Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah | Jewish Community Center | Chabad | Jason

It was back to the friendly Jewish Community Center, Chabad last weekend for Jason's Bar Mitzvah. Rabbi David, Jason and the family met with us on Thursday afternoon (no photography allowed during service) for pictures at the JCC.

Rabbi Dovid always thinks we're funny to ask for all the lights to be turned off while we take the pictures, but we love the results. This way, we don't mix different light sources.
The JCC has strong, beautiful window light, probably more so than at any other temple we've photographed, and we love taking advantage of it.


After the Saturday service, Jason and co. celebrated with a simcha at the Manhattan Beach Belamar hotel.


All photos by Sam Graham except for the top photo, which is by Jeff.

He's a Jazzman: Max's Musical Bar Mitzvah Celebration

Here's more from Max's musical Bar Mitzvah celebration: the jazzman blowing away on his baritone sax in his very own backyard.


Max's parents threw the simcha at their home, where Max performed with the hot Richard Bernard and his Oy Stars, a jazzy Klezmer combo with horns, bass, drums and guitar. He did a lot more than just sit in with the band. He held his own, improvised solos, kept up with the band, and proved himself to be one musical prodigy. And sax isn't his only instrument. He had us in awe at another Bar Mitzvah, playing some amazing ragtime piano.


Max: keep rockin'!

Manhattan Beach Bar Mitzvah | Max | Congregation Tikvat Jacob

We returned to our hometown temple for Max's CTJ Bar Mitzvah, a reunion not only with the temple where our Sam Graham went up to the Bima in 1999, but with the Lesser family as well. We photographed sister Jamie's Bat Mitzvah two years ago, so it was great to reunite with the family, and Rabbi Mark Hyman and Cantor Beth Garden.





Photos here by Jeff (1, 3, 4 and 6) and Sam (2 and 5).

Long Beach Bat Mitzvah | Hyatt Regency | Mikaela

Two weeks in a row in beautiful Long Beach, this time for vibrant Mikaela, who came to the torah the day before Passover at Congregation Shir Chadash in Lakewood.



After the service, we zoomed over to the stately Hyatt Regency, for a fun Hollywood themed party for the Bat Mitzvah girl.

Temple Israel Long Beach Bar Mitzvah | Shane

We returned to Temple Israel of Long Beach Saturday for Shane's Bar Mitzvah. The time change caused the light to shine in places we'd never experienced before, illuminating the temple with much more light than we'd seen before--happily so.

After the service, Shane and his friends boarded a water bus for the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, where a guitar themed party had the kids and adults rockin' out. DJ's H2H did an amazing job. Rock on, Shane!

Headshots and Portraits for business cards, brochures, webpages, etc.

We get calls all the time asking us to take headshots for websites, brochures, business cards and the like, and we're more than happy to oblige. So many asked, we figured we'd make it official and let everyone know--we're available for headshots!



Just give us a call at 310-594-8704, let us know you're on the way, have a seat on our stool, and we'll get some nice images of you while you wait.

Palos Verdes Bar Mitzvah | Congregation Ner Tamid

We were back up on the hill last weekend at the big, majestic Congregation Ner Tamid in Palos Verdes for Blake's Bar Mitzvah and reception. We'll post pictures from the party--catered wonderfully by CNT's resident in-house caterer Peter Carpenter and his Gourmet 2 You company.

CNT is one of our favorite places to photograph, but we don't really need to tell you why, do we? Look at how stunning the setting is!


Mazel Tov, Blake!

San Pedro Bat Mitzvah | Temple Beth El | Jordan

We had the good fortune of spending Saturday with Jordan and her family, as she was called to the Torah at Temple Beth El in San Pedro.

Below is what has to be one of our all-time favorite mother/daughter shots. There's just something about those two smiles--and those brown eyes!--that really gets to us.

Here's Jordan with Cantor Ilan and Rabbi Charles.

And here's more Jordan:

Jacob's Redondo Beach JCC Bar Mitzvah Party

Here's a really fun, rocking video from Jacob's Bar Mitzvah party at the Redondo Beach Jewish Community Center Chabad. By David Medill for Graham & Graham Photography of Manhattan Beach.

Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah | Jewish Community Center | Jacob

Jacob was called to the torah at the Redondo Beach Jewish Community Center Chabad this weekend. We actually took these shots on Thursday, as Jacob had a morning service, and doesn't allow photography on Shabbat.
But that's OK--we love the mid-week portrait sessions, as it gives us more time with our clients, in a non-pressurized atmosphere.
We love this shot of Jacob reading by the door, lit by natural daylight--as well as this beaut of a "generation to generation" shot--Mom, Grandma and Jacob.

Jacob's a great kid with an outgoing personality, and he really wanted to let loose and get wild during the portraits.

We made a deal--be serious inside, and then when afterwards, you can go absolutely crazy outside.

Which, of course, he really did. Taking advantage of the 8-frames-per-second feature on the new Canon 7D SLR, we told Jacob he could make as many funny faces as he wanted, and we'd capture them all.
Here are just a few of them.

Whittier Bat Mitzvah | Temple Beth Shalom

We enjoyed meeting Isabella at Temple Beth Shalom of Whittier recently for her Bat Mitzvah. It was our first time at the temple, and we look forward to returning again in the future.
Mazel tov, Bella!


Bella, photographed by Sam Graham of Graham & Graham Photography

Jotown! A Rocking Motown themed Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah Party

Here's some highlights from last night's rockin' Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah bash for Joey--JOTOWN!
The Motown theme was for the Schwartz family, formerly from Motor City, who showed the California folks how the folks in the midwest rock out and let their hair down. Detroit native Jon Layne and his amazing Party Layne company provided the entertainment, we did the photography, the Redondo Beach Crowne Plaza was the setting.
A really fun night.

Long Beach Temple Israel Hafotorah Video Montage | Emily's Bat Mitzvah

It's almost the one-year anniversary of Emily's Valentine's Day Bat Mitzvah at Long Beach's Temple Israel, and we were just thinking about how this is one of your favorite videos ever. Why not pull it out again to share?

Palos Verdes Congregation Ner Tamid Bat Mitzvah

It's January now, and we're just getting to posting some highlights from the December Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.
Katie was lively and vivacious and a total pleasure to photograph during her photo shoot at Rancho Palos Verdes' beautiful Congregation Ner Tamid, high up on the hill overlooking the Los Angeles basin.

Her reception was held at the Portofino in Redondo Beach, right by the water, where Katie was truly the life of the party, staging dance contests, running madly through the restaurant at break-neck speed during the "Pepsi/7UP" game and....well, check out her jump shot. There are jumps, and then there are jumps. Mazel Tov, Katie!

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.