“I have a confession to make, I’m not a ‘Bar Mitzvah Photographer’.
However, I am fortunate to be approached by incredible families to document their most special celebrations, and yes, I do photograph Bar Mitzvahs. I wouldn’t define my work as simply ‘party photography’ or ‘event photography’.
Within me is an incredible determination to tell your story, fuelled by a genuine passion for capturing moments that pass in the blink of an eye, moments that show the depth of emotion in special relationships. When being fortunate enough to photograph a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, I place myself in your position, and try to capture the images I would cherish if that were my own loved one embracing me.
As a parent of young children, I find those moments of connection between parent and child to be so powerful. I try to create images for you that will become iconic pieces in your family story. Having lost two Grandmothers in the past two years, neither of which I ever had beautiful photographs with, I also understand the importance of capturing meaningful moments between young people and their grandparents.
My career before photography was in youth work. I spent years working with young teenagers from all backgrounds and truly believe that those experiences are so important in the trust and connection I am able to forge with teenagers now, creating portraits that they love and making sure they trust me to deliver photographs that portray them how they like to be portrayed in this stage of their life. I try to use the ‘Pre Shoot’ in an original and creative way, whether that be creating Nike-advert-style studio portraits for the football-obsessed Bar Mitzvah boy, or using a West End theatre as a location for a shoot with the musical-obsessed Bat Mitzvah girl.
These are formative years, and I want to create incredible images that your son or daughter can look back on with pride.
As for the Synagogue shoots, with a Bachelors degree in Hebrew and Jewish Studies, I understand the importance of this most symbolic and ancient act yet still want to push the boundaries to create something that is not ‘standard’, something that is different to the shots you may expect to see. Every shot matters to me and one of the most enjoyable aspects of my career is now spending time with families who are just a few years ‘ahead’ of my own, whether that be at their events, or a chat and coffee in the kitchen during the planning stages.
After your event, you’ll receive a set of individually edited preview images very soon afterwards. Our team will shoot a minimum of 7,500 images at your party, which I then personally go through one-by-one, assessing each individual photograph and deciding whether it makes the final selection. By the end of the selection process, even if I have chosen over 1000 images, I will then individually edit every single one of those photographs before you receive them. They are your memories, immortalised through my work of which I am deeply proud.
Whatever ‘Bar Mitzvah Photography’ has traditionally involved, let’s push the boundaries together and create something better, something unique to your child and your family.”
