Temple Isaiah Bar Mitzvah Photography by Graham & Graham

James Doran was called to the torah at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, and we were there to document the service and party. Isaiah is one of our favorite temples in the area, where we did our first paid Bar Mitzvah photography gig in 2003, so we were thrilled to return. The designers of the sanctuary put a lot of thought into presentation--it's really hard to not get great shots there, thanks to the layout.
After the ceremony, we accompanied James and his family into the social hall, for the fun party, which was hosted by DJ Dan and his Party Zone.

Shane's Long Beach Temple Israel Bar Mitzvah--in 1 minute!

Here's a fun video from a recent Long Beach Bar Mitzvah at Temple Israel, a 1 minute highlight from Shane's ceremony. Enjoy the viewing!

Los Angeles Bar Mitzvah | Congregation Kol Ami | Adam

We've been a little backed up with blog updates, what with the trip to British Columbia, but here's where we last left off, with Adam's trip to the bima at Congregation Kol Ami of Los Angeles.


Here's one good looking kid--or should we say, man?
We used David Honl's new Traveller8 softbox for these shots, on a lightstand, with a Canon 580 EXII flash. Love the look! Thanks David.

Sinai Temple Los Angeles Bat Mitzvah | Carly

We returned to Sinai Temple recently for Carly's portrait session at the busy, beautiful Los Angeles temple, on the corner of Beverly Glen and Wilshire.

We love Sinai's big stained glass of the temple (great for portraits and family shots) and the wonderful garden outside.

Top two photos by Jeff, bottom by Sam Graham.

Los Angeles Bar Mitzvah Photography | Knesset Israel | Julian

We had the honor of meeting Julian and his fine family at Knesset Israel last week for Julian's Bar Mitzvah. It was our first time at the historic temple on Vermont Avenue, and we're thrilled with the results.


Another first for us: Julian, not his parents, did a search for "Bar Mitzvah Photography" on Google and found our website. He liked what he saw, and sent his parents out to meet us. And he knew what he wanted. Classic Bar Mitzvah pictures, like the one of his dad that's been hanging all these years, along with some contemporary twists. This was a fun challenge!
Below, dad's Bar Mitzvah portrait.

Here's our take:

Then it got fun--we put both Bar Mitzvah boys together.

And best of all--they were loving it!

Serious is good, but we're a fan of smiles. We like the classic pose, and a winning, happy grin.


We'll be back later in the week, blogging more photos from Julian's amazing party at the Los Angeles Biltmore, along with our downtown L.A. shoot with Julian and his sister. Co-stars include Disney Hall, Angel's Flight, the Grand Central Market and the Bradbury Building.

The 2009 Bar/Bat Mitzvah All-Stars

The all-star team: Dylan, Alexa, Tyler, William, Spenser, Dakota, Sabrina, David, Drew, Olivia, Adam, Simon, Ben, Leah, Maliena, Daniel, Lana, Zachary, Skylar, Carolynn, Emily, Joey, Miles, Elliot, Nora, Mia, Katie, Jared, Issac, Ethan, Jake, Joshua and Claire. Photographed at Temple Israel of Long Beach, Temple Beth Am, Congregation Tikvat Jacob of Manhattan Beach, Temple Isaiah Los Angeles, Redondo Beach Jewish Community Center, Valley Beth Shalom, Temple Menorah of Redondo Beach, Temple Israel of Hollywood, Temple Beth Shalom of Orange County, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, Sinai Temple, Temple Shalom of the South Bay, Malibu Jewish Center, Temple Akiba of Culver City, Wilshire Boulevard Temple and Congregation Ner Tamid of Palos Verdes by Graham & Graham Photography.