In New York City and the tri-state area, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs vie with weddings for top rites of passage. As NY photographers, it’s a real honor to photograph your ceremonies and parties.
And beyond that, it’s just flat-out fun.
Why do we love photographing this important day? Well, for the obvious reasons – the significance of the ceremony, the personal connections in the portraits, the exuberance at the parties.
But more than that, it’s because every single one has a very personal fingerprint. (Oh! and maybe because Brett has sour grapes since he didn’t have a photographer at his own bar mitzvah 🙂. He’s determined that every single celebrant gets the best documentation of their events EVER.)
We start by getting to know your family: the honoree, of course, because this ceremony and celebration is all about them – personality, hobbies, preferences, foibles. And then their and your inner circle: grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, best friends, the rabbi, the cantor. And then the outer circle, which is so important: teachers, mentors, classmates..
Then it comes down to the logistics:
- When and where is the ceremony? Are there restrictions the temple may have? Perhaps they don’t allow photography in the temple, but allow pre-ceremony portraits? Or perhaps they allow photography but no flash? We’re familiar with many of the temples throughout NY, but vetting these details is imperative to a smooth photo shoot.
- Do you want portraits shot beforehand? Many families love pre-event portraits that can then be shared at the actual event.
- Where is the party venue? Do you have favorite spots you’d like us to photograph, or activities you want to make sure we capture?
Brett is Jewish, and having photographed so many bar and bat mitzvahs, we’re familiar with the general flow. But every family has their own preferences, and we want to honor those. Our desire is to blend in, respecting the sanctity of the moments and avoid disruption with excessive movement or noise.
And details make the event unique: personalized decorations, banners, colors, and more are not to be missed (and we won’t, we promise!). It’s amazing how the ambiance is really the individual’s stamp on the entire event.
Our favorite part? The relationships. Sooo many moments! You know it when they’re happening, and we see them, too. That’s our superpower as photographers.
We’d love to be a part of your special day by photographing the reading of the Torah, the lighting of the candles, the giggling among the cousins, the tears of the grandparents (and yours, too – let’s just admit it now), plus, the hora, the dancing, the games, the noshes. The unfettered (and fettered) bliss of being THIRTEEN.
You live those moments, and we’ll preserve the memories. View our Bar and Bat Mitzvah galleries, and contact us here to let us know how we can help your special day be even more special!
