Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Sturdavant.
Hi Bryan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been interested in creating for as long as I can remember. In 2015, I got into dance under the instruction of North Harris Performing Arts II (NHPA II for short) and was on their competitive team from 2017 to 2023. I thought I was destined to be a professional dancer, but in 2019 we did a Dance On Camera experience that made me really interested in film and media capturing dancers.
Around that time in middle school, I was really into taking photos and being in the Tech Club. I was always called “The Cameraman” by my peers throughout middle school going into high school. Over the next few years, alongside the natural burnout of dance, I discovered that my true passion was creating in media!
During my senior year of high school, I was in the top AV class under Melvin Harris, who really pushed us to be the best we could be. My group and I honestly made a pretty bad short film, but that’s what helped me get started in film making and media production.
When I graduated from high school and retired from dance in 2023, I started doing video editing for content creators, and it quickly became a success. It led me to heavily prioritize video editing and put photography and film off to the side from 2023 to 2025. Although I still photographed friends and family occasionally, I treated photography/film more like a business than something I genuinely enjoyed, and that mindset kept me from taking photos and growing creatively in those fields. Plus with college at the time and an increasingly successful video editing business, I didn’t think I would have committed to photography and film at the time.
Around March 2025, I started getting back into photography after hanging out and taking photos with friends for fun. Around then, I decided to just lock in and start taking photos and videos again because I knew I was holding myself back by not getting out there & just taking photos. By June 2025, I officially opened bookings and committed to photography/film professionally which is now known as ShotbyTanks Productions. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I’ve learned so much more about myself as a photographer and creator. While business has been kind of slow, I’ve captured so many amazing memories and milestones, had a dance film I shot and edited featured in festivals, and so much more. Looking back, I spent too much time waiting until I felt “ready.” Once I finally committed, everything began moving forward. Now that I’ve got the ball rolling, I can’t wait to see what’s next!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes and also no? My career has always had two sides, video editing and photography/film, and they contrast each other.
The video editing side has definitely been my most reliable job, because it has always been consistent with great clients and income. There has always been something new to try, and it’s essentially the “day job” that keeps me financially stable. It can definitely get repetitive at times, but I still love it with all my heart and wouldn’t change a thing about it.
The photography and film side makes me feel like a whole new person creatively. It’s more collaborative, and every shoot is different. With that being said, I’ve always found it harder to promote myself. Unlike video editing, where you can work remotely for anyone around the world, photography and film are rooted in your local community. In this case, that’s Houston, where I’m competing with many incredible photographers who have way more years of experience than I do and I admire. I’ve only been doing this side of ShotbyTanks for just over a year.
But that also makes it a blessing in disguise. It makes me even more grateful for anyone who decides to book with me, and it motivates me to do the best work I can. I’m also incredibly grateful for my family, especially my parents, who have always supported me no matter what, and for my friends, especially Lanikeha and Tatiana, who are almost always ready to help bring my creative ideas to life and fill my portfolio to help me reach more people.
I manage pretty much everything on my own when it comes to planning, shooting, promoting, and editing. Now and then I’ll have a friend help if I have a lot of equipment, but I enjoy doing most of it myself. As hard as it can get, it makes everything feel more rewarding in the end.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My main work is Video Editing, Photography, and Film!
In Video Editing, I work within the Fortnite content creator ecosystem, specializing in helping creators promote their UEFN (aka User Generated Content) maps with evergreen content, promotional skits, and more. I currently run a YouTube channel and TikTok for a client while also working alongside a separate media marketing company that specializes in UEFN Map promotion (not affiliated with Epic Games or Fortnite). I also accept side projects for other creators here and there if I’m ever recommended.
In Photography, I do Solo Portraits, Couples, Headshots, Graduates, Prom, Proposals, and much more. I’m constantly trying new styles, though. As of July, I’ve done my first family session and theatre shoot. I’m glad I get to try new styles all the time because that makes photography even more fun than ever.
In film so far, I’ve filmed two dance projects. One was for my friend Miles Sarria called Understanding, which explores transgender acceptance. The other was for Travis Prokop titled Carnations for his CODED Showcase in August 2025. Carnations was later accepted into Barnstorm Dance Festival right here in Houston and other national film festivals.
I’m currently getting ready to shoot my first fully independent short film this August. So far, the process has been a lot of fun, from writing the script and storyboarding to hiring actors and figuring out locations. I can’t share what the story will be, but it’s something so dear and personal to me, and I can’t wait to see the story come to life!
One of the biggest pivoting moments for me and ShotbyTanks happened last October during a trip to Florida to visit some online friends. I met up with someone through mutual friends from Houston to take photos at Disney World while she was in the Disney College Program. I figured, “Why not? I have an off day.”
Usually, I went into shoots with a strict business mentality. This time, however, I went into it with just a hobby mindset. Nothing serious, no business, just pure fun. I’ll never forget seeing her reaction to the photos. It made her so incredibly happy because Disney is such a big part of who she is. And to have captured that for her, and those feelings she felt, changed my outlook entirely on photography and how I create. Experiencing the amount of happiness it brought to someone else made me realize how much more impactful it can be.
That shoot is one of the biggest reasons I’m so motivated as a creator today. Seeing the genuine joy people have when they see the photos I take and how they match their vision is my favorite part of this whole thing. Even recently, during my first theatre shoot, I kept getting caught up in myself because it didn’t go the way I thought it should. But when the cast saw the photos and I saw the overall response, it reminded me not to be so hard on myself and to just take the photos already.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The fact that I get to do my biggest hobbies and passions as a job is something I will never take for granted. I am eternally grateful to anyone who has booked a shoot with me over this past year and to anyone who has helped me throughout this experience. It’s been a wild journey so far and as long as I am breathing and motivated, I don’t plan to stop anytime soon!
If you’d like to work with me, then you can DM me on Instagram or email me at shotbytanks@gmail.com to book a session with me today!
Pricing:
- $50 for Solos (Summer Discount)
- $75 for Couples (Summer Discount_
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shotbytanks.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbytanksproductions/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-sturdavant-7b07b4333/
Image Credits
Personal Photo by @bybrina.studios on Instagram
Additional Photos: @shotbytanksproductions on Instagram
