Rabbi's Son Bar Mitzvah | Lexington
While I give my heart to every story, this one was a first - a Bar Mitzvah for the son of a Rabbi. While we’d planned to begin with a Home session, we ended up with Friday at the Synagogue, the Party and Sunday Brunch. And while I knew emotions would run high, I wasn’t prepared for the heartfelt joy that permeated every moment from his siblings, parents and family. While it may seem ordinary to document the moments leading to Shabbat, it is actually far from it - here in particular, with the Rabbi draping the Tallit over his son. In returning for Habdala and photographing in candlelight without flash, it was the beam of light that shone on the faces that formed a circle around the room. The transition to the Party was jublient and the fleeting imipressions of time as it sped by so quickly during the Party. And then there was the brunch held on a beautiful warm summer day; the light, the love, the color and relaxed exhaustion among family.
THE STORY IN A BOOK
A SELECTION OF PERSONAL FAVORITES
Early Fall Bar Mitzvah | Marblehead
“September was a thirty-days long goodbye to summer, to the season that left everybody both happy and weary of the warm, humid weather and the exhausting but thrilling adventures.”
― Lea Malot
“September was a thirty-days long goodbye to summer, to the season that left everybody both happy and weary of the warm, humid weather and the exhausting but thrilling adventures.”
― Lea Malot
On a day when it felt more like late summer than early Fall with warm winds and a full moon high in the sky. A boy, basketball, his best friend, a sister he adores (though wouldn’t ever admit it) and parents who are in lock step with their children. That’s where we began with this family on a beautiful warm early Fall evening outside over a game of basketball. They shared stories and exchanged affectionate humor. There was a lot of laughing (and eye rolling in jest) and a studied “model” pose kind of face which I personally admired during portraits. When we headed back inside and they sat on the floor immersed in conversation, time felt like a beautiful pause. The story of this family continued on the morning of the ceremony surrounded by a swirl of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. After a short rehearsal and portraits, I left and returned for the first emotions transitioning to lunch. We ended that evening at a brilliant Party at an art gallery complete with a DJ, dancing & Hora. As the first in this family, this is a story of emotions and expressions of gratitude and pride, of traditions new and old bound up with laughter and love.
THE STORY IN A BOOK
A SELECTION OF FAVORITES
Service held at Temple Emanuel in Marblehead and Party at RAW Artworks in Lynn.
a summer bar mitzvah
"I found a fruitful world, because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise I am planting for my children." ~ Talmud, Taanit 23a
"I found a fruitful world, because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise I am planting for my children." ~ Talmud, Taanit 23a
The potato plant.
On the session at home a few weeks before the event, I learned that the Bar Mitzvah boy to be had planted a potato and from it, sprouted a plant. And as were but in the first weeks of summer before Solstice), I felt a profound symbolism in this little plant.
His story is one of family ... and friends he's known since he was a little; it is a collage of sports and music and science and community. A personality that is at once both public and private striking the right balance between outer and inner.
We wove a few of the day-to-day goings on in at home and a few weeks later, came together again on the Bar Mitzvah day for portraits at the Temple, family portraits at the venue and a few details of the setting. I have no words to describe my experience inside Temple Ohabei Shalom ....along the lines of what it translates to - Lovers of Peace. Being surrounded by extended family who gathered to celebrate this milestone ... the laughter, the love, the traditions. Our time together ended two days later at the brunch - a gathering that told the story of how exhausting a rich experience can be. I chose a sample of images to share with the collection of them being custom designed into a larger book that tells the story of the people, the places, the moments, the experience and the boy that was and is now a man.
I am always moved by those who choose me to cover this particular event for I am deeply moved by the emotions and nuances, the preservation of customs, and the profound symbolism this day marks.
The sample of images shown will be folded into the collection and presented in a custom designed book
Winter Bar Mitzvah | Newton, MA
From a session at home a few weeks before and a rehearsal a few days before to the party and the brunch.
I'm not a boy now. I'm a man, I hope. I hope I've had my artistic bar mitzvah somewhere.
Jeremy Piven
When asked by this Mom if I’d document her son’s Bar Mitzvah, I was speechless - I’m not Jewish and hadn’t ever photographed a Bar Mitzvah before, and I hold her work and our past collaborations together in high regard. But after thinking about it a little more, the story I envisioned was rather beautiful - one that wove the threads of what life is right now stitched together with the formal and celebratory aspects; pictures that expressed a story of the transition. I was fortunate to be met with an open enthusiastic ear and together we collaborated on a plan.
This story began late afternoon on a beautiful winter light day to document life at home weaving activities, hobbies, interests and day-to-day interactions. Given the centrality of hockey in their lives, we began with street hockey, took a break with smoothies and then documented a long awaited family tradition - creating the ice rink in the back yard. We followed with casual portraits of everyone together and then of the boy in his own world and ended the day with the more formal elements or rehearsing and a Bar Mitzvah portrait.
I returned a week or so later to photograph the practice rehearsal and while I'd planned to document the party, mother nature decided to drop a nor'easter which impeded my ability to actually get to the location (and yes, I was horrified). While I was able to use guest photos of the Hora in the book, I photographed the gathering the following morning at the Brunch in a relaxed gathering of warmth and love - and the first time of hockey in their cousins back yard.
Since this initial Bar Mitzvah, I've been thankful to receive a steady stream of commissions. In each I feel a deeper connection to the grace of spiritual values, the magic of this special rite of passage, and the importance in documenting the story.
THE BOOK
A SELECTION OF FAVORITES
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