5th Avenue Digital Welcomes Photographer Amy Etra

When Amy Etra was aspiring to be a cool hippie at her high school on Long Island, photography was the new cool art class so she signed right up, and got hooked.  Later she studied photojournalism at Boston University, moved to NYC and worked as a photo assistant in the exciting world of advertising.  In the 1980’s she moved to Los Angeles and became a national magazine portrait photographer, shooting celebrities and business leaders for Newsweek, Time, Forbes, USA Today and other top publications.  In 1999 she moved back east to Connecticut where she “fell” into the wedding biz when a photo editor at Business Week asked Amy to shoot her wedding on Block Island.  “Wow, it was the perfect  fit for me” Amy recalls. “Creative, fast paced, and all about photographing people and artsy details.”  Today Amy excels in wedding photography, engagement photography and bar mitzvah photography in addition to her corporate work.  Amy shares more of her thoughts with us.

How would you describe your signature style in five words?

My style is: artistic, fun, creative, spontaneous, photojournalism.  My favorite photography expression is:  “Fortune Favors the Prepared Mind”  which is perfectly illustrated in my photo of Alex and her veil blowing.  I set her up with her bridesmaids on her street and all of a sudden a strong wind came up and I clicked.  But everything was in place already, location, lighting….and I got lucky..because I was prepared!!  Call it photographer’s luck, whatever. Read the rest of this entry »

Best of 2012: Bar Mitzvah Portraits

Here are some of our favorite shots from the Bar Mitzvah portraits of 2012. We look forward to sharing other categories over the next few weeks.

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The Bar Mitzvah Havdalah: Making an Old Tradition Fresh Again

In its broadest sense, the Havdalah is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat (the Saturday Sabbath) and holidays.  Some branches of Judaism also include the Havdalah as part of the Bar Mitzvah celebration. It’s a traditional and beautiful service that seems to be growing in popularity, especially for Bar Mitzvah families  not wanting to do a morning service and an evening party.

Many families, not wanting to share the bema in the morning with another family, or those who are not closely associated with a temple, have been able to use their party location for the Havdalah service, much like we do for ceremonies in weddings.

A Bat Mitzvah we photographed recently for Jacqueline illustrates this beautifully.  Our photographer captured the most important elements of this service: the teacher, the torah and the family’s emotions.  Arlene Rosenthal of Party Ideas created a beautiful setting for the service and the party that followed.

Vendors:

Planner and Décor – Arlene Rosenthal at Party Ideas, Westport
CT arlene@partyideasct.com

DJ and Games – Hal Prince Music http://www.halprince.com/

Location – Shenorock Shore Club

Photographer- Jennifer DelCastillo for 5^th Avenue Digital

How to Prepare for Making a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah Album

After the kids go to camp, it has been our experience that moms do all the things they can’t do during the busy school year. One of our joys is working with moms to complete their bar mitzvah albums. There is no better time to go through all your pictures from the event than while you are missing them. Here are some tips on getting started with narrowing down your selection. Once you’ve organized the images, you’ll be ready to schedule a phone meeting so we can order your album. Read the rest of this entry »

Best of 2011: Mitzvahs Photographs

Bar and Bat mitzvah photography is a huge favorite of mine.  It marks a wonderful moment in time for a family and provides the perfect opportunity to capture the family as they are right now.  We saw many thirteen year olds go through this wonderful right of passage and  were lucky enough to share in many joyous mitzvah celebrations. Here are a few of our favorites from last year.

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A Hard Rock Bat Mitzvah

The Hard Rock Café is slowly becoming my favorite Bar Mitzvah venue.  It reminds me of the Dezerland venue of years ago.  It’s all about pure rock and roll – and what 13 year-old doesn’t want to party among rock stars?  It even provides a shot of nostalgia for the adults.

We’ve photographed Bar Mitzvahs at The Hard Rock Café a number of times, and at every occasion the venue offers a completely new experience for both the kids and parents alike.  This time, the venue was decorated by the talented folks at Shine Events.  Matt and his team not only planned the entertainment, they put their special flavor on the entire party.

One of the best things about hosting a Bar Mitzvah at The Hard Rock is the fabulous photo opportunities available in Times Square.   Check out Chloe and friends (below), at a Bat Mitzvah we photographed last weekend, with the Times Square backdrop.  The location, the décor and the entertainment all came together to create a cohesive whole, and a Bat Mitzvah Chloe will always remember.

What I love about photographing families during their children’s Bat Mitzvahs is the look of pure joy on everyone’s faces as the party kicks into gear.  It’s priceless – and great material for the photographer.  Capturing these heightened moments is what great Bar Mitzvah photography is all about!

Bar Mitzvah Photography Testimonial

I am so touched by the yelp review we received by one of my favorite Bar mitzvah clients- i just had to share.  Thank you linda for your kind words:

Beautiful photography that reflected all the special and unique elements of our bar mitzvah. They were creative from start to finish in planning the timing of the photos, to incorporating a range of pictures including our family trip to Israel a week prior, to the painstaking work of perfecting the book. The book has all of the most current benefits of digital photography with the quality of the finest leather bound traditional bar mitzvah albums, the attention from start to finish was personalized and Elizabeth, the owner became a friend by the time we were done!! Don’t hesitate or spend your time scouring the city, this was my 3 rd child and we used top photographers for all but no one gives the personalized attention to detail that you get from elizabeth, her photographers, and staff!

Photography for a Mad, Mad, Mad Hatter Mitzvah

What does it take to create a unique and interesting mitzvah event?
Many people would answer that question with: a big, juicy budget.  While a generous budget may pave the way, I have to say that I have seen outstanding creativity in the production of one mitzvah this winter that was not done on a large budget. Read the rest of this entry »

Trends in Bar Mitzvah Photography

Bar and Bar Mitzvahs are among the most rewarding jobs we do here at 5th Avenue Digital. They are universally happy occasions, mostly free of drama, capturing families exuberantly enjoying this important milestone.  Even after all these years of photographing Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, it’s truly a pleasure to work with parents and planners on these events.

When it comes to Bar and Bat Mitzvah photography, some traditional elements remain unchanged, such as family portraits, bema shots and photos of the candle lighting.  However, other aspects have changed and new trends are on their way to becoming new traditions. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in Bar Mitzvah photography. Read the rest of this entry »

A Reflection on the State of Event Photography

If you’re like me, ripping off that last page of the calendar is a time of reflection, an opportunity to take stock of your business and in some cases, the people in your life.  When I look back on this year I am truly grateful for the people I get to work with on a daily basis and to those who have trusted our company with preserving the memories of their special events.

We continue to pursue our goal to create a company that provides a quality product with exceptionally responsive service.  The wonderful news is that our planners and clients who work with us are recognizing the value we offer them, and our company continues to thrive in an environment where most photography businesses falter under the weight of intense competition and shifting consumer needs.

Our YouBooth photo booth has proven to be the most successful product we created this year.  It stands out from the other free standing photo booths because it does it all: high quality prints that pop out in seconds, simultaneous transmission to A/V screens and the ability to customize back drops and branding on the prints. Read the rest of this entry »