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Mitzvah MailMarch 2013 Spring is Here! I don't know about you, but there's something about Spring that gets me thinking about all things new. New i
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Spring is Here!
I don't know about you, but there's something about Spring that gets me thinking about all things new. New ideas, new plans, new goals, new body by June (just kidding... sort of :)
This Spring it also occurred to me that it's been almost 1 year since my own daughter's Bat Mitzvah and I still haven't selected pictures for her album. Yikes! For those of you in the same boat, I totally get it! For some reason, it's SO much harder to choose pictures of my own family than it is to select pictures for my clients. So in this issue, Decisions, Decisions is dedicated to helping make the process a little easier for all of us.
Another hot topic we'll cover is Digital Images vs. Prints in "Can I just have the digitals?". The question comes up quite a bit in today's age of social media and instant gratification. In Humor Me, you'll find a little collection of my favorite unscripted mitzvah moments - the ones no one knew I caught that are sure to make you smile. And this issue's Mitzvah Spotlight features a one-of-a-kind Monday Bar Mitzvah!
Enjoy and feel free to forward to a friend! |
Decisions, Decisions... for your album that is
So how many months has it been - 4, 6, or in my case, 1 year! 1 year without selecting pictures for our Bat Mitzvah Album. I admit it, but based on my clients, I know I'm not alone. So why is it so hard?
I think we tend to get overwhelmed with so many pictures to choose from. Looking at ourselves is not always easy either, especially for us women! After thinking about this, I've come up with some tips to get us through.
Top 6 Tips for Selecting Pictures for your Album
1. Pre-plan - Decide what the most important parts of your day were. Then, organize your top selections into those parts. Ex. Formal family pictures, Service, Kiddush, and Party.
2. Absolute Favorites - Start by selecting your standout favorites. You'll know them when you see them. Go with your first impression and move on.
3. Family Pictures - Focus on your Bar/Bat Mitzvah child and immediate family. Pick just one of each extended family grouping that's important to you.
4. Service & Kiddush - Decide what parts of the service are most meaningful to you and choose the shots that best tell the story. Key moments to include might be giving of the tallit, passing of the Torah, Torah processional, aliyahs, parents' speeches, Rabbi's blessings, raising of the Torah, dressing the Torah, any prayers done with your child's B'nai Mitzvah class, and the blessings over the wine and challah. Don't hesitate to include creative shots for something different. A few candids from the Kiddush are always fun to add as everyone is much more relaxed after the service.
5. Party - These seem to be the hardest to narrow down. Look for great expressions, and shots that make you feel like you're re-living the fun and emotions of the party. Use your party timeline as a guide.
6. Don't Over-Think It! - When you start analyzing the same pictures over and over again, it's time to walk away for awhile (preferably a few days, not a few months)! You'll go back with a fresh perspective and a sense of purpose to make those final decisions.
Selecting pictures for your album may seem like a daunting task, but if you break it down into smaller parts, it's really very intuitive. Most online proofing galleries like the one I use, allow you to create custom folders to keep everything organized.
The total number of pictures you choose will depend on the size of your album and whether you prefer a clean, uncluttered design, or a busier look.
Let your photographer use a little creative license. He/She might select pictures you didn't if they enhance the album design. This is especially true for things like background images for spreads and detail shots of the decor.
If you find yourself completely frustrated, don't hesitate to ask your photographer to design a first pass for you. Sometimes it's just easier to look at a complete design and then make changes. |
"Can I just have the digitals?"
Back in the film days, no one would have ever dreamed of not getting something in print from their B'nai Mitzvah whether it was prints, an album, or wall portraits. In today's digital age, that mindset has totally changed. Every so often, a prospective client will ask me if they can just get all the images on a disk and nothing else. This always makes me cringe and I'll tell you why.
Think back about 10 or 15 years ago. What did we do with the files on our computer and home movies? We burned them to a floppy disk or recorded them to VHS video tapes - remember those? How many of us still use them or even have devices that still read them? The point is, technology changes so fast that 10 years from now, all of our digital images stored on CDs and DVDs may go the way of the floppy disk. If that's all you have to remember your child's B'nai Mitzvah by, you could be in trouble.
There is just no substitute for a professional archival quality album of printed images, or a beautiful wall portrait that can be passed down from generation to generation. These are treasured keepsakes that document our family history. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to take a chance on anything happening to those keepsakes. |
Humor Me
You're on candid camera!
As a B'nai Mitzvah photographer, my job is to tell the story of your day and I try to do it in the most natural, and creative way possible. But sometimes, I see things happening that nobody else seems to notice, and I jump at the chance to capture them as they are part of the "backstory". Here's a few of my favorite Candid Camera moments. (and yes, I had fun with the captions) |
 I don't know what all these big people are doing, but I got the best seat in the house! |
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 Rollie Pollie bugs are so much more fun than posing for pictures |
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 Awwwww, dad! |
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 High five - 8 more years before it's my turn to carry the Torah |
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 Playing Peek-a-Boo with the photographer during the service :) |
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 Little brothers, uggghhhh! |
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 In front of all these people - you did NOT just say that Dad! |
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 Pigs in a Blanket - It's what's for dinner |
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Mitzvah Spotlight - A Monday Mitzvah?
A Monday Bar Mitzvah was definitely a first for me! I was so excited when Elliot's family contacted me about photographing his Bar Mitzvah over the Presidents' Day Holiday because I knew it was going to be something different. Little did I know just how great of an opportunity it would be.
Elliot's family belongs to Temple Beth Abraham, a Conservative synagogue in Oakland, CA. A very beautiful synagogue with the kind of light every event photographer dreams of.
Besides the fact it was on a Monday, there were many things that made Elliot's big day so unique. For one, I got to shoot the entire service which isn't allowed at the usual Saturday mitzvahs due to the Sabbath. Second, Elliot wore tefillin, the straps and boxes containing prayers that are worn during daily prayers - except the Sabbath. And finally, the artistry inside this synagogue was simply amazing!
To see the full story and photographs from Elliot's Bar Mitzvah, check out my latest post on The Blog. |
*Note - If you belong to a Conservative synagogue, see if you have the option of at least photographing the rehearsal. Some of the best shots are from rehearsals since you and your family are more relaxed and photographers are generally not restricted to a stationary spot at the back like we are during a regular service. You might even consider a weekday Mitzvah like Elliot's family if your synagogue allows it. |
Reminder to Book Early!
The first 3 months of 2013 have whizzed by with more B'nai Mitzvahs than I've ever photographed in such a short period of time! I've loved traveling all over the SF Bay Area, getting to work at so many of our beautiful synagogues and unique party venues. I can't thank you enough for the referrals of your friends and family.
Unfortunately, being busy has meant having to say "no" to families needing a photographer on a day I'm already booked. I can't tell you how much it breaks my heart to have to tell a family I'm not available, especially if I've already photographed their older child's mitzvah. PLEASE let me know as soon as you have your Bar/Bat Mitzvah date so we can lock it in. If you have friends you're thinking of referring, it's NEVER too early. I still have 2013 dates available, but just booked one in 2016!
Contact me at cheryl@cherylbigmanphoto.com or give me a call at 925.963.8744.
You can also refer people to my Website or Blog where they can reach me through the Contact page, or Facebook where they can "Like" the page to see my latest work and special offers. |
About Mitzvah Mail
I created this newsletter to provide all of us "Mitzvah-planning Mommas" (and Dads too) with a little inspiration and hopefully useful information to help us along the way. Between planning my own daughter's Bat Mitzvah last year, and being a B'nai Mitzvah photographer, I've accumulated all kinds of cool, helpful information and wanted to share with you.
Please feel free to email me with your comments and suggestions for future issues. Would love it if you'd share Mitzvah Mail with anyone you know who could use a little support in their planning process. Just forward this email and tell them to "subscribe" at the bottom of the page. Thanks for spreading the word!
Happy Planning!
Cheryl
To see previous issues of Mitzvah Mail, click on these links:
Issue 6 - February 2013
New Year's Issue - January 2013
Issue 5 - December 2012
Issue 4 - September 2012
Issue 3 - June 2012
Issue 2 - May 2012
Issue 1 - March 2012
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