Book of Memories
A Photo Album Isn’t Just About Capturing The Big Day.The Right Photographer Can Help You Create A Family Heirloom To Be Passed Down for Generations To Come

By Sarah Merians

What is an heirloom? Is it something of monetary value passed down a family tree? Must it be a grand painting or an article of designer clothing? Or is it simply a sentimental and significant piece of a family’s story? An heirloom need not be a pricey antique, only a beautiful piece of “life art” to cherish. A bar or bat mitzvah album can be handed down just as a grandparent hands down a piece of jewelry that has been in the family for years.

The reason I started my own photography company was because I wasn’t satisfied just turning film over to a client. Between growing up in an art-centric family of collectors to obtaining a degree in fine arts, I have always harbored a desire to create. Yet with the advent of digital photography, a disc, which is handed over to the family, seems to be the only piece of art many of today’s photographers produce.

This leaves individuals to operate under the misguided idea that albums are “do it yourself” projects instead of works of art created by a professional. Yet, a study conducted by Kodak found that 85% of people who receive a disc don’t do anything with it after the event is over. Digital is a contemporary medium that has made it easy for the customer to have access to his or her images, but that shouldn't be where a customer’s photography journey ends. The idea of a professional photography studio working with a customer directly to create a cherished heirloom album seems to have diminished. And—in the end—it’s the families who miss out.

That’s where I come in. My job as professional photographer is not to just capture the day in temple and the stunning centerpieces, but to tell the story of this special event. Bar and bat mitzvahs are among the most exciting times in a family’s life. They are both very private, but also very public, and the actual event covers a wide spectrum of emotions, from joy and excitement to anticipation and nervousness. And, of course, there is also a great sense of pride in your child becoming a bar mitzvah. A photo album can capture these “behind the scenes” moments leading up to the event for friends and relatives who could not be present on the day. It tells the story and unfolds as the pages are turned.
I know that at the moment it might seem like the planning is paramount—Will the kids like the band? Is my 13-year-old nervous about reading his or her haftorah portion? Then, the event is over and life gets busy, the immediacy fades away, and having great photos in a box or on a disc seems satisfactory. But, years later, when your son or daughter is off at college, you’ll want those photos of your blossoming teen. Everything from your youngster’s mouth full of metal to the crazy cocktail hour games the kids played can be crystallized and remembered through a beautiful keepsake created to last a lifetime.

“Call me in the summer, when the kids are at camp” is a phrase I hear often from mothers burnt out on post-bar or bat mitzvah planning. But then summer turns to fall and the years fly by so quickly that some parents don’t even put together albums until the next child's bar or bat mitzvah.

So when families who hired other photographers or snapped their own photos started bringing piles of pictures to me asking if I could turn the chaos into tangible memories, I realized there was a void in this industry and, in response, created The Album Boutique. I wanted photographers and customers alike to understand that exquisite photos should be preserved in the most creative, beautiful and designed way possible—as a family heirloom. These events are only small happenings over the course of a lifetime, and I wanted to fuse together each moment to make the experience come alive every time the album is viewed.

Photo albums are not only a tradition for special events, but a physical way to preserve the photos as well. The actual photographs can fade, get damaged or lost. An heirloom album created can be shared with everyone to relive the day but, more importantly, to carry on this family tradition and share with the next generation, and the generation after that.

In my opinion, a client should foster an ongoing relationship with a studio that spans from weddings to baby showers to bar or bat mitzvahs, because having a photographer who understands the personality of your family adds personal touches to your albums and ensures you’ll be satisfied in the end. Album design requires a certain level of design expertise, and nowadays professionals can create modern magazine-like layouts and use images that enhance the personality of an album so that your pictures can tell a story more completely and succinctly than ever before.

So don’t let your pictures idle as still images. Bring your party to life over and over again by making a beautiful book. Your family will thank you for years to come.