We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Stanley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, what is the most important factor behind your success?
At SSP we really are a family. When you have a session with us, it becomes more than just a one time meeting and a click of the camera; you become part of the Sara Stanley Photography family. I adore my clients. I love getting to watch babies go from newborns to just sitting, from smashing those cakes to becoming a big brother or sister. Your family becomes part of my own – most of my clients and I are able to not just talk about what clothes to wear for a session, but the highs and lows of their season of life. We can not only share in the moments I capture, but we can also share some coffee, some conversations, and even a good cry. The success of SSP has everything to do with the relationships within our story. I do not define our success with numbers on a page or bookings on my calendar, but rather in the relationships I share with my clients, my SSP Family.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
SSP has the true honor of capturing these amazing moments in the lives of our clients. We get to experience some of life’s greatest milestones with our families. Everything from the birth of a new baby, the sweetness AND stubbornness of of childhood, yearly family photos, big milestones like graduation, and everything in-between. I started this adventure years ago when I was a youth pastor – you know how I love relationships… well my families would always ask me to take their family photos, and I LOVED doing so. As I was getting my Masters Degree (I have an M.Div from The Bible Seminary) I began to take newborn photos for friends and by the time I was graduating, photography had become an almost full time gig. With the support of my hubby, Dane, we decided to give it a year and see what it would become… that was almost 7 years ago! SSP has seen many changes… I have gone from toting a suitcase in my Ford Focus to people’s homes, to my master bedroom, to my first shared studio (which was then flooded by Harvey), to a room in one of my besties Lash Boutiques, to my first BIG studio on Westheimer, and now back to the heart Memorial, with our new studio, in the best location ever… phew, I sure hope to stay awhile. Even though we have seen lots of different locations, what has been on the inside hasn’t changed. SSP is so much more than just a photography business. I have always hoped that it would be a place for new moms, little ones, and spouses alike, to come in and not only feel comfortable, but to feel at home. Over the years I have learned that most everyone can take a photograph, but there is something special about turning a photo session into a lifelong friendship. I never want to have it any other way!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh gosh! I am so boring. I do love some good eats though, so I would probably consult the many more hip people in my life and go from there. Houston has SO much to offer… great restaurants, fun sporting events, beautiful parks, tons of fun and cool street art. You are just an hour from the gulf and there are tons of spunky little towns and spots all around Houston.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh gosh yes! My Shoutout belongs to the families of SSP…the little babies and their squishy cheeks, the cake smashers, mamas to be, husbands who love their wives enough to come along for family photos, the heat-bravers, the returners, the newcomers, and every person who has made the SSP brand come to life! THANK YOU for letting me capture your story, you moment, your beautiful and sometimes messy lives! …and to MY Mr. SSP…. He is my constant encourager and without him I couldn’t do this amazing job.

Website: sarastanleyphotos.com

Instagram: instagram.com/sarastanleyphotos

Facebook: Facebook.com/sarastanleyphotos

Image Credits
All images taken by SSP

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