Blog

Last Week In Photography - Last Blog Of The Year

Rather than write content here the length of War and Peace let’s just agree it’s been another tough year for us all.

Needless to say Covid and now, Omicron is still causing huge disruptions and tragic losses for many families, my extended one included.

Piggyback that with the catastrophic flooding of my studio (documented in some of the composites in this blog post) along with many of my neighbors’ homes I’m happy to see 2021 go and hope better for us all in 2022.

On the other hand I got to photograph many people and families one of which is here in the photos taken this year to follow up on the same type of session last holiday season.. great family and a pleasure to have into the rebuilt studio.

My plan in 2022 is to offer additional styles and techniques in my portraits.. new tools on order and due to be delivered any day.

Also I’m launching a new initiative to make large format metal prints available by the end of the first quarter of the year.

So, thank you for the support offered by clients, friends and family… Best wishes for a wonderful rest of the year and a great 2022.

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size.

Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/ssilverberg1/

#ssphotographic #stephensilverbergphotographicLLC #portraitphotographer #childrensphotographer #familyphotographer #couplesphotographer #seniorsphotographer #photographerAnnArbor #photographerYpsilanti #couplesphotos #fashionphotographer #modelportfoliophotographer #headshotphotographer#realestatelistingphotographer

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Portrait Session And Before/Afters

This one goes back a few months when the mother of a young woman and her brother I’d previously photographed came into the studio for her session… Great fun!

The gentleman in the accompanying before/after photos had me document him during the initial Covid period when he had neither shaved nor cut his hair.. then came back for a follow up after everything hit the barbershop floor. He’s an interesting guy and we traded stories.

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size

Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/ssilverberg1/

#ssphotographic #stephensilverbergphotographicLLC #portraitphotographer #childrensphotographer #familyphotographer #couplesphotographer #seniorsphotographer #photographerAnnArbor #photographerYpsilanti #couplesphotos #fashionphotographer #modelportfoliophotographer #headshotphotographer#realestatelistingphotographer

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - More From The Studio

As the weather gets colder my studio has been heating up.

A young woman came in for senior/yearbook photos, a man for photos prior to his wedding to share with the families and a woman for photos for her father, all shown in the composites below.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

https://www.instagram.com/ssilverberg1/

#ssphotographic #stephensilverbergphotographicLLC #portraitphotographer #childrensphotographer #familyphotographer #couplesphotographer #seniorsphotographer #photographerAnnArbor #photographerYpsilanti #couplesphotos #fashionphotographer #modelportfoliophotographer #headshotphotographer

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Studio And Beach Sessions

With the weather getting colder and our first snow of the season come and gone it’s back to inside sessions…. and one holdover from the beach.

Senior photo season is drawing to a close and I photographed this young man with his award medals for track achievements prominently displayed.

The woman shown here needed some updated photos for business and we also played with a few shots using her gown as a prop.

The last series are from my annual visit to Saugatuck. I photograph the sunset every year at Oval Beach facing west to Lake Michigan and while there I also photograph random beach goers. This couple was there late in the day and the lighting was great. They willingly posed and gave me permission to share.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.


Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Modeling Sessions

I had two children in the studio, both a bit different sessions than the standard “kid” photos.

The boy, six, loves theater and wanted photos and composites suitable for that creative arena.

The girl, ten, I’ve been photographing for years and has appeared in a number of ads.

Both are naturals in front of the camera and both sessions were great fun!

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.



Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Farewell to Fall

With our first snowfall this week the outdoor photographic season may have come to an end for the year with these two, a senior and a portrait session once again in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town and Riverside Park.

The young man made a clothing change half way through to reflect his cultural heritage. I knew he had planned to change but didn’t expect the outfit which was a very pleasant surprise.

The woman, a carpenter, in the second set of photos needed an updated portrait as it had been some time since her last photos. The day was sunny and we made use of the river.. always a nice setting.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Another Great Fall Senior Session

When I was contacted to photograph this young woman’s senior session I jumped at the chance.

She lives in a neighborhood adjacent to mine and we have many friends in common so it’s a great opportunity to share these images. Again, we used Depot Town in Ypsilanti, MI for a location.

During the afternoon there were a few photo opportunities to catch them together.. a nice slice of time.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - More Family And Senior Sessions

With the season progressing towards late fall and winter there was still time to make use of the parks around the area for a family and also a senior session.

We piggybacked the senior’s outside session with a quick trip immediately afterwards and stopped at my studio for a few options for her yearbook.

More outside photographs to come in the next few weeks so keep watching.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Senior Photo Session Season

With senior photo sessions in full swing I was lucky to photograph these two young women at the same time at one of my favorite locations. Depot Town and Riverside Park in Ypsilanti, MI.

The day was sunny and warm and the Sunday by the river vibe was perfect.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Back To The Studio

As the senior season is in full swing, I’ve been busy photographing in the local parks.

Also, the business environment is busy and the need for headshot sessions is keeping me working in the studio as well.

Here are a few of the people I’ve had in as visitors.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Faith Based Apparel Session

An ex coworker and friend is marketing a series of faith based apparel and approached me to photograph her, her young daughter and a group of women who were modelling the product on a beautiful early fall day in one of my favorite locations, Depot Town in Ypsilanti.

We wandered from location to location and the results are in the accompanying composites.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Senior Sessions In Depot Town

Depot Town is an area in Ypsilanti, MI that abounds in good restaurants, neat shops, parks, a farmers market and the river that ties it all together. The train tracks that run through the area provide an interesting chance to hit the pause button on all the activities as the ringing of the bell warning everyone of the gates descending followed by the blasts of the horn from the engine and the overwhelming thunder of the passenger or freight trains crossing the main intersection brings conversations to a sudden halt.

I’ve been photographing portrait and senior sessions there for a while and am posting two here in this blog entry. Chronologically the young woman was first followed a week later by the young man also featured here.

During the session a female passerby who had apparently just purchased a sun flower bouquet at the adjacent farmers market stopped and asked my young woman subject if this was her senior photo session. When the reply was yes the woman congratulated her and gave her the bouquet to keep. It was a sweet moment and totally unexpected.

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - More Studio Sessions

Now that my studio has been brought back from the rubble it once was after the flood that left two feet of sewage backup in late June I’m happy, once again, to be able to set appointments for headshot and portrait clients.

Here are some samples from the last few sessions.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Sunset In Saugatuck VII

Those long term visitors to my blog know I make the drive to Oval Beach in Saugatuck, MI to photograph the sunset on September 13th every year. The 13th is my anniversary and my late wife’s ashes are resting on the dunes overlooking Lake Michigan facing west into the setting sun.

This year the beach erosion was, again, more pronounced and the bluffs are being worn away with crevices where the rain and wind are eroding the sand hills despite the best efforts of the grasses to hold the damage.

It’s a natural process accelerated by the increasing strength of the incoming storms but still sad to see.

This year, as in the past, I photographed some people as well as the sunset. I got to meet a local resident, Lyle Kissee, with whom I’ve been communicating on Facebook. It was a pleasure to meet face to face.. his sunset photos are outstanding and I envy him for living in a great community and having access to the best photo locations all year long.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen Silverberg Comment
Last Week In Photography - Senior Session

With summer drawing to a close the demand for senior sessions is on the rise.

I photographed this young man’s family as well as his sister previously and now it was his turn.

The day was brutally hot and humid so we spent a few minutes outside and the balance of the session was in the family’s music room and upstairs over the garage in a great still under construction space with loads of light.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Studio Sessions

Predicting the weather is always tricky so balancing outdoor with indoor sessions keeps the flow going.

Here are a few samples taken in studio.

The twins (yes.. they are tough to tell apart so they dress and do their hair differently) needed some theatrical headshots. They both were on General Hospital back when they were very young and still are in the hunt for roles. They and their younger sister, also shown here, are models and I’ve been photographing them for a few years.

I’ve included a few headshot samples including one for a government employee needing a photo with a flag background. Photoshop helped accomplish that and the before/after is also included here.

Clicking on the composites will enlarge them full size

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - More Family fun In the Sun

While there’s a window of warm Michigan summer weather this family decided to take advantage of a beautiful day in a local park to capture images of their daughter at this fleeting time of her life.

I was pleased to be a part of their day as I know it will be gone in a flash as she starts to walk and talk.. but not yet.

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - Summer Sessions

While I’ve been fighting the studio flooding (see previous blog posts) outside the walls the real world of flowers and greenery has been available and I’m sharing a day with a couple and their daughter and also a boy/girl friend senior session photographed locally in two parks.

Outside sessions are always weather dependent so two great days like these were a joy!

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - When It Rains, It Pours ll - The Painful Recovery Process
DSC_3403-Edit (1280x854).jpg

My last blog post documented the destruction of my studio after a massive sewage backup.

This one is a record of the fight to get back in business, The initial process is to completely gut and sanitize the space. The next step is an assessment of what is needed to get back in business.

The list is extensive and many times surprising. Drywall replacement? Yes.. knew that. Painting? That, too. Floor covering? A two hour there and back trip to a carpet wholesaler for commercial grade carpet tile.. solved.

The things that were a surprise.. many of the doors and jams needed to be replaced because the originals had deformed due to being partially submerged. Drains that were thought to be good.. weren’t… requiring further excavation and the installation of back flow valves,

After a bit over $30,000 in cash outlay depleting my business account the photos here are a record of the 95% recovery with a few things yet to be done.

FEMA and the SBA have both been here in the neighborhood and the confusion is rampant as the help we hoped for seems to be mired in conflicting programs.. Loans many of us can’t use and grants held up or unavailable because of the loan process.. all still to be resolved.

The good thing is to know the extent of mutual support in our neighborhood for one another.. heartening!

Clicking on the composites below will open them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment
Last Week In Photography - When It Rains, It Pours

The photo above was my lower level studio prior to 2:00AM June 26.

It rained heavily that night and, since I have no clue what sleep means, I went downstairs to check as I’d seen a small leak behind the furnace during a heavy rainstorm a week earlier.

Bear in mind I had a $20,000 basement drain footer project a few years ago followed by $2,000 for a collapsed drain last month.

When I got to the top of the stairs my flashlight revealed what was my share of a neighborhood catastrophe.

The massive rainstorm moving through southeastern Michigan had overloaded the sewer capacity and many homes on my block as well as throughout the city were flooded with raw sewage, in my case about 2 feet deep.

The ensuing struggle to find crews to address the aftermath and the discovery that many people’s insurance did not cover the damage was epic. Even those who did have coverage found it was a small fraction of the cost.

The composites below document the recovery effort in my studio… still to come, drywall repair and painting, replacement floor covering and moving forward after the loss of materials and studio income.

Kudos to my neighborhood, College Heights in Ypsilanti, as well as other adjacent neighborhoods for the support offered by our neighbors during this reminder that nature and the environment is a force not to be ignored!

Clicking on the composites below will enlarge them full size.

Stephen SilverbergComment