Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Combest.
Hi Christian, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My partner, Caitie, and I founded Studio37 this year as a natural evolution of our shared lives and professional journeys. Having been together for five years, we reached a point where we wanted to synthesize our individual strengths into a singular, cohesive vision.
My background is rooted in the high-energy world of marketing agencies. I didn’t just want to learn the ‘scripts’ of sales; I wanted to master the technical fulfillment behind them. This led me deep into the intricacies of SEO, PPC, and Web Development. In fact, I applied those very skills to build the Studio37 digital presence from the ground up.
Caitie brings a sophisticated, complementary edge from the fashion tech industry. Her experience managing trade shows and navigating retail markets across the country gave her a keen eye for aesthetic trends and client relations. While we were both successfully pursuing professional photography and content creation as side hustles, we realized that our combined expertise—my technical marketing and her fashion-forward sales background—could offer something truly unique to our clients.
Studio37 is the realization of years of hard work. We’ve turned our passion for capturing the beauty in fleeting moments into our full-time mission.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
To be perfectly honest, it has not been a smooth road—and frankly, it still isn’t. Starting a business requires a constant, delicate balancing act between the cost of lead generation, investing in top-tier equipment, and managing the everyday cost of living. The workload is intensive and certainly no walk in the park.
However, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. To manage the pressure, I’ve learned to give much of that stress to God, trusting that He will provide while we focus on what we can control: continually optimizing our workflow and refining our sales process.
Our journey toward excellence actually began with a significant test of our confidence. We received a scathing review from our very first client. We were incredibly fortunate that they chose to text their feedback to us privately rather than posting it on Google or Thumbtack, but it was a difficult pill to swallow. Looking back, we realized we had bitten off more than we could chew with our older equipment.
We used that ‘hurt’ as fuel to evolve. We immediately upgraded to state-of-the-art gear and overhauled our technical approach. Today, we’ve nailed our end product; our clients absolutely love their results, and the feedback we receive is a testament to how far we’ve come.
The road may not be smooth, but we’ve learned to anticipate the potholes and swerve to avoid the debris. Our reputation today is a mirror of that resilience and our commitment to professional craftsmanship throughout the Houston Area!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Studio37, we specialize in comprehensive professional photography and videography services—including weddings, portraits, event coverage, and commercial sessions. We are known for our artistic excellence and a personalized, storytelling approach that captures the beauty in life’s most fleeting moments.
What sets us apart is the unique synergy between my partner, Caitie, and me, along with our unparalleled value proposition: two professional photographers on-site for the price of one. We take immense pride in creating lifelong memories for families, businesses, and individuals—capturing history one frame at a time. Beyond the lens, we strive to make every session an enjoyable experience, bringing out authentic smiles while getting to know each and every one of our clients.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Without a doubt, the most important characteristic of our success is the synergy of our partnership. Caitie and I often say that our relationship is the bedrock of this company. Starting a business is a high-pressure environment, but because we’ve been together for five years, we have developed an intuitive ability to pick up the slack for each other whenever one of us needs assistance.
We operate by a ‘gap-fill’ philosophy: we uplift each other’s strengths and step in to support one another’s downfalls. There have certainly been moments on this road where the workload felt like a ‘walk in the park’ it was not, and frankly, without that mutual support, I would have given up a long time ago.
This quality doesn’t just benefit us behind the scenes; it is the reason we can offer such a unique value to our clients:
Complementary Expertise: We combine my technical background in marketing and SEO with Caitie’s eye for fashion and retail trends to provide a well-rounded creative service.
Dual Perspective: Because our partnership is so seamless, we can provide two photographers on-site for the price of one. This ensures we never miss a moment, as we are constantly ‘filling the gaps’ for each other during a shoot.
Consistent Reliability: Our clients in and around Houston get a team that is resilient and unified, ensuring that even if a session presents a challenge, we swerve together to avoid the potholes.
Ultimately, our reputation is a mirror of that bond. We’ve found that when you have a bedrock of trust and mutual growth, the ‘end product’—and the customer satisfaction that follows—takes care of itself
Pricing:
- 30 min Portrait Session – $250
- 1 Hr Portrait Session – $400
- 1.5 Hr Portrait Session – $550
- Wedding + Engagement Package – $2,500
- We Build Custom packages for all budgets
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.studio37.cc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio37photographyy
- Other: ceo@studio37.cc
Image Credits
Studio37
