Eli Pruett Photography

10/07/2024

New blog post👇

What's up, Reader? It’s ya boy Eli. I’ve been keeping a secret. My 10,000 Hours: Not What You Think My 10,000 hours is not in photography and marketing. It’s in sitting and breathing. I’ve studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhist teachings under the guidance of a teacher for over 10 years now....

09/09/2024

cheaha | yeehaw

08/24/2024

Curious about how I edit concert photos while the show’s still going? In this video, I’ll walk you through my workflow where I edit photos in real-time. I’ll...

08/02/2024

✨HEY FRIENDS✨

It’s ya boy Eli. Long time, no see. Sorry I haven’t been active on here.

I’ve been very busy on this entrepreneurial journey and things have changed… a lot.

Last year, I took a wild shot in the dark. I left my position in clinical research to build my own business.

The year before, I made $10,000 from my photography services - working only 5 hours a week.

I saw the potential to make more money on my own than working the full-time position I held.

I hadn’t had a raise in 3 years and I was buried in debt. (I still am in debt, but I’m climbing out on my own).

I decided to jump ship and take a chance with my camera.

Luckily, I had spent a good amount of time building complementary skills around photography.

🎯 Becoming a Content Creator

I didn’t want to just be another photographer.

I wanted to be a content creator and a general asset wherever I went.

Growing up on the Internet, I saw how creating quality content can unlock unprecedented levels of personal and financial freedom.

🥼 The Counseling Detour

Pursuing a master’s education in Mental Health Counseling was something I wanted to do for several reasons.

One of those reasons was it would allow me the credibility to write and create content online.

No one on the Internet would listen to a random guy’s ideas about life and navigating personal struggle.

But if I was a licensed counselor…

That was the rationale.

I had a vision of having a small practice of my own and devoting time to writing and sharing online, earning revenue from digital products and consulting opportunities arisen from building an audience.

But it never happened. I dropped out of school.

Spending my whole life in academia had burnt me out - plus I had figured out how to learn things quickly and efficiently on the Internet.

Between YouTube and real-world experience, school had become more of a chore - even a joke in some cases.

I may never have obtained a graduate degree, but I can confidently say I’ve learned more in the past 2 years on my own than I ever did in nearly a decade as a college student.

📚 Skill Stacking Success

My plan of stacking skills around photography paid off.

Since last November, I’ve been working regularly with the Oxford Performing Arts Center Marketing department.

Many people think I’m just a photographer there - not true. Over the last 6 months, I’ve:

- Managed the theater’s social media pages

- Created over 150 videos with footage sourced from performer marketing teams (starting a content ecosystem)

- Successfully implemented 6-figure budget Facebook & Instagram Ads

- Created various graphics for placements online, for print, and on billboards

All while taking ~15,000 Concert/Event Photos that display on websites, press, digital signs, and print

🥷 Non-Traditional Path

I don’t have a marketing degree.

I don’t have a photography degree.

I have a degree in exercise science.

But this is what I do nowadays.

👇 What to Expect

If you’re interested in how I got to this point in my life, stick around.

I’m attempting to build a life where I love my work. It seems to be working. I want to help you do the same.

I'll be sharing:

- Ideas that shape my perspective (talent stacking, solopreneurship)

- Tools I use to run a one-man show (Notion, ConvertKit)

- Content Creation Guides (Including photography and videography how-to guides, behind the scenes)

- The occasional narrative and updates on my journey (Like this one 😁)

Thanks for sticking around and supporting my journey.

Here are some of my recent and older shots to showcase what I've been up to.

Eli Pruett
Weston Pixel

✨ Newsletter Invitation

P.S. If you think you'd get down with this type of stuff (or you just want to stay in touch & be a super cool kid 😎), join my recently revived newsletter:

https://elipruett.ck.page/profile

You'll get posts just like this to your inbox - but I can be way more honest and helpful.

Check out the comment I left below this post to see what I mean 👇

07/28/2024

📸 23,000 show photos taken this year so far. I've been busy but I'm excited to create more photography content & share some ideas I’ve been working on recently. A new Oxford Performing Arts Center season is also around the corner. Exciting times 😁

07/19/2023

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs

Work is love.

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07/18/2023

One more round of shots of downtown Oxford from the weekend. 📸

Amazingly, I took all these photos with a camera that can fit in my pocket! ⚡

The Sony ZV-1 is advertised as a content creator camera, which is why I bought it. I needed a camera I could vlog with and I didn't want to use my professional camera bodies. This camera is definitely limited (no detachable lens for instance), but I actually really enjoy it. The still quality is surprisingly good (Check out the last B&W picture of OHS!! Who do I need to talk to sell a print?? Just kidding 💀)

Looking forward to working with this little camera on the side and for vlogging. I highly recommend this camera if you are getting started in content creation for yourself or your business. 👍

What's your go-to tool for content creation? Have you ever been surprised by a piece of equipment like I was with the Sony ZV-1?

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07/16/2023

Downtown Oxford has blossomed beautifully over the years. Since my late teens, morning walks have been a ritual for me, a time for reflection and anticipation of the day ahead.

Yesterday’s walk brought a delightful twist - the Choccolocco Car Show! 🚗🎉 I had my pocket Sony ZV-1 📸 and couldn’t resist capturing the some of these classics.

Thanks to the gracious hosts for letting me snap away! 🙌

07/15/2023

Embracing the hometown vibes in Oxford! 🐝 So grateful to be back home for this exciting (?!) chapter of my life. Shout out to for fueling at least half of this entrepreneurial journey ⚡️

07/13/2023

"The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness." - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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07/11/2023

"The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely." - C.G. Jung

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07/11/2023

"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." - Virginia Woolf

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07/10/2023

"You are a function of what the whole universe is doing in the same way that a wave is a function of what the whole ocean is doing." - Alan Watts

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07/09/2023

"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus." - Bruce Lee

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07/09/2023

One thing that's certain in life is evolution - my journey as a creator is no exception. Thanks to everyone who's been part of it! I'm now expanding from sports photography/videography into broader content creation. I'm not just producing media; I'm also offering comprehensive organic marketing and media production services. In essence, I'm a content creator helping businesses strategize and produce their content.

In addition to this, I'm building my business on two fronts - online and on the ground. On-site, I'll provide the aforementioned production services. Online, expect developments such as a merchandise/print shop, courses, ebooks, and a newsletter packed with insights into entrepreneurship and content creation (the first issue is almost ready!)

In many ways, I'm going back to my roots with these new posts. I'm a photographer at heart, a passionate writer, and my goal is to craft a lifestyle where I can do the things I love for a living.

I'm eager to help more businesses bring their stories to life and inspire entrepreneurs to remember their "why". Stay tuned as I capture this journey and the world one frame at a time.

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08/20/2022

Promo video that was put together in collaboration with my man Gerald & 🔋

Gerald is a youth performance specialist based in Calhoun County and has been hosting free summer performance camps in collaboration with our partner non-profit on summer evenings in front of Oxford High School. If you'd like to donate to TTP and help fund young athletes' access to training, coaching, recruiting, equipment, etc., you can do so here: https://linktr.ee/TripleThePerformance 🙏🙏

If you need high quality performance training for you or your kids or you'd like to sign up for summer camps, contact Gerald at www.prestepelites.com 💯

I am slowly turning Weston Pixel LLC into a more B2B focused media service as opposed to a traditional photography business.

I will be offering digital content production for small business owners, startups, and non-profit organizations. If you are interested in learning more about these services and what I can offer, please reach out to me. You can check out my website at westonpixel.com.

Been a while since I posted, I'm still working full time at UAB so this is totally something I do on the side but I would like to grow it as much as I can while I am finishing my MBA. Any support is appreciated! ❤️

05/04/2022

05/03/2022

A great weekend working with .tv at Huncho Day in ATL!