the creative community lately, but the potential for creating imagery that’s humanly or logistically impossible? Mind-blowing. I want to experiment and see what’s possible.
If I had advice for anyone starting their creative journey, it’s this: dive deep into your interests. They’re often the key to finding your creative voice and can set you apart in a crowded market. When you’re passionate about the work, you’re more likely to stick with it when things get hard (and they will). Also, learn everything you can about your craft. Watch tutorials, take courses, read books. But most importantly, make stuff. Practical experience is everything.
And if you want to turn creativity into a career, don’t ignore the business side. Start learning how to run a business sooner rather than later. Figure out who your ideal clients are, where they hang out, and how you can serve them. Building a sustainable business can be just as creative and satisfying as the work itself if you approach it with the right mindset.
We’re Just Getting Started
If you made it this far, thank you for coming along on this little walk down memory lane. Reflecting on my journey has reminded me how much I’ve learned and how much I still want to explore. Creativity, for me, has always been about staying curious and continuing to make things, no matter the medium or the outcome.
Whether you’re an artist, filmmaker, or just someone figuring out what lights you up creatively, I hope something in here resonated. And if you ever want to chat about filmmaking, photography, or freelancing, I’m always down—just shoot me a message!
Here’s to the next adventure. 🎬✨