Amidst the cultural and religious tapestry of Forest Hills, a significant life event unfolded as Alex celebrated his bar mitzvah. The term "bar mitzvah" holds deep meaning in Jewish tradition, marking the transition of a young boy into religious maturity. This milestone is reached when a boy turns 13, symbolizing his responsibility to observe the commandments of Jewish law. It's a celebration of growth, learning, and embracing the teachings of the faith.

The day began at the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, where Alex's bar mitzvah ceremony took place. In this sacred setting, he confidently chanted from the Torah and shared his insights, officially becoming a "bar mitzvah" - a son of the commandments. One of the more challenging aspects of capturing this event was that I was not permitted to be anywhere during the ceremony except at the far back of the room, luckily I brought a long zoom lens that took care of that caveat.

The festivities continued at the iconic TWA Hotel's 1962 Ballroom, where Alex's friends and family gathered for an evening of celebration. Against the backdrop of mid-century modern elegance, the party was a culmination of both his religious journey and his entrance into adulthood.

Here are some of my favorite images from this shoot (click/tap to view full size and un-cropped):

To see more examples of this style of photography, visit my parties and celebrations gallery >>

All images in this blog post were shot on a Nikon D850 using 70-200mm and 24-85mm zoom lenses, and all individually post-processed in Adobe Lightroom using custom-built presets.

Jinnifer Douglass is a full-time freelance photographer based in NYC, shooting for both individuals and brands such as Google, Sotheby’s, Uber, Make Up For Ever, Squarespace, and more! Specializing in portraits, food, and special events, she works to make every piece of your social and website content ‘Insta-worthy’ with high resolution, full-frame DSLR photography and expert Lightroom editing. Interested in chatting? Leave a comment below, or send an email to hello@jinyc-photo.com!