Stephen B. Meltzer, commercial photographer

Stephen B. Meltzer, a former Baltimore commercial photographer, died March 26 from acute myeloid leukemia at a son’s home in Pikesville. The

Palm Coast, Florida, resident was 73.

Stephen Brandt Meltzer was adopted at birth by David Meltzer, a trucking company owner, and his wife, Hilda Meltzer, who died when Stephen was 6 years old. His father married Aida Schneider Meltzer in 1954.

Born in Baltimore and raised near Pimlico Race Course, Mr. Meltzer was a 1965 graduate of City College and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1970 from the University of Maryland, College Park.

During the 1960s his interest in photography was piqued when he worked for J. Jenkins & Sons Co. Inc., which manufactured high school rings, as he watched professional photographers taking pictures of the jewelry with large-format cameras.

While a student at Maryland, he shot extensively for The Diamondback newspaper, including such celebrities as Bill Cosby and Dionne Warwick as they visited the campus. After graduating from college, he went to work as an assistant advertising manager for London Fog, then located in Woodberry in what is now Meadow Mill.

In 1972, he became a media buyer for Allegheny Beverage, which produced Pepsi. After leaving the beverage maker, he established Meltzer Advertising in the 2200 block of Maryland Ave., where he did both photography and design work for such clients as London Fog, Wong’s and the Chesapeake Bay Trading Co.

Mr. Meltzer later changed the name to Meltzer & Associates and moved the firm to the Mill Centre in Hampden, where it was located through the mid-1990s. He continued producing commercial photography and design for local and regional clients such as Joss Cues, Gramophone, K & S Associates, J. Brown Jewelers, Accura/Nissan West, Cohen’s Clothiers, Blatt Billiards and Mail Cues, both New York City firms.

He employed both medium- and large-format cameras; the 4x5 view camera was his format of choice. He relocated the business to Timonium until 2011, when he moved it to Palm Coast. He had not retired at his death.

An animal lover, the former Sparks resident rescued stray dogs and cats and did volunteer photography for the Maryland SPCA.

Graveside services were held March 30 at the Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery.

Mr. Meltzer is survived by two sons, Danny Meltzer of Pikesville and Benjamin Meltzer of New York City. His marriage to Barbara Davitz ended in divorce.