Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Snyder.
Hi Bryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been fascinated by everything having to do with production. Coming from a small town, whenever I’d see production lights and big cameras, that always excited me. So, as a kid, my grandparents owned an RCA Small Wonder camcorder. I loved that thing. Granted, in the beginning, I wasn’t doing many recordings. I just loved looking through the viewfinder.
Fast forward to being a teen, my mom had a Canon Rebel T3 that she would lend me. Over the years, I’ve come to take ownership of it (don’t tell her), and that’s what really kickstarted me in photography. Friends and family knew I had a camera so I would be asked to take their photos at parties, small gatherings, etc.
One day I was editing some photos I took at a friend’s party, and I asked myself, “Why am I doing this for free?” I realized I had worked hard on these photos. So, if I was going to start charging people, I’d start getting serious about this in every way possible.
I started investing time in learning. I’d sit down in front of my computer watching video after video on YouTube. I started taking classes and tried applying what I learned. All because I knew that this was something I truly wanted to do, and I wanted to do it right.
Photography and videography for me have been a journey of countless failures, but it has also been a journey of learning and progress. I look back at how I started and I think, “You could’ve done this or that better.” And those are moments I laugh and think of how far I’ve come.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been as smooth as I’d like it to be. Again, I lived in a small town called Eagle Pass, and when you have people talk about where they want their pictures taken it’s either “at the ruins,” or “downtown by the library.”
So, because I’d always avoid those spots, I’d have to get creative with other locations. So much so that people would see my photos and ask “where is that?” and I loved that shocked reaction when I’d tell them, “that’s here in Eagle Pass.”
Unfortunately, because it’s a small city, you also had people trying to keep you from succeeding because they didn’t want you to “be the competition.” I, along with some other local photographers, was trying to network and build a community, but more established ones didn’t want that.
As my friend Steven says: “there’s so much money on the table.” I wasn’t going out to try and destroy anybody else’s business. We can all benefit from this because I may see or edit something differently, so to me, it wasn’t about trying to knock someone else down, it was always about building relationships and helping each other succeed.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I’m a digital marketing coordinator with Hagee Ministries. Our focus is on our social media accounts, our website, and emails, but because of my background in photography and videography, I also get to use my skills when I’m needed. So, it’s awesome being in a place that knows how to appreciate you and value your skills.
I moved to San Antonio for this job and the transition has been wonderful. I’ve met some great people and have amazing coworkers and they’re the ones that have made this whole move less stressful, and such an enjoyable experience.
In Eagle Pass, I worked in our school district, but I take pride in my work within the church back at home. I’ve been on the audio/visual side. I’ve served as the youth leader for three different churches as well as leading worship for two of those. Later on, I became the associate pastor at my home church.
For me, one of the things I’m most proud of was being able to be a singer on stage with Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, and David Crowder in the AT&T Stadium. That was a surreal experience!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have arachnophobia.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebryansnyder.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebryansnyder/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebryansnyder
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpsdadEfbw_7DEGdDsIEIsw
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebryansnyder
