Today we’d like to introduce you to Colby Holtman.
Colby, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always liked to tell people that I’m just a small-town kid with big-city dreams.
Growing up, I was always told I spent too much time watching television and movies. What may have seemed like simply sitting in front of a screen was actually the beginning of something much bigger. I became fascinated by the stories being told, the images on the screen, and everything happening behind the scenes to bring those stories to life. Somewhere along the way, that fascination became a passion—and eventually, a career.
I graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Mass Media, specializing in Broadcasting and Operations. My education gave me the opportunity to take my love for television, film, photography, and storytelling and turn it into practical experience. I learned that creating something meaningful requires more than pointing a camera and pressing record. It takes creativity, patience, technical knowledge, attention to detail, and, most importantly, the ability to tell a story.
I’ve worked in St. Joseph, MO at St. Joseph News-Press as the Lead Commercial Producer, where I have the opportunity to bring ideas to life through video production. Today, I work for Herzog as a Training Content Creator where I create custom training modules and videos for our workers out in the field. From developing concepts to capturing footage and creating the final product, I enjoy the entire creative process. Every project presents a new challenge and another opportunity to grow as a producer and storyteller.
Outside of my professional career, I own and operate my freelance photography business, Colby’s Creations. Photography allows me to tell stories in a different way—sometimes without using a single word. Whether I’m capturing people, events, nature, or the world around me, I believe every frame has the ability to preserve something that may never happen exactly the same way again.
To me, every frame tells a story, and every moment is a canvas waiting to be captured.
Photography and videography are about anticipation. Sometimes, creating the perfect image means waiting patiently for a moment that lasts only a fraction of a second. It requires a keen eye for detail and the ability to recognize the beauty, emotion, or meaning in something others might overlook. The same philosophy carries into videography. It isn’t simply about recording what happens in front of the camera; it’s about creating an experience that allows an audience to feel like they were there.
Whether I’m behind a camera on the streets, surrounded by nature, covering an event, producing a commercial, or exploring somewhere completely new, my goal remains the same: freeze time, tell stories, and evoke emotion.
My ultimate dream is to take that passion even further by working for a television station or on a professional film set. I want to be surrounded by people who share the same excitement for creating, producing, and telling stories. There is still so much I want to learn and experience, and that is what continues to motivate me.
I have never been afraid of a challenge. I’m always eager to learn something new, improve my craft, and push myself beyond what I already know. Every project, opportunity, success, and mistake is another chance to become better at what I do.
Maybe I did watch too much TV and too many movies growing up.
But looking back, I wasn’t just watching them.
I was discovering what I wanted to do with my life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road, but I think that’s part of what has made the journey worthwhile. One of my biggest struggles has been figuring out exactly where I belong in such a competitive and constantly changing industry. When you have big dreams, especially coming from a smaller community, sometimes those dreams can feel much bigger than the opportunities immediately around you.
There have been moments of self-doubt, rejection, and wondering whether I was on the right path. Breaking into the media and entertainment industry isn’t easy, and there’s always someone with more experience, better equipment, or a longer résumé. I’ve had to learn not to compare where I am in my journey to where someone else is in theirs.
Another challenge has been learning how to wear multiple hats. Working in media means constantly adapting—one day you might be behind the camera, the next you’re editing, developing a concept, working with a client, troubleshooting equipment, or learning an entirely new skill. At times, it can be overwhelming, but it has also taught me to become more versatile and willing to figure things out.
Building my freelance photography work while developing my professional career has also required a lot of patience. Success doesn’t happen overnight. There are long hours, projects that don’t go as planned, creative ideas that have to be completely reworked, and opportunities that sometimes don’t work out. I’ve learned that those moments aren’t necessarily failures; they’re experiences that help shape you into a better creator.
Through all of it, one thing has stayed consistent: I keep going. Every obstacle has taught me something about myself and pushed me to become more confident in my abilities. I’m still learning, still growing, and still chasing those big-city dreams.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but I wouldn’t want it to be. The bumps along the way have helped shape the storyteller and creator I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the heart of everything I do is storytelling. Whether I’m behind a video camera, taking photos, editing a commercial, developing a concept, building a brand, or working directly with a client, my goal is always the same: create something that makes people stop, watch, feel something, and ultimately connect.
My professional background spans video production, broadcasting, commercial production, photography, marketing, branding, social media, and creative content. I’ve had the opportunity to work on everything from commercials and promotional videos to live productions, photography, social media campaigns, and other creative projects. What I enjoy most is being involved throughout the entire creative process—taking an idea that may only exist on paper, developing it into a concept, capturing it through a camera, and bringing everything together through editing and production.
One of my biggest strengths is finding the story within a project. Anyone can point a camera at something and hit record or snap a photo, but I believe the difference is understanding what you want the audience to feel and what you want them to remember. I pay attention to the small details—the right angle, a genuine reaction, the timing of a shot, lighting, music, pacing, messaging, and editing. Those details can turn a collection of clips or photographs into something that actually tells a story.
That same storytelling mindset carries into my work with marketing and branding. I understand that a brand is more than a logo, a commercial, or a social media post. It’s an identity. It’s the story people associate with a business and the relationship they build with it over time. Because of that, I don’t believe in simply creating content for the sake of having something to post. I want to understand the purpose behind it, who we’re trying to reach, and what will make that audience care.
Coming from a small town where entrepreneurship and small businesses are such an important part of the community has also shaped the way I approach my work. I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to build something from the ground up. I understand the dedication, adaptability, creativity, and support required to establish an identity and grow a business. Success rarely happens overnight, especially in today’s fast-moving digital world, which is why I believe meaningful connections and consistency are just as important as visibility.
My experience allows me to look at projects from several different perspectives. I can think like a producer, photographer, marketer, content creator, business owner, and consumer. Instead of relying solely on generic best practices, I try to understand the specific goals of the person or business I’m working with and develop creative solutions around those needs. Whether it’s content creation, branding, audience engagement, video production, photography, writing, or marketing strategy, I want the finished product to feel authentic to the brand rather than something that could have been created for anyone.
I’m also someone who enjoys wearing a lot of different hats. I can be the person brainstorming the initial idea, developing the strategy, operating the camera, directing a shoot, troubleshooting when something inevitably doesn’t go according to plan, editing the final product, managing content, or sitting down with a client and figuring out exactly what they’re trying to accomplish. That versatility has become one of the things I value most about myself as a creative professional.
Owning and operating Colby’s Creations has given me another perspective on that process. Photography started as another creative outlet for storytelling, but it has also taught me about running a business, developing my own identity, working directly with clients, and creating experiences people value. Most importantly, photography has taught me patience and anticipation. Some of the best moments aren’t staged or planned. They happen naturally, and you have to be paying attention and ready when they do.
What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily one individual commercial, photograph, video, or project. I’m proud of the journey that has allowed me to turn something I was interested in into an education, a skill set, a business, and a career that I genuinely love. Every project has taught me something, and every opportunity has added another piece to who I am as a creative professional.
I think one of the biggest things that sets me apart is that I never want to stop learning. The media and marketing industries are constantly changing. Cameras get better, editing software evolves, social media platforms change, trends come and go, and the way audiences consume content continues to shift. I don’t believe there is ever a point where you can say you know everything. There will always be another camera to learn, another editing technique to try, another platform to understand, another creative approach to explore, or another person who can teach you something.
I’m also not afraid to jump into something I haven’t done before. Give me a challenge, and my first thought usually isn’t, “I don’t know how to do that.” It’s, “Let me figure out how.”
That willingness to learn, combined with creative problem-solving and hands-on experience, allows me to bring both creativity and strategy to my work. I want to generate ideas that aren’t just different for the sake of being different, but practical ideas that can make an impact. I want to create standout videos, photographs, social media content, campaigns, and marketing strategies that expand a brand’s reach while also creating meaningful connections with its audience.
Ultimately, I want my work to be known for more than simply looking good. I want it to have a purpose. I want the businesses I work with to feel accurately represented. I want the people I photograph to see themselves and their personalities in the images. I want audiences watching my videos to connect with the story being told. And when I’m helping build a brand, I don’t just want to create visibility—I want to help create connections that can turn an audience into a community and establish long-term brand loyalty.
Technology, cameras, editing software, social media, and marketing strategies will continue to change, but I believe the foundation of great creative work will remain the same: understanding people, knowing what story you’re trying to tell, recognizing when a moment matters, and being ready to capture it.
That combination of storytelling, creativity, strategy, versatility, and a willingness to continually learn is what I bring to every project—and it’s what I believe sets my work apart.
What does success mean to you?
To me, success isn’t defined by a job title, how much money you make, how many followers you have, or how impressive your résumé looks. Success is being able to look at where you started, recognize how far you’ve come, and still be excited about where you’re going.
I think success is different for everyone. For me, it means building a life and career around something I genuinely enjoy doing while continuing to challenge myself and grow along the way. I never want to reach a point where I feel like I’ve “made it” and can stop learning. There will always be another goal to chase, another skill to develop, another story to tell, and another opportunity to become better than I was yesterday.
I’ve also learned that you don’t have to start in a major city or have every connection in the industry to create opportunities for yourself. Sometimes success means taking what you have, starting where you are, and figuring things out as you go.
I also believe failure is an important part of success. Not every idea works. Not every opportunity happens when you want it to. Sometimes you get told no, make mistakes, or have to completely change direction. I’ve learned that those moments don’t define whether you’re successful—what matters is what you do next. If I can learn from an experience, improve because of it, and keep moving forward, then it wasn’t wasted.
Success also means making an impact on other people. In my work, that might mean helping a small business tell its story, creating a commercial that gets people talking, capturing a photograph that someone keeps for the rest of their life, or producing something that makes an audience laugh, think, or feel something. Knowing that something I created mattered to someone is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
At the end of the day, I don’t think success is a destination. It’s the process of becoming the person you once hoped you could be while never losing the drive to see what else you’re capable of.
For that small-town kid with big-city dreams, success isn’t necessarily about how big the city eventually becomes.
It’s about never becoming too comfortable to keep dreaming bigger.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://choltman2.wixsite.com/portfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccreations.production?igsh=dmZ5b3Fyc2h1MHVm&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559410820154&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
