Generational Photographer

When you have been a photographer for as many years as I have, you have some family business from previous clients you have worked with. I photographed the wedding of sisters, the Bar or Bat Mitzvahs of the children in a family but this weekend's circumstances were different .

My wife and I know Brenda and Murry from our children’s grammar school. We became family friends. Then one of the sons became a husband and my photographs now hang on their wall, admired by their children. Funny thing, a second son found a bride and his wife says the kids love to pour over the album, seeing mom and dad on their special day. But there was one son, whose wedding I missed. I was lucky enough to be at that son’s son's Bar Mitzvah.
As I was photographing, it struck me. Our two families have been intertwined for 40+ years and I have been fortunate enough to record some of our friend's children's life events. It is a happy feeling to hear kids of kids tell you they like your photographs from the time they were gleams in their parent’s eyes

Jacob #2

Yakov Gindin and Katie Palmer photographed this Bar Mitzvah.

Yakov and Katie photographed this Bar Mitzvah. It was in a hotel, and very different from the Synagogue’s morning’s service. The Havdalah service is the closing service for the Sabbath and the highlight is the lighting of the candle which signifies the close of the day of rest and the start if the first day of the week. Having two photographers at an event provides customers with a four eye perspective. We miss very little that way.

Jacob #2 used a beautiful, specially made prayer book for his Bar Mitzvah that excerpted the evening service and nothing else. This allowed the guests to take it home as a remembrance of the service and Jacob’s torah reading. It’s Hebrew and English prayers were annotated with the reader’s name, making it meaningful for the many people participating in the ritual.

When you look at all the photos of the party, you know the kids had a good time.

Jacob #1

When you have two Bar Mitzvahs the same day with the young men having the same name you have to be creative in your filing system...and blogging. So for the ease of all, Jacob #1 is the morning affair and Jacob #2 for the evening event.

Peter photographed Jacob #1. He did his usual masterful technical job, perfect exposures, great lighting, and an emphasis on the emotions and relationships in the family and at the party afterward. He communicated with the DJ and made sure all was ready for the Hora, where the celebrant and his family are jerked into the air on a chair by 4 husky males and are waltzed around the room rising and falling to the whims of the carriers. What is fun to see is the look of shock and wide-open mouth as the chair jerks into the air and the stomach stays where it was, on the floor. A man made air pocket, same unexpected feeling.