Of all gifts, the greatest is love. How do we uncover what is inside our hearts and share it with others?
The answer lies in how we spend our time and with whom. What about when time and space drive us apart? Ask anyone who misses a milestone event at home because they have to travel for work.
Photographs take on a whole new significance then, by filling that void.
Grosse Pointe City Lifestyle Magazine is gifted with talented contributors who share their skills to make this publication stand out.
Contributing photographers Andreas Browne and Kimberly Rensburg work with local business owners featured in this magazine each month to tell the story of their business and showcase their staff and workspace with bold, beautiful photos.
Andreas, owner of Yellow Door Brand on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Farms, joined the magazine with its inaugural issue in October 2019. His first assignment was photographing the Crescent Sail Yacht Club, which required climbing onto the roof to get the shot he needed. He completed the assignment and has been on board since.
Kim, owner of Kimberly Rensburg Photography in the City of Grosse Pointe, met Publisher David Mattaliano at a Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce event three years ago and found his vision for the magazine aligned perfectly with her focus on visual storytelling and branding for businesses of all sizes.
The pair collaborate, working as a team on senior portraits for teens graduating from high school. Andreas is an expert with lighting and staging of high-quality studio portraits. Kim takes over from there, working with clients at their outdoor location of choice for the environmental portion.
They both report that the work provides a means of giving back and an emotional connection with others.
“Photography does three things when you share it,” according to Andreas. “You give in the present, you give in the past, and you give in the future.” This really hit home in the aftermath of the flood of 2021, when people came to Yellow Door for help salvaging damaged photos. Yellow Door is a resource, offering custom printing, video tapes and movie reels conversion, custom clothing, alterations, and shoes for brides and grooms on their wedding day, even ballroom dance lessons to ensure the first dance is visually memorable for all the right reasons.
Andreas’ advice: print your photos and share them. “Photographs are oftentimes how people get to know us and see us.”
Kim reports she really enjoys working with local business owners and members of our community. “I hear a number of times from clients that this is the first time they’ve ever invested in photos. I am thrilled to capture the big moments of their lives, whether they are getting married, having a baby, or launching a business.
“This work allows me to share in their joy.”
Kim’s advice: take your photos out of the digital gallery and print them.
“Share your joy with others. A photo says, ‘This is who we are. This is how we are now,’ even if your kids are screaming in the background.”
Both Andreas and Kim came to photography after completing their degree in other fields of study. For Andreas, it was medicine. Kim studied the Spanish language.
“I never knew I was creative,” says Andreas. He bought a Nikon F100 the year he enrolled in graduate school. He quickly embraced it, shifting gears to study photography several years later. He discovered Grosse Pointe while attending annual parties hosted by medical colleagues of his mum, and it was a natural choice to establish Yellow Door Brand here years later.
Kim always enjoyed photography as a hobby before launching her business as a career. She acquired a Nikon D750, and her husband suggested she take a class. “I loved it from the second I stepped into the classroom.” She established her business in 2016.
Both Andreas and Kim share their passion for photography by teaching, he at Michael B’s Cafe through Wayne County Community College District in Grosse Pointe, and she at Star of the Sea Catholic School beginning in the spring.
Learn more by visiting their websites:
www.Yellowdoorphoto.com
www.Kimberlyrensburg.com
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“Share your joy with others. A photo says, ‘This is who we are. This is how we are now,’ even if your kids are screaming in the background.”
TAKE PHOTOS LIKE A PRO!
Kim and Andreas are teaming up to give back to Grosse Pointe in this season of giving! Everyone is invited to attend a FREE two-hour class and learn how to Take Photos Like a Pro.
All are welcome!
Attendees will learn the basics of photography to transform their party pics and selfies from run-of-the-mill to eye-catching and beautiful! This two-hour class will cover:
- Composition: how to set up your shot to draw the eye to your subject (hint: front and center is not always best). Learn to add drama and interest by making the most of your background, foreground, and other details
- Light: learn how to find the best angle to reduce shadows, soften facial features, and avoid that ‘deer in the headlights’ squint
- Fine-tune your focus: get more dramatic results by turning off auto settings to increase depth-of-field
- Tips & tricks for winning selfies
- 5 ways to edit photos on your cell phone
Bring your cell phone or camera and get ready to have some fun with our expert staff photographers!
12 noon - 2 p.m.
Saturday, November 15th
Yellow Door Photography & Imaging
18430 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Farms
Questions? Call (313) 264-1587