In this episode of Behind the Print, we’re joined by David Stanley of David Stanley Photography. With a nearly a lifetime of experience in photography, David walks us through how he turned a hobby into a profession.

Below, you’ll find the transcript of our conversation, edited for clarity to ensure easy reading. If you want the full, authentic experience, make sure to check out the video attached below.

Connor: Welcome back to the Behind the Print Podcast, where we feature industry leaders and uncover the creative minds and their businesses within the world of professional printing. Our mission is to provide you with inspiring and actionable resources that elevate your business projects and accelerate your journey to excellence in profit and in print. Today I’m joined by principal photographer of DC Stanley Photography, David Stanley. Welcome to the podcast.

I’m from a small town south of Houston, born and raised here. It’s where my brick and mortar studio is located, here in Friendswood, Texas. We do large format companies and corporations. That’s what we specialize in, large volumes, anything over a thousand people.

David: Hey, thanks for having me.

Connor: Thank you for joining us and thank you for printing with us. If you’re ready, let’s dive right in. Sound good?

David: Yeah, it sounds great.

Connor: Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do.

David: I’m from a small town south of Houston, born and raised here. It’s where my brick and mortar studio is located, here in Friendswood, Texas. We do large format companies and corporations. That’s what we specialize in, large volumes, anything over a thousand people.

Connor: How did you get into photography?

David: My dad always had a 35 millimeter camera with black and white film when I was growing up. It was always available, and he taught me how to use it at a very young age. I didn’t do much with it for a while, but when I went into the Navy I was the guy who always had a camera. People kept reaching out to get pictures from me, so it was a natural fit. From there I started making a business for myself in college to offset some expenses, and it grew from there.

Connor: What can you tell me about your typical clients?

David: Large volume. High school sports, cheer teams, dance studios locally. I also do a lot of corporate work.

My dad always had a 35 millimeter camera with black and white film when I was growing up. It was always available, and he taught me how to use it at a very young age. I didn’t do much with it for a while, but when I went into the Navy I was the guy who always had a camera. People kept reaching out to get pictures from me, so it was a natural fit.

Connor: What sorts of problems do you typically help solve for these clients?

David: I don’t know if I’m solving problems beyond maybe Photoshopping out a pimple, but we are the large format company for big groups and big orders. We shoot individuals and deliver images that memorialize those seasons and teams, both in print and digital formats.

Connor: I was checking out your website and saw weddings, engagements, high school seniors, family shoots, underwater shoots. Out of those, what’s the most popular?

David: Definitely the sports work I’m doing right now. For the last five years we’ve really grown in that area, and we’ve enjoyed it. I did weddings for the first ten years of my business, and I’ve gotten very picky about the wedding work I take. And of course we’re known for the underwater thing. We have an underwater studio here. That is pretty fun. We actually got featured by ABC News in a business segment. They came out and did a whole fifteen-minute video and filmed with me underwater while I worked with a client. It was pretty cool getting to be on national TV for that.

Connor: That is very cool. Tell me a little more about your underwater studio. Is it an indoor pool?

David: It’s indoor and outdoor, so we have both elements. We’ve photographed everything from wedding clients to high school seniors underwater. We’ve done families underwater as well. It’s a specialty that not many people do, that’s for sure.

Connor: Are there any challenges with shooting underwater? I imagine breath-holding is one.

David: The biggest challenge is usually for clients. They see the imagery online and think it looks so cool, so we should do it. During our discovery and client education phase, we end up losing about half of the people who are initially interested once we explain what goes into it, because it’s not easy. We want to educate everyone and make sure they know what it requires. It definitely becomes a niche.

Connor: You can’t argue with the results though. Those are some really unique images. In addition to the underwater studio, how else do you stand out from other photographers?

David: Our style and approach, and the fact that we are brick and mortar with true customer service. People can come in, speak with a studio manager in person, and get the full experience. That sets us apart, especially in the volume space where a lot of folks work from home or meet in public spaces.

Connor: Having that personal approach and a place where people can meet you face to face really matters. Can you tell me about any major milestones that have defined you or your company?

Our style and approach, and the fact that we are brick and mortar with true customer service. People can come in, speak with a studio manager in person, and get the full experience. That sets us apart, especially in the volume space where a lot of folks work from home or meet in public spaces.

David: I don’t have a single Stairway to Heaven moment, but I did have an underwater wedding shot that went viral around 2010. No one was doing that at the time, and it put me on the Houston map.

Connor: Sounds like you’ve really cornered the market with underwater photography. What challenges are you facing now?

David: Nothing major, to be honest. We’re always looking for more business, but time is the challenge, both ours and the client’s. Finding the right time, the right slot, and lining it up with client availability is the constant obstacle.

Connor: How has print helped elevate your business? I have one of your projects here and it turned out great.

David: I have a lot of the projects I’ve done with you sitting here. Over the past five years of working with you, this is a service that’s definitely unparalleled. Not many people do this around here. We keep getting schools contacting us to make collegiate-level books and guides. These are 110-page perfect bound books. We love to use different substrates that feel solid, corporate, and top level, collegiate level or even NFL level. The challenge is volume. Everybody wants to do this at the same time. We can only handle one or two schools at a time. Football season starts for everyone at once, so we have to tell people it’s too late and put them on a short list.

Connor: When it comes to these guides, you obviously do the photography. Do you also handle the graphic design?

David: Yes. If you flip through our online books you’ll see everything looks very consistent. That’s because we’re designing and shooting here. With these school guides you’ll still have ads placed by businesses and families, so you’ll see some variation there. But for the core pages we’re shooting and designing purposefully. If we’re photographing a business sponsor or one of the cheerleaders, we’re shooting that from start to finish knowing exactly how we’re going to design the page.

Connor: Next question is a little different. If you had a day completely free, how would you spend it?

David: Probably behind the boat. I like to wakeboard and wake surf, and I do it as often as I can. I was out this past weekend. That’s how I spend my free time.

Connor: Is there a local lake or shoreline?

David: We have a river that’s local to us. We have a boat, we load it up, and go have a great time.

Connor: One last question. How can listeners get in touch to book services or collaborate on a project?

David: Through our website contact form, dcstanleyphotography.com. That’s the best way to get ahold of us. It goes straight to our inbox. If it’s during normal business hours you’ll usually get a reply within an hour. We have a studio manager, a brick and mortar, and our customer service is high touch. I think that draws a lot of people to us. They know it won’t be the typical long wait time they might be used to in this industry.

Connor: Great. Do you have any questions for me?

David: No, just happy to be here and excited that we’ve been in partnership for a few years now. It’s been a flawless experience. I appreciate all you do.

Connor: I look forward to future projects for sure. We appreciate you printing with us. That’s a wrap on another episode of Behind the Print. Thank you for joining us as we explore the artistry and innovation of the printing world. Remember, having a strong vision, building the right strategy, and using tools like print to amplify your message will make your brand stand out. If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to get your sample pack from printingcenterusa.com and share it with your fellow business enthusiasts. Until next time, keep those creative sparks flying. There’s always more to discover behind the print.

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