In 1873 David opened, together with Bretagne, a photo studio at the rue Gravel 54 in Levallois-Perret. The studio advertised specifically with "school photographs" ("photographies des écoles"), whereby schools included secondary schools, boarding schools, teacher training colleges and military academies. The association with Bretagne ended after two or three years, in 1875 or 1876, after which David set up his own studio at the rue Gravel 50. Levallois-Perret was to remain his home base for the rest of his life. After a short stay at the rue Trézel 19, in 1879 he moved to rue des Courcelles 90. In 1897 he won a bronze medal at the Brussels International Exposition. From 1902 to 1910 he lived in the Rue Rivay in Levallois-Perret.