According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys become 13 years old, they become accountable for their actions and become a bar mitzvah. When xxx turned 13, his family celebrated this milestone with a feast at his home in Skokie, IL, a village just north of Chicago.
HIs extended family is traveling to attend this special occasion and I was contacted to photograph this extended family reunion. It was a super rainy day and it had been raining for a few hours when I arrived. All the roads surrounding their home were flooded. With very limited space to work with and a large group of people, I had to move a few furniture pieces and take out the light I had brought with me on the job and gathered everyone with my wide angle lens. I am happy that I came prepared and got the job done. By the end of the session, I wanted to create a memorable piece of portrait for the family to remember the occasion. I directed xxx to pose next to the bookcase and, using off-camera flash, created this image that will be treasured for generations to come.
Location: Skokie, IL .