Dylan’s Bar Mitzvah

You may remember Dylan from our awesome sporty pre-mitzvah portrait session.  I have to say, I love when I get to do a pre-shoot with a mitzvah family.  They’re always really fun, the pictures are always amazing, and I totally bond with the mitzvah family.  Basically, they realize that they’ve hired a pretty cool photographer that they like, and we roll into mitzvah day like old friends!  That’s how it was with this family.  I really enjoyed working with them.  Mom cracks me up, and Dylan is a pretty cool kid.  I just love how easily and genuinely he smiles!  Mazel Tov, Dylan!

Nathan’s Bar Mitzvah Portraits

Nathan celebrated his Bar Mitzvah with a Shabbat morning service, followed by a brunch.  Since photos during the service were not allowed, and most people don’t want pictures of themselves eating, we spent some time before his mitzvah capturing some portraits with his family, tallis, and Torah.  And since it was a beautiful day in sunny South Florida, we got in a few nice outside photos too.  And don’t you just love how mom coordinated the pink and blue in their wardrobe?  Mazal Tov to Nathan and his family!

Kacie’s Bat Mitzvah

Kacie celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on a Friday evening with gorgeous light, so of course we had to take advantage of that for her pre-service portraits!  She was also observing her service on the construction site of their new synagogue building, so we used that too to create some creative portraits of the Mitzvah girl!  She partied with her friends and family in a hip Sunday night party with a neon lounge feel.  Everyone had a blast!

Jared’s Bar Mitzvah

If you are a follower of my blog, you know I love photographing Mitzvahs.  And every time, I seem to find a new thing I love about them.  One thing I love is that a current trend is for families to celebrate the occasion in whatever way is meaningful to them.  In this case, a lovely service, followed by a brunch, foregoing the typical big DJ dance party.  There was a montage playing in the background as guests enjoyed their meals (what’s not to like about waffles and eggs), and video games and 4-way ping pong for the mitzvah boy and his friends (what boys don’t love video and ball games).  Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and were, of course, proud of Jared’s achievement of this milestone!

Skylar’s Bat Mitzvah

I got into photography for the people, for the connections.  I love that it has allowed me to meet so many new people and re-connect with people from my past.  Like this mitzvah girl’s dad, who I was friends with in High School.  It’s always an honor when someone chooses me to capture their special day, and even more so when that someone trusts the businesswoman and photographer I’ve grown into since we last met.  And photographing Bar and Bat Mitzvahs is my absolute favorite.  I love my family photography, and I love my event photography.  I think that’s part of what I love so much about Mitzvah photography is that it combines the two. 

I love the symbolism of a child becoming an adult in the eyes of the Torah, and I love the parents’ and siblings’ pride in watching this milestone unfold.  And what’s not to love about the celebrations that follow?!  They’re always a blast, and really centered around rejoicing with the mitzvah teen, who is the center of the admiration of her family and friends. From a theme expressing her interests to speeches, dances, and presentations, it’s my favorite kind of party to experience and freeze in time.  Skylar’s Bat Mitzvah was all of this and more, and I share this perspective so as you view these images, you’ll not only see what I saw, but you’ll feel some of what I felt too.  Mazel Tov to Skylar and her family.  It was wonderful working with you, and I can’t wait to do it again for Logan before you know it! So You!