Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to James Silvestri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

James, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Absolutely. I’ve always been interested in art. Even as a young kid, I was constantly drawing and painting. I first took an interest in photography when I was in high school. I was in an accelerated art class where I practiced a bit with cameras and taking creative portraits of classmates. From that point, I was hooked and it wasn’t long before I saved up enough money to buy my first “nice camera.” I continued practicing taking photos, mostly of family and friends knowing that I ultimately wanted to become a wedding photographer. After getting experience doing smaller shoots on my own, I convinced a few friends who were photographers to let me shadow them on their weddings. This was so helpful because it gave me the opportunity to practice photography in real world situations, but it didn’t come with the stress or responsibility of delivering final images. After shadowing multiple weddings, I began to work as a second shooter and soon after that, I booked my first wedding. I was pumped but also insanely nervous. I remember making lists of poses and actually printing out small inspiration photos that I kept in my camera bag just in case I needed help. That pretty much set the rest of my career in motion. Since then, I’ve continued learning and developing my style and I now own my own business and am booking weddings left and right, and I definitely don’t carry cheat sheets in my camera bag anymore.

James, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Like I said earlier, since as young as I can remember, I’ve been an artist. I was constantly drawing as a kid and I won my first art contest in the second grade for a drawing of a cat which my mom still has proudly hung in her house. Growing up with that desire for creating art helped me master my creative eye, which I now use in my everyday life as a professional photographer. While my first passion will always be drawing and I still draw as often as I can, the art form I feel the most connected with now is photography. I started my own photography business ten years ago and I focus mainly on weddings and engagements. I also teach a photography class to adults on the autism spectrum within Oakland University’s Center for Autism.

I’m based out of the Metro-Detroit area and a majority of the weddings I shoot are local. I’ve traveled a bit around the U.S. for weddings and would love the opportunity to travel internationally. I have a strong Italian heritage, so I wouldn’t be opposed to shooting a wedding in Italy.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I feel like people who are artists see the world a bit differently. The world is full of beautiful things, some more obvious than others: paintings, sculptures, a colorful sunset, but it’s also full of beautiful moments. The look a bride gives her father as he walks her down the aisle, a groom struggling not to cry when he sees his bride for the first time, or a sibling throwing their head back in laughter at one of the speeches. These small moments are full of beauty and when put together, they have the ability to create such a powerful story. It’s my privilege to help capture those moments and share that story for the couples I work with so it can be told again and again over time.

So in other words, the best part of being an artist is being able to share the way I see the world with others.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

Yes, I do. On top of photography, I also offer stationery design and printing services. Since I have a strong background in design, about 4 years ago, I started offering stationery packages which can include anything from invitations to thank you cards or seating charts to welcome signs. On top of being far cheaper than any online print service, it’s much more convenient for the couples I work with to have someone they’re already trusting to be part of their big day handle all of these small details too. Plus, it’s pretty cool for me to photograph a wedding that’s full of materials I designed myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.silvestriphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvestri.photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silvestriphotography