Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Silverstein.
Phillip, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
What started as a hobby over the years has since become a full-time passion & profession. I have spent the last seven years of my life searching the world for it’s beautiful moments that are indescribable without photo evidence. I feel a great appreciation for life and the beauty out in the world. Constantly in search of this beauty, it changes what I look at as well as how I see. A past athlete, I was able to repurpose my energy into the creative fields. I’m originally from South Carolina but moved to California shortly after graduating college. I was fortunate enough to get to live in Europe which really helped spark my desire to get out and explore the world.
I remember coming home to Milan after a stopover in Greece thinking – “There is no way I’m going back to the States to work a desk job & only getting two weeks of vacation – I’d never get to see it all!” Fast forward from few years of doing just that in San Diego to picking up a camera… the rest was history! I’ve since been to over 45 countries and all continents except Antartica (Soon I hope!) Venice Beach is now my home and as crazy as it seems, Los Angeles always was in my mind growing up as a kid! There’s something about all the palm trees that puts me in a great place mentally, allowing me to be my best self. I love sharing my positivity through my passion of photography and the artwork that I produce for myself and images for clients across the world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely not smooth, a past football player allergic to grass… you get the picture. Plenty of physical and mental setbacks along the way that have only helped shape me into the person I am today. I used to have to get allergy shots as a kid growing up weekly in South Carolina. The humidity and pollen really get to me! However, I feel great without the help of any medication living in California. That in itself is a reason to smile every day! The fact that I get to do what I love every day and have fun doing it is just a blessing on top of that.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Phillip Silverstein Fine Art Photography – what should we know?
I’ve spent the last five years as an Entrepreneur. After moving to San Diego, I obtained my Series 7 (think beginning of Wolf of Wall Street, without all the drugs.) I worked for a financial firm, mastering my sales and professional skills running my own financial business. I knew this wouldn’t be my long term career but I enjoyed helping people plan for the future. I now have a full-time business around photography working with clients all over the globe and curating the moments for print in my fine art collection. I’ve since obtained my commercial FAA drone pilots license, and have been fortunate enough to work with some of the top names in the luxury hotel and hospitality industry. Over the last few years I’ve branched out into fashion photography as well as product / commercial photography and video.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have a great friend that started off as my next door neighbor in San Diego. We met on the balcony one afternoon, he had just got home from surfing and I was working away next to the amazing view outside. Fast forward a year later and I was getting ready to embark on a trip to Patagonia. He knew I was on the fence about buying a camera and he ended up lending me his Sony to try out. Well, needless to say, I came home with over 5000 photos to some of which were my first prints and popular images. After seeing the photos from the trip, he told me to hold on to the camera- and I gave it back three years later before upgrading to the model I have today! Who knows if I would have pulled the trigger to buy a camera without his push? Be thankful for good neighbors!
Contact Info:
Website: phililpsilverstein.com
Email: fineart@phiillipsilverstein.com
Instagram: instagram.com/pgsilver