Of Bar Mitzvahs and Broncos

If there's one thing I love almost as much as photography, it's learning about another culture. This past weekend, I was introduced in depth to the Jewish religion when I had the privilege to document Jeremy's Bar Mitzvah. I learned a great deal about Judiasm and more specifically the importance of the coming of age of a Jewish child.
Jeremy celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the Congregation Emanu El of San Bernardino. I have to give Rabbi Douglas Kohn many thanks. He was the officiant of the ceremony and educated those not familiar with the Jewish faith about the nuances and importance of the faith. He also permitted me to have a front row seat to photograph Jeremy's coming of age, which gave me the opportunity to take some fabulous pictures!
The celebration continued afterwards at The National Orange Show Events Center. The staff outdid themselves decorating the hall with a Denver Broncos theme. Did I forget to tell you that Jeremy's father, Greg, is a HUGE Broncos fan? Well, the pictures did not do justice to all the hard work the staff put into the event. Jeremy and family had a lot of fun dancing, playing games, and eating way too much!

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The Budding Ballerina

Young Delilah is taking ballet lessons, and she looked so adorable in her ballerina outfit that her mother, Maureen, needed to capture that cuteness! I was happy to oblige. Delilah was a lot of fun to work with and had a bundle of energy that kept me on my toes. She even came up with her own ideas for costume changes and poses! In fact, she insisted on taking pictures with her new cat, which proved to be a bit of a challenge, considering cats are extremely independent animals. Luckily, we were able to take some shots of the cat looking straight at the camera, and also many great shots of Delilah too!

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Helping to define "Pure Elegance"

Simone Dickerson of Pure Elegance Salon has been slowly and successfully building her business with her bridal suite and spa. You've already seen some pictures of her salon and suites in my previous posts. Last week we spent the day building up her photo portfolio emphasizing hair styles, dresses, and make-up. I also worked with Hala, another stylist at the salon, to photograph her work. In fact, we had a great time because Hala invited her relatives as models for the photo shoot. These girls really know how to have a good time! In fact, they were up for anything, even humoring me with my crazy idea of taking pictures in the alley behind the salon, as you can see in the pictures below.

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Revisiting the '80's, Workman High School Style!

Last weekend, I was able to travel back in time to my favorite decade, the 1980's! William Workman High School celebrated their 25-year reunion at The Mission Inn in Riverside. I was the lucky photographer that was called upon to capture portraits of some old friends and acquaintances. The rad music from the '80's was only topped by the great architecture and atmosphere of the Mission Inn. If you haven't visited this place, you're missing out on one of the jewels in Riverside! I have to thank Jackie Cummings for making this event possible for her class. Things went smoothly and everyone had a great time!

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