Alexandra's Name in Lights

Well, the weekends are getting more and more packed now that event season is underway. Warmer weather brings people together for all kinds of celebrations - parties, graduations, weddings, reunions - and this past weekend I was able to attend the Bat Mitzvah of lovely Alexandra.

Alex's father is Israeli by way of Spain, and has spent many years in Europe. As a result he's fluent in several languages, and gave a speech in English, Hebrew, Spanish, and French. Alex herself mixed Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions in her ceremony at Temple Emanuel in Woodcliff Lake.


It was certainly a global celebration. The Venetian in Garfield rivaled the U.N. that evening - citizens of 40 different countries were in attendance.

I am certain that this young lady will soon make her own mark on the world - congratulations, Alexandra!

Adult School of Montclair turns 75

We all know how important education is, especially in a bumpy economy. That's why I was thrilled to be able to contribute to the Adult School of Montclair's upcoming 75th anniversary celebration. The Adult School of Montclair has been a fantastic community resource for those looking to hone their professional skills as well as trying out something just for fun. (Japanese flower arranging, anyone?) The celebration, on May 13 at Mayfair Farms, is honoring three ASM volunteers for their many years of service. I was lucky enough to be asked to photograph all three recently in my portrait studio.

Gene Bloch's association with the Adult School began in 1975. He served as board member and assistant treasurer, then finance chair. While he was board president (1983-1985), the Friends of the Montclair Adult School of Montclair was established. He moved on to chair the catalog and technology committees. Along the way, he taught some of ASM's first computer classes.

Marion Buchner became a volunteer in 1980, after retiring from a career as a high school librarian in Newark. She has served ASM as president (1985-86) as well as chair of the curriculum and nominating committees. She volunteers in the office, writes and edits course descriptions, and is an active participant in many classes.

Jean Kidd became the second executive director of the Montclair Adult School in 1975. Under her leadership, the school expanded, both in the number of courses offered and the student body. Although Kidd retired as director in 1982 to become a full-time college student, she has remained attached to ASM. Joining the board, she served as secretary, vice president, and president, and has also chaired the curriculum and the nominating committees.

(text via The Montclair Times, May 6)

If you're interested in attending the Adult School of Montclair's 75th Anniversary Celebration, tickets are available here.

Assignment: Ethicon Community Works Day

Last week, I was commissioned by Lehner & Whyte, the well-known Montclair design firm, to photograph a campaign for Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, at their headquarters in Somerville. Ethicon makes sutures and other medical devices and every year they allow employees to take a day off and work on community volunteer projects. These portraits, which all used real employees, will be used to promote the June date.

Below are two of the portraits. Here's a peak behind the scene:
To illustrate Michael's project planting bushes and trees,  I set Michael in a patio behind their reception area and I used a long lens to blur the trees in the background. This focused attention on his smiling face as he leaned on a shovel we brought. I shot wide open with a 200 mm lens to have the least depth-of-field as possible. The natural light was augmented with a reflector to brighten his eyes and the shadows on his face.

Ileana, who sings at a local senior citizen center, was photographed indoors with a portable white background. The lighting came from a flash strobe that I bounced off the ceiling in the headquarter's lobby. The microphone is a prop and the background was added using PhotoShop after the shoot was finished.

Both subjects, Michael and Ileana, were not used to being models, but they really got into the spirit and helped make a very stylish ad for Ethicon's Community Works Day.

Lehner & Whyte