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Hello! I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I'm graduating in 3 months and I am looking for a direction to build my career in. I know I want to pursue a career in feature film cinematography. I've shot quite a few things while in film school and have built up a reel with photography portfolio as well. But I know I still have much to learn. Website: Montgomeryimages.com My questions is this: If you want to build a career in cinematography and do this for a living which is better to do? 1. Go to the nearest budding film city and work from the bottom in the Grip/Electrical department. (I am hesitant to do this because I am afraid that all the camera skills I learned will disappear.) 2. Go to the nearest budding film city and work from the bottom in the camera department. (I am hesitant to do this because I am afraid that all the Lighting/gripping skills I learned will disappear.) 3. Go to a smaller city (I.e. a city with not as big a film incentive) invest in your own lighting/camera gear and start taking low budget gigs with the intent on making a name for yourself in that city. "Bigger fish/Smaller pond" (I am hesitant to do this because I am still learning and I feel like I should be learning from others. Don't I need to "pay my dues" as they say?) I am really passionate about cinematography and this industry. When I am on set as , I get in this "flow" where time will just pass and I can be there for hours without breaks. Thank you for any advice that you can offer. Justin Montgomery Montgomeryimages.com