S2.E6 – From Photos to Profit: David Godinez on Pricing, Video, and the Real Work

In this episode of f/22, Greg Lutze sits down with Bay Area photographer and filmmaker David Godinez in San Francisco to talk about the realities of turning photography into a career.David shares how he got started, why photography is just his starting point, and how his work has evolved into video and post-production. The conversation focuses on the often-overlooked side of the craft: business. From pricing your work to shifting your mindset, David breaks down what it actually takes to go from hobbyist to professional.📌 This episode explores:• The mindset shift from artist to business owner• Why pricing your work is so difficult (and so important)• How to approach the transition into video• When to hire vs. learn new skills• Building a sustainable creative career  Follow David:David GodinezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidrgoda/Website: https://www.davidgodinez.com/⸻Chapters:00:00 “You’re Not an Artist, You’re a Business”00:23 Introduction in San Francisco01:02 How David Got Into Photography02:13 Why Photography Is Just the Starting Point02:16 Early Days of Video & YouTube03:26 The Shift from Photo to Video04:47 Should Photographers Take on Video?05:40 Learning by Hiring People Better Than You06:22 The Hard Transition to Going Pro06:36 Why Most Photographers Undervalue Their Work07:07 Artist vs. Business Mindset08:03 Why Business Skills Aren’t Taught08:30 Learning Through Community09:08 The Reality of Pricing & Overhead09:29 Why Pricing Transparency Matters10:31 The Problem with Undercutting10:54 The “Oakland Strong” Documentary12:17 From Local Project to Film Festival Run13:21 Where to Find David’s Work⸻Hashtags:#PhotographyBusiness #FreelancePhotographer #PhotographyCareer #CreativeEntrepreneur #Videography #F22Series #VSCO #PhotographyCommunity