I finally shipped a beautiful album today for a Bat Mitzvah at Schaarai Zedek with the party at Palma Ceia Country Club that I photographed almost 5 years ago! It’s a running joke in my business that people often take years to finally finish their Bat Mitzvah album and this one may be the record.
But here’s the thing: I don’t mind.
Most photographers have a time limit for completion of an album but I never have. I know how it is after a Bat Mitzvah…. you’ve spent all this time planning the event and now you just want a break… you’ll make your album image selections next month. Then, it’s school so maybe this summer. Then it’s sleep-away camp and school again and the next thing you know it’s been a year.
The great thing is that it doesn’t matter if you finish in one month or 12, I’m always here. We’ll get it done when you are ready and it will be great. Having the album right away has the advantage of being done but waiting a while can have perks too. One mom told me that waiting gave her daughter time to reflect on who was really deserving of being in this family heirloom. When you’re a teenager, your “best friends” can change pretty fast. A few years later and you might look back on that time differently. I had never really thought about it that way.
I also don’t mind waiting because I’m so frequently interacting with my clients long after the event anyway. In this particular case, I did Lainey’s brother’s Bar Mitzvah as well. I photographed a family reunion. I did the headshots in her Dad’s office just last year. I’m at Schaarai Zedek Temple so often that sometimes I forget I’m not Jewish. So for me it’s one long job and since I really seem to have great relationships with my clients I honestly enjoy being in contact for years. :)
Be sure and check out my Bat Mitzvah page for more information and albums!
Here’s Lainey’s album pages!