We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Randy Leyva a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Randy , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
That took years of self doubt and wonder and toiling at jobs I felt like I had to do. Then one day in my career after about 20 years I thought why am I not doing what I actually like and love doing? I made a change and realized this is what I am happiest doing and it changed my perspective and put me on my creative path that love.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Like any photographer I started with portraits and weddings and grew from there but I realized I was not satisfied and started looking at other genres and found my love of music in a live concert setting was moving and fulfilling and that let me to bands and new artist performance along with music videos and social media branding. I love filming a band live capturing moments in still photography as well as video. It has led me to a partnership with Texas Seen TV a music channel featuring up and coming artist in the Lone Start State on the Roku channel and Amazon Fire TV. Working with these artist and watching them grow from the visuals you have provided is very rewarding it also has led to being the main photographer for several magazines including ADDM Artist Digital Discovery Magazine and Lonestar Entertainment Magazine.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Visuals, Imaging, Creative, Storytelling is a gift because you are interpreting your view of the world behind the lens of your camera. Not everyone has your eye or imagination and that is the best part it’s your perspective. You don’t have to be technically perfect to share your image or have a medium that is expected to share it so never be afraid to show your work and be proud of what you share. in the beginning it’s about finding yourself behind the lens as you grow you get to know yourself and that makes you confident, as you settle into yourself as an artist or creator and start gaining a following then you realize what you have is special and sharing it is your passion. I was told years ago if your going to pick up a camera exhaust yourself finding yourself using it. Each image is new and each final image to produce is your best work. So my take is simple never leave your camera behind always carry it and shoot with it. Never doubt yourself behind it the lens your best work is yet to happen. Always see your subject outside of the viewfinder kinda like coloring outside the lines.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Working in mediums I have never tried and failing at them. The only way to get better is to fail. Having the determination to move forward after failure will only make you better. I have never live streamed on a major platform. I have never produced a live concert and I have never shot a feature video for a major digital streaming platform All og that happened this last 18 months and now I am doing it every week.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.texasseentv.com
- Instagram: @texasseentv
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/texseentv/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@texasseentv
Image Credits:
©RLP-Photography ©RLP Media ©Ray Marvel
