We recently had the chance to connect with Dr. Celene Stanley and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Celene, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
What’s often misunderstood is that my business is not just creative work or surface-level marketing. At its core, it’s systems, stewardship, and responsibility. Creativity is only the visible layer. Behind it is strategy, financial accountability, relationship management, and a deep commitment to doing things with excellence even when no one sees it.
People sometimes assume passion replaces structure. For me, faith demands structure. I believe that what God entrusts to us deserves order, clarity, and follow through. Every project, client, or campaign is handled with the same care because integrity does not change based on visibility or scale.
My work is not about chasing attention. It’s about building something sustainable, honest, and rooted in service. When done well, the creative feels effortless. In reality, it’s disciplined, intentional, and led with conviction.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Lidia Celene, a photographer, creative director, and brand strategist based in Dallas. At the heart of everything I do is storytelling with intention. Whether I’m photographing a wedding, building a brand, or leading creative strategy, my work is rooted in presence, stewardship, and excellence.
My brand was built slowly and intentionally. What began as photography grew into something larger: a space where people feel seen, valued, and cared for. I believe creativity is a gift meant to be used well, not rushed or diluted. That belief shapes how I work with clients, how I lead projects, and how I build systems that allow creativity to serve people rather than exhaust them.
What makes my work unique is the balance between artistry and structure. I don’t just create beautiful visuals. I think strategically, operate with integrity, and care deeply about the people behind every story. My faith informs how I show up: with honesty, discipline, and a commitment to doing things well even when no one is watching.
Right now, I’m focused on building sustainable creative work that honors both the calling and the craft. I’m continually refining how storytelling, leadership, and faith intersect, and creating work that reflects not just what I do, but why I do it.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was observant, curious, and deeply reflective. I noticed people. I paid attention to what went unsaid, to emotion, to patterns, to beauty in ordinary moments. I was someone who asked a lot of questions and felt things deeply, even when I didn’t yet have language for it.
Over time, the world tried to give me categories: be practical, be quieter, be more defined, be less sensitive. But what remained steady underneath all of that was a sense that I was created to see clearly and steward what I was given well. Faith helped anchor that truth. It reminded me that identity isn’t earned through productivity or approval, but received.
That early version of me still shows up in my work today. The difference is that now I trust her. I’ve learned that discernment is a strength, depth is not a liability, and calling often looks like faithfulness long before it looks like success.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell her that she is not behind, broken, or too much. That the weight she feels is not because she’s failing, but because she carries things deeply. I would tell her that God is not in a hurry with her life, even when everything around her feels urgent.
I’d remind her that discernment is a gift, not a burden. That learning to wait, to listen, and to trust will someday feel like strength instead of delay. And that love does not require her to shrink, overextend, or prove her worth.
Most of all, I’d tell her that she will become someone she’s proud of, not by forcing outcomes, but by staying faithful through seasons that don’t make sense yet. Nothing was wasted. Not the waiting. Not the heartbreak. Not the quiet obedience.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I protect at all costs is integrity over performance. In a world that rewards visibility, speed, and constant output, I’m committed to doing work that is honest, thoughtful, and rooted in character rather than optics.
I believe how something is built matters just as much as what is built. That means choosing clarity over hype, faithfulness over shortcuts, and people over platforms. I resist the idea that success requires burnout, self abandonment, or constant self promotion. For me, integrity means showing up the same way in private as in public, keeping my word, and stewarding trust carefully.
My faith anchors this value. I believe we’re accountable not just for results, but for our posture, our process, and how we treat others along the way. Trends change. Metrics shift. But character lasts. That’s the culture I work to build and protect in every space I lead.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What light inside you have you been dimming?
For a long time, I dimmed my clarity. My discernment. The part of me that sees patterns early and names things honestly. I learned to soften it so others would feel more comfortable, to second guess what I knew because it was inconvenient or too direct.
I also dimmed my confidence in my calling. Not because I doubted God, but because I doubted myself. I mistook humility for hesitation and obedience for silence, when in reality I was being asked to trust what had been entrusted to me.
Lately, I’m learning that light isn’t arrogance and conviction isn’t harshness. That the gifts God gives are meant to be stewarded, not hidden. Part of my legacy, I hope, is choosing to live fully lit: showing up with wisdom, courage, and integrity, even when it costs me comfort or approval.
I don’t want to be remembered for how small I made myself to fit a room. I want to be remembered for how faithfully I stood in who I was created to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shotsbylc.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shotsbylc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lidiacelene/
