Today we’d like to introduce you to Latashia Gordon.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Latashia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a child, I always enjoyed: Watching TV, Dancing, and Singing. But, what I really also enjoyed was taking pictures and creating movie scenes in my mind. Weird I know. Fast forward to my college years, I have already experienced taking pictures on disposable cameras (kids these days will never know the struggle) and this one purple Fuji camera, I believe either my mom or myself had bought and I went camera happy! Now, as when it comes to me getting into becoming a videographer, the journey started with a great group of kids.
Being a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and an Iota Sweetheart (Auxiliary Group of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.), you become very familiar with one of the principles from both organizations which is service. I started volunteering at Phoenix Tutoring in Opa-Locka with my Fraternity brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Inc., There, I learned about the software Movie Maker by the kids we were tutoring. They were creating their own little movies and of course, I had to know what they were doing. When they went outside to play, I decided to play around with the software and it amazed me. So, it is those wonderful children that I thank all the time when someone asks me where did I learn how to edit.
Going back home to Houston, TX after college, my brother had this Panasonic hand-held camcorder. I decided to take it on my trip to Gainesville, FL at what was called “Blue and White Weekend” where I recorded anything that seemed interesting. Mostly were my South Florida Sorors and Fraternity brothers, cause we all knew each other well. Once I got home and to a computer, I used Movie Maker like it was Movie Vegas Suites or Final Cut Pro! LOL. The videos started to get alot of hits on YouTube and Facebook. So, the following year, the videos became even more grand because I became familiar with: Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania and other states that my Sorors and Frat brothers came down from. That’s how my journey got started.
Has it been a smooth road?
This road to Photography and Video Production is not so smooth. For one, when starting out, your family will not understand because it’s not your steady paycheck you’re supposed to get after you finish college. The days of having no clients to in one weekend you are booked with four different gigs. That financial side will get to you sometimes. Secondly, being a woman and an African-American woman at that in an industry full of men, you get the side-eye a lot. You don’t get taken seriously and you really get passed over at times because you’re a woman. Now that I’m just now becoming established since that 2007 trip to Gainesville, my work speaks for itself. Jesus Christ my saver, prayer, therapy, and a great support system which includes my great clients; they help me to stay strong. After losing my Uncle Bernard to Cancer and my Cousin Kerry to AIDS in 2017 Weeks apart, it had me really re-thinking do I want to continue this road. Kerry was and so far my only assistant for years, so it truly was a major loss but GOD… Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. As far as Reaching to get to the Ava Duvernay, Issa Rae and Sanaa Hamri level, I know I have a ways to go but, not so far nowadays.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I do more weddings than anything. One Roof Productions which includes: Msryot.com, Visual Culture and JW Photography with Bremby films at times, the team does great things together being that we are all our own separate entities. Photography and Video Production is my specialty. People contact me more for video services than photography for their special day. For different brands, I have filmed: Vivica Fox, P Diddy, Celebrity Fashion Designer Chasity Sereal and Stephen Goudeau and also Gospel artist Kurt Carr just to name a few. It’s been such a blessing to have the opportunity to do those promo and branding videos but, weddings have been my heart for a while now. Working with Yvonne Guidry of Spoiled Latina, a well-known socialite and blogger and Reggie Jamz, a well-known local musician and Cedric Ballard, a gospel artist, has really brought me out of my shell and has given me practice time for other things that have come my way. Capturing the realness of the scene, that separates me from others. People always tell me how I capture everything; things that they didn’t even remember! That makes me so happy! I teach dance for adult females only. I have a dance camp I have during the summer called UDC Houston Dance Camp. I’m also a partner in a hair salon called Houston’s Finest Salon + Boutique which it focuses not just on adults but kid’s natural hair.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Being that technology is ever-growing and this world is becoming more microwavable when it comes to wanting things in an instant because they can actually get it instantly; Photographers and Videographers will be a more saturated market then it already is. Being that these smartphones can produce great quality for content, to a certain point, anyone can download an app or just watch YouTube and learn the dynamics of these fields. Now, what will always remain is: Quality, good business ethics, producing great content and returning clients. Those things you have to internally audit yourself always if you want to keep growing as a person and business. The passion has to be there or the whole trend-chasing fire will burn you out! Don’t follow trends! Set them!
Pricing:
- Wedding Photography starts at $1,200
- Wedding Video packages also start at $1200
- Branding photoshoots start at $350
Contact Info:
- Address: 1006 Clinton Park St
- Website: MsRyot.com
- Phone: 7862902011
- Email: latashia@msryot.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msryot_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msryot/?ref=br_rs
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSRYOT
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/houstons-finest-salon-and-boutique-houston?osq=houstons+finest+hair
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/msryot/
Image Credit:
@royaldesignsbytrina (Prism background photo); @tigerajray (Paper planes and book photo); @gros3232 (Maternity photo); Joydis Nelson (Twinkle lights and a smile photo); @jaoccasions (Salmon pink dress Headshot photo); @trill_housewife_of_miami (Black boy joy photo); @mo_the_wright (All black outfit photo); @mrhillsman (Brown background photo)
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