Blog

I often say that on any given day, I love my job more than I ever thought it was possible to enjoy work. From weddings and mitzvahs to family and senior portrait sessions, it is an honor and a privilege to have clients trust me to capture such momentous and beautiful milestones in their lives. When I get to do that job with and for people I love, it makes the time spent shooting and editing all the more special. Such was the case when my dear friend Madeline of mlc designs and her husband, Jason, hired me to photograph the bat mitzvah of their daughter, Julia. I knew the synagogue where Julia would be bat mitzvahed was important to their family. And I had even seen a snapshot of the sanctuary that Madeline posted on social media from the night before. And yet, I still got goosebumps when I walked into Baltimore Hebrew Congregation that morning — the very synagogue in which both of Julia’s parents celebrated their mitzvahs as teens and in which both sets of Julia’s grandparents were married. The bema from which Julia chanted her Torah portion was even adorned with greens from the pine trees and grey owl bushes in her grandparents’ yard. It felt magical. The party — on which Madeline worked tirelessly — was stylish and warm and fun. Full of mixed metallics and pink florals and gorgeous linens and the most thoughtful details that you’d expect of a talented invitation and paper goods designer, the evening celebration matched the vibe of the Five & Dime in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood with its exposed brick walls, stylish light fixtures, black leather banquettes and hardwood floors. There was a kids’ dance contest. There was a fabulous photobooth with a custom backdrop that Madeline designed. There were little touches of the Beatles — the girl of honor’s favorite band. It could not have been more fun. My cheeks truly ached at the end of the night from smiling so hard. Here are many, many favorites from Julia’s Baltimore Hebrew Congregation bat mitzvah.