Calling the shots - Kendall's Bat Mitzvah at the Verve Crowne Plaza Natick
As wedding season winds down for me, it's time for Bat and Bar Mitzvahs. While many of my fellow photographer friends tell me I'm brave for jumping into this type of photography, I simply say "Hey, I'm just trying to change the way it's done. I want the kids to want me there. It's their day."
Enter Kendall and her fabulous family, who found me when I wrapped a senior session with their older daughter, Julia. Julia went home and told her mother and sister, Kendall, about me, and I had just happened to post my blog about Izzy's Bat Mitzvah. Kendall told her mother, “I want my photos to look like that,” and just like that, I became part of her day.
We started by meeting up at her house a few weeks before her actual Bat Mitzvah and did a practice session with her and a few of her girlfriends to break the ice. When I first met Kendall, she had one request: she basically told me that she hates when people ask her to smile and that it makes her feel "weird." I told her no prob; I will be near her the entire day, and when she felt joy, I would capture that. I reassured her that it's all about her having fun and that's pretty much it. She smiled when I gave her that answer.
So on October 17th, I headed out early in the morning to capture Kendall and her family getting ready. Then, we moved on to the temple for family formals.
Here's the thing about most Mitzvahs: many temples, including Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland where she had her service, will not allow photographs during the service. So what usually happens is that everything is very planned out when it comes to the portraits.
Kendall and her family wanted something different and since different is my specialty, what I did was literally start shooting the minute they pulled the Torah out, and then continued while Kendall rehearsed with her family. After the service, I got a few shots at a luncheon, where lots of Kendall's family and friends hung out and spent time together.
Later that night, my second shooter, Vanessa Walsh, and I met up with everyone at the Verve Crowne Plaza in Natick for a some serious partying with Kendall and all her friends. Tons of games were played, including snowball, Coke and Pepsi, and even a new game called London Bridge, which brought shrieks of laughter from every kid.
I love hanging out with these awesome kids. Thank you to Kendall and her family!
Vendors
DJ - Northern Lights Entertainment Temple: Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, MA Party venue: The Verve Hotel (Crowne Plaza) in Natick, MA Hair stylist: Masterworx Flowers: Stems and Stalks