documentary

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

Beautiful Chaos | Bat Mitzvah Documentary

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion. ” 
― Martha Graham


Imagine you’re about five months from a major move with three boys ranging from four to ten and a daughter with a Bat Mitzvah - one who’s danced in the Boston Ballet Nutcracker, has played the harp since she was a tiny girl not to mention her love of gentle bunny.
The meaning of "beatifiul chaos" is an understatement. And while there were more than one concern on documenting at their home let alone on the Friday before the ceremony, it was within those stolen moments at home, and in those at the Synagogue following that tell the story of a calm among the storm. The love that’s expressed in the most everyday of moments to stolen vignettes that felt near epic in their rendering. 

While we began earlier in the week to document a Rehearsal (one in which the girl asked her Mom to wait outside), it was the Friday sessions - first at home, later at the Synagogue - when the true story surfaced: one of love, family, chaos and calm. We opted for portraits on Saturday afternoon at their new home and finished up on Saturday night with photography of an intimate and moving Habdala ceremony through the joyful Hora celebration. This is her story in 140 pictures over one hundred beautiful pages.

THE STORY IN A BOOK

A SELECTION OF PERSONAL FAVORITES

the gift of serving

in

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
― Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

april | 2012

april | 2012

As a season with giving at its core, we are often overrun with a blur of activities that veil the real magic in the air. Between the buying and wrapping and baking and decorating & the gatherings and events,  the real gift of giving can get lost in all the have to's and must do's and need to's.  Yet the most magical gift we can experience lies in giving to others. I can't take credit for how I feel about serving others either; it's how I was raised/who I am, and it's at the core of photography & my business.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to photograph this family of four generations and when I learned that Vanessa (the mum of the little) was going to be serving in the National Guard and would need to be away from her four year old for six months, I offered her a session (and the best time for her was in December when she was back on break). And after months of following the updates and photos between she and her girl, I got to see a little video of April seeing her mom for the first time over Thanksgiving - the most impacting exchange I saw that day.

So for me, giving to one who is giving to our country, and to a little who's giving up her mom for a period of time, is one of greatest gifts I can give this season. While I have much more to say on giving this season and in the year ahead, I will end with a few photos from our last time together two years ago.

be happy

in

i've been spending a lot of time going through my portfolio...and came across this little lineup of tiny dancers taken last year at the beginning of summer. all the little girls lined up for a bit of light makeup. i'd always liked the arrangement - the rhythm of all those little faces in various poses, the mom on the right anchoring things by looking across to the other side, the dancer on the far left gazing back over the scene of girls.

dancers | june, 2013

yes, all the little legs, and feet and hands and faces and stories going on here and only one looking right at me. but what i didn't see until the other day was the irony of that t shirt - be happy - within a row of slightly bored, anxiously patient faces.

wishing you all a "be happy" second to last week of summer.

a photograph of prom

having never gone to a prom myself, i have an impression of junior prom as one that's exciting but carefree in the sense that it's not the "last" one; the pressure and emotions i imagine wrapped around  a senior prom are absent. instead, there is just a pure raw vibrant sensation of excitement and anticipation....in a way that's breathable. so after the portraits were taken and we were officially wrapped, i saw this photograph take shape; i composed, waited, and the resulting picture turned out to be my favorite. i like what's going on here. the composition of a "v" with the daughter turning to her mom, boy to his. that split defines all that is being a teenager. though yes, they are grown and no longer need "mommy" in quite the same way, the heart is still young enough to naturally turn toward their mother who are bursting with pride & joyfulness & i'm sure a "where did the time go" running through it all. yes, this photograph holds all that emotion and meaning in it.

junior prom | marblehead, ma

& the portraits ...