Drew's Crofoot Bar Mitzvah Photography

Drew and I got to celebrate together. He became a Bar Mitzvah on the day that I entered my 30s. Being his Bar Mitzvah photographer at my home congregation (Temple Shir Shalom) and partying at the Crofoot, was actually a great way to distract me from the fact that I'm no longer in my 20s. It was a beautiful March evening as guests were invited to "Just Drew It!"

Portrait Session - Molly

Molly wanted some fun photos to display at her upcoming Bat Mitzvah so we went downtown and created some great portraits on the riverwalk and the Dequindre Cut Greenway. Even though it was close to 100 degrees outside, she kept her cool and posed like a pro.

Ben - 1 year portraits

Here are some of my favorites from a recent portrait session with one-year-old Ben.

Ellen & Phil - wedding photography

Some of my favorite photos from Ellen & Phil's wedding. They have been together since high school and despite the many knots Phil had tied in his days sailing, there was one knot still to tie... They had a beautiful ceremony and reception at the Orchard Lake Country Club. Despite a few early drizzles, they were able to have their ceremony outdoors, on the lake. To top it off, a full double rainbow (like this one) appeared during the reception. That has to be good luck! The Killer Flamingos kept the party rocking all night. It was a pleasure to work with Carolyn from the China Closet again (twice this summer!).

Inn at St. John Wedding - Julie & Kurt

A few of my favorite photographs from Julie & Kurt's Wedding at the Inn at St. John in Northville. I also had the privilege of working with Carolyn Hefner of The China Closet. She helped with my wedding, so it was fun to be on the other side of things and work with her.

Peking House Bar Mitzvah

You may remember Justin from my 365 post. Here's the slideshow of his Bar Mitzvah highlights. He had his service at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and his party at Peking House in Royal Oak. His party had a "Rock & Roll" theme complete with a cake made to look like an electric guitar! I loved the customized fortunes they had in the fortune cookies. This was my first chance to play with my new fisheye lens at the party and I was happy with the results. It's not a look you can use for every photo, but a few on the dance floor are a nice touch. Enjoy!

Adat Shalom Bar Mitzvah

Noah's Bar Mitzvah at Adat Shalom and The Sommerset Inn in Troy. I always enjoy a good Hillel Bar Mitzvah with the "Come On Eileen" dance. One day someone will have to explain to me where this tradition came from, but it's fun nonetheless.

Temple Israel Bar Mitzvah

Jordan is the oldest son of a family with all "J" first names. You know they are a fun family when they all have the same initials! Jordan's parents actually babysat for me when I was little (before they were married) so it was fun to be able to celebrate this special day with them. Jordan became a Bar Mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield in a beautiful Havdallah service. This is my favorite type service, it marks the end of the sabbath with a cup of wine, the lighting a braided candle and smelling sweet spices. I was able to sneak a few photos during the Torah reading which I normally am not able to do. The service concluded and the party kicked into full swing in the Temple Israel social hall. Jamez from Cloud 9 was a great DJ as always and the cake was a work of art! Hopefully I'll get to celebrate with Jordan, Jodi, Jason, Jonah and Jessica again soon!

Rachel & Michael

Michael and I have known each other since high school so it was great to get the call from him and his fiance Rachel to have me photograph their wedding. I have worked with both of them before while volunteering for Summer in The City, where they were usually covered in splotches of paint and dirt - it turns out they clean up pretty well!

The Colony Club was a great venue - another hidden gem in the heart of Detroit. It was only appropriate for two people who have been so committed to the city of Detroit to commit to each other in the city. The couple was engaged for only 5 months, but wanted to have the wedding before the bride's brother started his tour of duty with the Army. Despite the short engagement, all the details came together to create a beautiful day. They even had a sunny day in the middle of December!

Congrats to Rachel and Michael! I look forward to seeing them back in their painting clothes next summer!

"Syd & Samz" B'nai Mitzvot

Twins Sydney & Samantha's B'nai Mitzvot was at Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park and the party took place at The Lafayette Grand in Pontiac with entertainment by Star Trax. The Lafayette Grand is a great location that is often overlooked by the bar/bat mitzvahs and has a fun multi-level layout which made for some great photo opportunities. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed capturing them!

Jennifer & Jeremy wedding

Jennifer and Jeremy had a beautiful November wedding at St. Mary of the Hills in Rochester and the Club Monte Carlo in Shelby Township. One of my favorite photos is of the two of them holding hands around a corner. They didn't want to see eachother before the ceremony, but their nerves were calmed by each others presence. We also had a good amount of time between the ceremony and the reception and we were able to make it over to Stoney Creek Metropark for some sunset photos on the lake. Here's a selection of some of my favorite images.

Sarah & Darren

I had the honor of photographing another "Sara and Daren" at the first wedding I ever shot, so when Sarah and Darren contacted me, I knew it was fate. I have known Sarah since elementary school and was glad we were able to reconnect. I believe this is the first wedding I've photographed where the bride was also the makeup artist (it's her profession), which made for some fun images (and great makeup). The couple was married at the Birmingham Unitarian Church (which is not in Birmingham, but in Bloomfield Hills) and they partied Armenian style at St. John's Armenian Church in Southfield.

Here are some of my favorites:



Friends and Family of Sarah and Darren can pre-register to view all the images by clicking the "shop" button in the top right corner of the slideshow. You will be notified by email when they are available to view.

Melanie & Laurence

Here are some images from Melanie & Laurence's wedding at Greenfield Village and The Dearborn Inn. I think I hit a new personal record, shooting just shy of 4000 images, but I narrowed it down to 57 for the slideshow. Let me know what you think: