Pacific Palisades Bar/Bat Mitzvah Photographer | Kehillat Israel

We first met Brooke in Pacific Palisades at Temescal Canyon Gateway Park, one of our favorite hiking spots, to photograph her for the Bat Mitzvah reception sign-in board. It was a magical spot with perfect lighting, and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. We then met up again a few weeks later for her Pacific Palisades Bat Mitzvah at Kehillat Israel, our home away from home in 2011, our 6th visit of the year–with two more on the books in the coming months.
As always, lighting was amazing in the KI sanctuary and everything went perfectly–well, almost perfectly. There was a power outage moments before the service was to begin, but luckily KI had a generator they were able to drag into the sanctuary for amplification, and everyone got to hear Brooke and family without a hitch. And by the time the reception began in the social hall hours later, power was back to normal.

Redondo Beach Crowne Plaza Bar Mitzvah Party | Max

Hours after Max's Temple Menorah Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah, Sam Graham met up with Max for his black tie and tails party at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Redondo Beach.
Max is one classy dude. It's very rare that we see a young Bar Mitzvah boy dressed to the nines like Max.

Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah | Temple Menorah | Bar Mitzvah Photographer

We met with Max and his family at Redondo Beach's Temple Menorah recently for Max's Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah and family portraits.
It was a return engagement for us, having photographer sister Emily's Redondo Beach Bat Mitzvah three years ago, and it was great to see everyone again.


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Manhattan Beach Engagement Photographer | Manhattan Beach Pier | By Sam Graham

Manhattan Beach based Sam Graham, the younger member of Graham & Graham Photography, met up with Nicole and Matt Sunday at the Manhattan Beach Pier, for a Manhattan Beach engagement photo session.
The happy couple will be wed in October, down in Texas, and we were thrilled to help them with their "save the date," beach images for invites.

Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah | Temple Menorah | By Sam Graham

Sam Graham met up with Jonathan and his family this weekend at Temple Menorah of Redondo Beach to help document the Redondo Beach Bar Mitzvah. Afterwards, they headed to the Torrance Marriott for a big Bar Mitzvah celebration. This was Sam's second visit to Menorah is two weeks--it was Max's turn at the torah last week. (Photo highlights will be posted here shortly.) We look forward to returning shortly in June for another big simcha!




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New Zealand part 4--Kiwi sights and sounds

The latest from Kiwiland--a video montage of photos from the North Island, produced on the iPad 2 and Apple's iMovie app.

New Zealand part 3--Water!

Part three of our series from the New Zealand north island experience.
This was filmed entirely using the iPad 2 video camera and Apple's $4.95 iMovie for iPad and iPhone app.

New Zealand part 2--Lyness cottage Kerikeri

Our second stop on the tour was to the Bay of Islands section of the North Island, about 3 hours north of Auckland. we enjoyed our stay at the Lyness cottages so much, we extended our visit for another two nights. A lush property on 2.5 acres overlooking the inlet, with sheep right outside the room, it was just hard to leave. Check out the video tour.

New Zealand holiday | Auckland | Ascot Parnell bed and breakfast

We open the New Zealand tour at the Ascot Parnell bed and breakfast in Auckland, run by the fun couple Bart and Therese, who played nice sports with us when we shot this video of breakfast time at their lively bandb. Ascot Parnell is in a great part of town, the Parnell district, a great walking area and did we mention that Bart picked us up at the airport?
thanks Bart and Therese for a great time!

Info@ascotparnell.com

Redondo Beach Historic Library | Redondo Beach Wedding Video

Here's a really cute video highlight reel from Lisa and Matt's Redondo Beach wedding from last summer. The wedding was held at the Historic Redondo Beach library, a wonderful venue overlooking the fabulous Strand and the ocean waves. Video by David Medill for Graham & Graham Photography.

Manhattan Beach Neptunian Women's Club Bat Mitzvah party

We last saw Debra when she was at the Congregation Tikvat Jacob bima for her Manhattan Beach Bat Mitzvah. Later on, we met her at the Neptunian Women's Club of Manhattan Beach for her dance-filled Bat Mitzvah party. Before the reception got under way, we escorted her two blocks down the street to the Manhattan Beach Strand, for this sunset shot by the Pier. Photographs by Sam Graham.

Manhattan Beach Corporate Headshots | MIB Insurance

The folks at Media Insurance Services in Manhattan Beach had us over the other morning to do Manhattan Beach corporate headshots of all the staffers, hauling over our blue backdrop paper, Alien Bees and light and backdrop stands. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Headshots of Media Insurance Services"][/caption]
We love the results, and so did they. Jemelia, from MIB, called us "awesome" on Citysearch!

Manhattan Beach Bat Mitzvah | Congregation Tikvat Jacob

Debra was called to the torah at Manhattan Beach's Congregation Tikvat Jacob Saturday. CTJ is our local temple, and in the small world department, Debra's cousin Sarah was our second Bat Mitzvah shoot as Graham & Graham Photography, back in 2004. CTJ is where her mom works as a teacher, and where Sam Graham, the photographer here, was a 1999 Bar Mitzvah. The party was held at Manhattan Beach's Neptunian Women's Club downtown.



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Pacific Palisades Bar Mitzvah | Kehillat Israel

Last Saturday was no. 5 for us in 2011 at Kehillat Israel in Pacific Palisades, the reconstructionist temple blocks from the village, and this weekend it was Benicio's turn at the bima. Here's a fun video montage we put together of highlights from the service and party.

Manhattan Beach Family Portraits

We'll never forget Ruth and Shane. They were (are) one of our favorite couples of all time, and we had a ball and lots of laughs photographing their wedding in 2007.
So it was a huge thrill when Ruth called and asked us to shoot some family and pregnancy shots of her and the gang, as they prepare for baby #2.


We started the Manhattan Beach family portrait session at their home in the South Bay, before heading down to the Manhattan Beach Pier on a glorious, sunny Saturday morning.


We kept asking Max to give us a big smile--these aren't funny faces he was making at us, but the poor kid trying to do his best and give us a smile.

Finally--success!

University Synagogue Irvine Bar Mitzvah Photographer

It was our first visit to University Synagogue of Irvine for Orange County Bar Mitzvah photography, and we loved it. The large, auditorium seating of the reconstructionist temple provides a homey feel, and the rabbi and cantor offer a really musical service for the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Here are some of our favorite images of Jared, during his University Synagogue Irvine Bar Mitzvah.

Los Angeles Bat Mitzvah Party Video | Fantasea Yacht Club

Ali had the time of her life at that amazing Fantasea Yacht Club Bat Mitzvah party in Marina del Rey a few weeks ago. Here's a two-minute highlight, produced by David Medill for Graham & Graham Photography.com. 
Featuring the amazing DJ services of Dan and the gang from the Party Zone
Enjoy!

Graham and Graham Photography and the Jewish Journal !

We're in the Jewish Journal this week, in the annual spring Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvah issue, with a new ad designed around recent Bar Mitzvah subject Dorian, and that most iconic of shots from Leo Baeck Temple a few weeks back.

This is the first of four ads that will be running in the print edition of the Jewish Journal, the number one source of Jewish news, information and arts coverage in the Los Angeles area. Look for Ally from Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and her big party from the Mark for Events next week.
Meanwhile, we're also seen in the online edition of the Jewish Journal, at JewishJournal.com, with ads featuring Dorian and Ali (not to be confused with Ally!) from our recent shoot at Culver City's Temple Akiba.

Manhattan Beach Beach Portraits | Manhattan Beach Photographer

It was cool to meet Katie on Sunday, for a weekend portrait session at that most iconic of settings, the Manhattan Beach Pier. Sam Graham and Katie did a variety of poses at "magic hour," until sunset, as Katie sought new headshots for blogs and newsletters.