Gabriel had his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C, with family photos before the ceremony. There is something that just shines through a boy on the morning of his Bar Mitzvah. I really do get the feeling that this boy is becoming a man. Gabriel had a calm confidence about him, which sometimes surprises me, because I know if I had to get up on the bimah in front of the congregation and chant the Torah and even give a speech, I know I would appear very nervous in the hour before the ceremony!!

The party was held at a super hip place nearby called Comet Ping Pong. The kids had so much fun playing ping pong, fussball, and dressing up for the photo booth. There was food for days...wings, pizza, all sorts of delicious things. I just LOVED the light in this restaurant. There were skylights all along the front of the building which allowed for gorgeous natural light photos, and the lighting by the ping pong tables was quite dramatic with hanging farmhouse pendant lights. All of the balloons, and hanging beads for decor, with an industrial-hip backdrop made for some really cool party pictures!

I just love photographing kids this age. They love a good party, and are not overly self conscious, so it is so easy to get great candid photos of the fun/mayhem! I just love to see them having the time of their lives with all their friends around them. I hope I get the chance to shoot many more Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in the future!!