7 Secrets Behind Candid Color Systems OKC: The $100 Million Photography Empire's New 2025 Tech
Candid Color Systems (CCS) in Oklahoma City (OKC) is far more than just a photo lab; it is a technology and fulfillment powerhouse that has quietly dominated the professional volume photography market for over five decades. As of late 2025, CCS continues to solidify its position as a market leader, not just through massive print production—boasting millions of prints annually—but through a cutting-edge suite of software solutions designed to help independent photographers "Book More, Earn More, and Work Less."
The company, headquartered at 1300 Metropolitan Ave in Oklahoma City, has successfully transitioned from a traditional film processing lab to a modern digital workflow and e-commerce giant. This deep dive uncovers the seven core secrets, including the founder's story and the latest 2025 software updates, that keep Candid Color Systems at the forefront of the high-volume photography industry.
The Visionary: Biography of Candid Color Systems Founder Jack Counts Jr.
The story of Candid Color Systems is intrinsically linked to its founder, Jack Counts Jr., whose entrepreneurial spirit began long before the company’s official establishment.
- Full Name: Jack Edwin Counts Jr.
- Role: Founder and President of Candid Color Systems (CCS).
- Early Years: Counts began his entrepreneurial journey in the special events photography world while still a college student in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
- Founding Date: Candid Color Systems was officially established in 1972 in Oklahoma City, with assistance from his father, Jack Edwin Counts Sr.
- Core Mission: Counts founded CCS with a clear dedication to serving independent photographers, providing them with innovative products and services to grow their businesses.
- Legacy Brands: Under his leadership, CCS expanded its reach by launching iconic consumer photography brands, including the hugely popular "Glamour Shots®" and "Party Pics®" in the late 1980s. [cite: 6, 14 (from step 3)]
- Current Status: As the company celebrates a legacy of over 50 years, Jack Counts Jr. remains a central figure, guiding CCS’s transition into a digital and software-focused entity. [cite: 9 (from step 3)]
Secret 1: The 50-Year Legacy and OKC Headquarters
Candid Color Systems has deep roots in Oklahoma City, serving as a pillar of the local business community and a national hub for photographic innovation. Established in 1972, the company’s history spans the entire evolution of photography, from traditional silver halide film processing to today’s high-speed digital print and e-commerce world. [cite: 3 (from step 3), 9 (from step 3)]
The OKC headquarters is the nerve center for a massive professional photo lab operation. This facility is responsible for producing an enormous volume of orders, consisting of over 7,000,000 prints annually, a testament to their industrial scale and efficiency. [cite: 17 (from step 2)] They utilize high-end machinery, including HP Indigo Presses and equipment for traditional photographic paper (Fuji professional paper), ensuring quality across their diverse product lines, which include plaques, mugs, and grad products. [cite: 11 (from step 2), 12 (from step 2), 17 (from step 2)]
This enduring presence in Oklahoma City allows them to host major industry events, such as the annual Candid Summer Seminar, which brings professional photographers from across the nation to OKC to discuss new developments and strategy. [cite: 8 (from step 3)]
Secret 2: The CORE and NowCandid™ Software Ecosystem
The real secret to CCS’s modern success is not just the printing quality but the proprietary software that powers the entire volume photography workflow. Their focus is on providing robust, simple, and efficient business solutions to their clients. [cite: 2 (from step 2)]
The CORE Platform: Volume Photography Management
CORE is the primary, web-based software platform for volume photographers. It is designed as an all-in-one management system that drastically reduces the administrative burden on photography businesses. [cite: 13 (from step 2)]
- CORE Admin: This back-office component allows photographers to manage jobs, data, and production seamlessly.
- CORE Ecommerce: This is the sales engine, providing a polished online storefront for customers to view and purchase their photos—a critical component for maximizing revenue.
NowCandid™: The Photographer’s Suite
NowCandid™ is a complementary suite of five software programs tailored specifically for portrait and event photographers. It provides simple workflows for high-efficiency shooting and processing, a key differentiator in markets like sports, schools, and graduations. [cite: 2 (from step 2), 4 (from step 2)] The integration with solutions like PhotoMatch and ViewFirst™ further streamlines the process, ensuring fast turnarounds and immediate customer access to images, which is essential for maximizing sales at special events. [cite: 14 (from step 2), 18 (from step 1)]
Secret 3: Dominating High-Volume Niches with Specialized Solutions
Candid Color Systems does not try to be all things to all photographers; instead, they focus on dominating specific, high-volume market segments by offering specialized tools and products.
Sports Photography (Sports Lines): CCS offers comprehensive support for sports photographers, from marketing materials to a full line of team and player products. Their system is optimized to handle the complexity of large team orders, ensuring that photographers can build and sustain a successful sports clientele. [cite: 3 (from step 2), 6 (from step 2)]
School and Event Photography: This includes K-11 fall and spring picture days, senior portraits, and graduation photography. CCS has invested heavily in technology to manage the logistics of large school contracts, including printed templates like ScanCards and Sequence Cards for efficient data management. [cite: 14 (from step 2)] Their success stories, particularly in Oklahoma graduation ceremonies, highlight their ability to deliver high-quality, large-scale event coverage. [cite: 17 (from step 1)]
Secret 4: The 2025/2026 Focus on Future-Proofing
The company’s commitment to staying current is evident in its annual educational events. The 2025 Candid Summer Seminar, held at the OKC headquarters, was a major event focusing heavily on the latest software updates, new developments, and strategy implementation for the coming year. [cite: 8 (from step 3), 15 (from step 2)]
While specific feature announcements are often reserved for these exclusive customer events, the overarching theme for 2025 and 2026 is clearly about optimizing the photographer's business model. This includes deeper integration of e-commerce solutions, enhanced workflow automation, and new product offerings to maximize revenue per session. Their continuous presence at major industry trade shows, like the announced attendance in 2026, confirms their strategy of ongoing innovation and market engagement. [cite: 11 (from step 3)]
Secret 5: The "Book More, Earn More, Work Less" Philosophy
Every product and service offered by Candid Color Systems is ultimately tied to a simple, three-part philosophy: Book More business, Earn More money, and Work Less. [cite: 8 (from step 2)] This business-centric approach distinguishes CCS from a typical consumer-facing photo lab.
- Book More: Providing professional marketing materials and sales strategies to help photographers secure larger contracts.
- Earn More: Offering a wide array of high-margin products and efficient e-commerce to increase average order value.
- Work Less: Automating the most time-consuming parts of the job—data management, ordering, and fulfillment—via software like CORE and NowCandid™.
Secret 6: The Independent Photographer’s Best Ally
Unlike some competitors, CCS has maintained its dedication to serving the independent photographer. Jack Counts Jr.’s original vision was to empower these small business owners. [cite: 4 (from step 3)] By providing enterprise-level technology and a massive production facility without the need for a franchise agreement, CCS acts as a silent partner, allowing photographers to maintain their brand identity while benefiting from a 50-year-old, multi-million dollar infrastructure. This partnership model is a core reason for their enduring success and topical authority in the volume photography sphere.
Secret 7: The Future of Photographic Fulfillment in OKC
As the photography industry continues its rapid digital transformation, Candid Color Systems in OKC is positioned to lead the fulfillment side. Their continued investment in their software platforms and their commitment to hosting major educational events demonstrate a long-term strategy focused on technology and partnership. The combination of a massive, efficient print lab and a sophisticated, web-based software suite makes CCS a benchmark for how professional volume photography businesses should operate in the late 2020s and beyond.
Detail Author:
- Name : Aurelia Wintheiser
- Username : enicolas
- Email : felton76@wuckert.com
- Birthdate : 2005-07-27
- Address : 817 Conrad Drives Schinnermouth, RI 06416
- Phone : (239) 694-8716
- Company : Jaskolski-Senger
- Job : Tire Builder
- Bio : Temporibus dolor aut cumque. Non aut mollitia totam sapiente. Dolores sed quam ex odio qui placeat tempore. Non vel quam illo. Numquam laborum accusantium voluptas soluta.
Socials
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@kschuster
- username : kschuster
- bio : Repellat et nobis tempore aliquid aut rem quia.
- followers : 2463
- following : 1565
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/schuster1993
- username : schuster1993
- bio : Laboriosam exercitationem ducimus et. Sunt reprehenderit odio ab eius ab maiores neque.
- followers : 6531
- following : 2044
