Should You Photograph a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Rehearsal?

What Are the Benefits for Photographing Bnai Mitzvah Rehearsal?

 There are many benefits to photographing a Bar/Bat Mitzvah rehearsal at the temple, in addition to the Bar Mitzvah morning. 

If your family attends an Orthodox or a Conservative synagogue, photographing the day of the ceremony is not even an option. Reform Temples typically allow to photograph in the morning of the ceremony, but once the ceremony starts, the photography is forbidden. This is when photographing the rehearsal becomes a great opportunity to capture all the amazing images of the Bnai Mitzvah kids in front of the Arc, holding the Torah, Reading from the Scroll and getting lots of excited hugs from their proud parents. 

I highly recommend showing up in the beautiful clothes you are planning to wear to the ceremony, and your hair done, as some of these pictures will most likely end up on a wall in your home or in a printed album. 

Even if your temple allows photography the morning of the ceremony, there is a value to photographing the rehearsal. Everyone is more relaxed and we have relatively ample of time to take pictures. This is a great time to take many pictures with the Rabbi and Cantor. 

Rehearsals provide a unique opportunity to capture candid moments that may be more difficult to achieve during the actual ceremony. Families often express their genuine emotions, creating authentic and heartfelt images that reflect the significance of the occasion.

When the family invites me to document the Bar Mitzvah rehearsal, it allows everyone to build trust and connection which will make the day of the event much smoother in terms of photos. Interacting for the first time in a more relaxed setting helps everyone feel more comfortable, ensuring that the photography experience is enjoyable and stress-free.

I never interfere with the rehearsal. I stand quietly in a good spot and move around if I have to get a better view or an intimate shot. This is an opportunity for a documentary style images. I only pose the family and the Bar/Bat Mitzvah kid at the end, when the rehearsal is done.