How I Got Into Freelance Videography in the Rio Grande Valley

My path into freelance videography didn’t start with expensive gear or a perfectly planned career move. It started much earlier, with a simple interest in video and a lot of learning along the way.

Discovering Video in High School

I was always drawn to video while growing up. I spent much of my early life in Fresno, California, but in the late 1990s my family and I moved to Rio Grande City, Texas, where I finished high school. It was there that things really started to take shape.

During my junior year, I was taking a mechanical drafting class when the teacher was asked to create the high school’s very first media department. There wasn’t much to work with. The class was assigned a single video camera, and that was about it.

At some point, he asked if I could record football games and post-game interviews with players. I ended up doing that for several games. There was absolutely no infrastructure to distribute the videos to classrooms back then, so the only way anyone could watch what we produced was by rolling out a TV and VCR cart onto the stage of the cafeteria auditorium and pressing play. Looking back, it was basic, but it was also exciting. That experience definitely planted a seed.

From Print to Digital Media at The Rio Grande Herald

A few years later, after some college and a few different jobs, I was hired by my hometown newspaper, The Rio Grande Herald. I was originally brought on to sell and design advertisements, but I also began taking photos at community events and covering local news.

As the internet started gaining momentum, I created the newspaper’s first blog. Eventually, I began posting videos and even launched a Youtube channel for the paper, long before that kind of content was common locally. Those early experiments with online media helped me understand how storytelling was changing and how important video would become.

Sadly, like many small newspapers, The Rio Grande Herald eventually closed for business.

Experimenting With New Media in the Rio Grande Valley

For a few years after that, I tried to break into what was then called “new media.” I launched an online news website, created a YouTube channel, I shot and edited a couple of short films and documentaries and even started one of the Rio Grande Valley’s first independent podcasts, The Border Perspective Podcast.

In all honesty however, financially speaking, that period didn’t provide much return on investment since there really wasn't an established revenue stream like there is today. But professionally, it opened doors. The work I was doing producing video, audio, and digital content led directly to new opportunities.

Growing as a Videographer at ENLACE

I was later hired by ENLACE, a bilingual newspaper, where I managed the English-language section of the paper and its website. I wrote articles, produced short-form documentaries, created content for social media, and helped produce a bilingual live online radio broadcast.

Like many newspapers, ENLACE eventually closed its doors. But the experience I gained there shaped my career in a major way. I learned how to tell meaningful stories, the ethics of journalism, how to work under deadlines, and produce content that served real communities.

Broadcast Experience With the City of Rio Grande City

After ENLACE, I took a position managing Rio Grande City’s official PEG (Public, Education, and Government) channel. There, I gained hands-on experience in broadcast television production and helped create content for local programming.

I also had the opportunity to help build what would eventually become the city’s official public relations department, working alongside some of my incredible coworkers. It was a rewarding chapter of my career, and one that strengthened my skills in video production, communication, and public service.

Choosing Freelance Videography for Family and Balance

After getting married and having my first child, I began to feel like I was missing important moments with my family due to the long working hours. Then my second child was born, and shortly after that, COVID-19 changed everything.

Like many people, the lockdown forced me to reevaluate my priorities. I decided that, as much as possible, time with my family needed to come first. That’s when I committed to continuing my career as a freelance videographer in the Rio Grande Valley, a path that allowed me to better manage my time while still providing for my family.

Freelance Videography in the Rio Grande Valley Today

As a freelancer, I’ve been fortunate to work on a wide range of projects. I’ve provided videography for private events such as weddings, while also collaborating with municipalities, nonprofit organizations, advertising agencies, and independent film producers throughout South Texas.

Every project is different, and I value the trust my clients place in me. Whether it’s documenting a once-in-a-lifetime event or producing content for a public-facing organization, I approach each job with care, professionalism, and respect for the story being told.

Looking Forward

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has trusted me over the years and supported my journey into freelance videography in the Rio Grande Valley. I look forward to continuing to serve my community, tell meaningful stories, and provide video production services for years to come.