A young woman seated on a chair is lifted high above the guests in a traditional Hora dance.
A mother and father kiss the cheeks of their daughter following her mitzvah practice.
A teary-eyed mother listens to her daughter express words of appreciation during a mitzvah.
A young woman is hugged by her parents at a bat mitzvah service.
Three brothers on a park bench at Chautauqua Park, Boulder, Colorado.
A young man uses a napkin to remove chocolate from his mouth after tasting decadent desserts.

Denver & Boulder

TRUE-to-You Mitzvah photography
THat Tells Your Family STory

By Anne Stephenson

Honoring the sacred, celebrating the joy

Photography that sees the heart of your mitzvah day

Welcome to Anne Stephenson Photo & Narrative. I believe every Mitzvah tells a unique story–one filled with tradition, joy, and personal meaning.

My approach is simple: I focus on what matters most to you. Whether it’s the Torah reading, family moments, or a dance floor packed with energy, my goal is to document your celebration in a way that feels true to your teen and your family.

We are so grateful…for the way she captured wonderful memories

It was a pleasure working with Anne to photograph our son’s bar mitzvah! She was very responsive throughout the planning process, charged a reasonable price, and met me on site a few months ahead of time to stake out the best locations and ideas for photos. She took amazing pictures of our family and during the ceremony and party, and she wrote a beautiful blog post about the day. We are so grateful for her time and attention and for the way she captured wonderful memories for us!

Michele Frishman

More from this day →

She listens to what the family wants and will go above and beyond

Anne was a pleasure to work with! She is very organized and thorough with the planning process as well as the day of our event. She listened to my needs, and spoke from a perspective of experience. She was flexible and fun. She is calm and professional. She took beautiful pictures. Was mindful to capture our special event without being noticed. We have images that will be treasured forever. I highly recommend Anne!”

Beth Lehr

View the gallery →

MAZEL TOV!

When it comes to capturing the memories of your child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah every family’s photography needs are unique. Before getting started on choosing a collection, look into these important considerations:

Synagogue or Temple Policies

Every place of worship implements its own set of rules. Some permit photographs during rehearsals, others might allow a single photo at the end of service, and others do not permit photography during the service at all. Understanding these guidelines is important in creating a photography schedule.

Event Coverage

Would you like photos of the service? Also, the kiddush luncheon that follows? How about capturing the fun and festivities of the evening party, if you’re planning one? Deciding on these helps determine the number of hours you will want for your photography package.

Key Moments

Essentially three key components tell the story of a Mitzvah and sometimes a fourth: Family Portraits, Service, Celebration, Judaic Art. Many Mitzvahs incorporate creative combinations of these areas, sometimes spreading out the event over many days to accommodate traveling family and to turn the milestone into a memorable celebration.

Listed below are several ways to incorporate these elements into your Mitzvah and potential times of the day

Both sets of grandparents pose with their grandson before his bar mitzvah in a garden.

Portraits

Pre-Rehearsal
Post-Rehearsal
Pre-Service
Post-Service
Before the Party
Another Day

Service

Rehearsal
Day-of Service All (check on policy)
Day-of Service Partial

Judaic Art

Rehearsal (handmade items by teens or heirlooms)
Post-Rehearsal
Separate Day (combine with Portraits)
Celebration (During the time guests eat)

A young woman seated on a chair is lifted high above the guests in a traditional Hora dance.

Celebration

Shabbat Dinner
Kiddush Luncheon
Afternoon Party
Evening Party
Recreational Activity
Sunday Brunch

Next Steps

Once you’ve determined the types of photos you would like to capture and when the activities will take place, think about how many hours you will need and over how many days. Feel free to get creative with the timeline. While many Mitzvahs now take place on one day, it may work out better to create an alternate photo opportunity for family photos on a day other than the Mitzvah ceremony.

Overall, your photos should be just as meaningful, memorable, and personalized as the Mitzvah experience itself.

All coverage includes:

  • Photo selection
  • Color correction and image consistency
  • Optional sneak peek gallery/social posting
  • 4- to 6-week turnaround time
  • Private online gallery
  • Full-size color JPG and selected b/w JPGs
  • Print release
  • Complimentary site visit
  • 3-month file archiving
  • Optional payment plans

Continuous Coverage

Hourly coverage for Mitzvahs taking place on one day. If there is time between the events, a rate reduction is available.

8 Hours2200
7 Hours1975
6 Hours1750
5 Hours1525
4 Hours1360
3 Hours1075
2 Hours850
Portrait Family Session (1 Hour)725
A young man receives a pep talk from his mentor at his bar mitzvah.

Multi-Day Coverage

Collections can be customized to fit your needs.

Multi-Day Collection

  • Weekday rehearsal (one hour)
  • Portraits (one hour before or following rehearsal or one hour before party)
  • Party (four hours Saturday or Sunday)

Create your custom collection–Find out more.

Two young girls dance in the atmospheric blue light at a bat mitzvah celebration.
A woman holds a crystal USB stick.

Popular à la carte Items

  • Highlight albums
  • Story albums
  • Photo books
  • Art frames
  • Photographic prints
  • USB drives (swivel between USB-A and USB-C)
Denver Wedding and Portrait Photographer Anne Stephenson.

Hey, I’m Anne

The Storyteller Behind the Lens

Every mitzvah is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, filled with love, tradition, and celebration. My passion is capturing the moments that define your teen’s journey—the pride in their eyes as they read from the Torah, the joy of family embracing after the service, and the pure energy of the hora dance.


With a documentary-style approach, I focus on the real emotions and unscripted moments that make your mitzvah uniquely yours. When you look back at your photos, I want you to feel the joy, hear the laughter, and relive the celebration—just as it happened. Because this isn’t just photography—it’s your family’s story, told with heart.

A young girl looks on as her mentor gestures that she project her voice more during her bat mitzvah rehearsal in Denver.

Tips for the Best Bar and Bat Mitzvah Photography

Helpful ideas and a checklist for photo opportunities at your child’s Mitzvah.

LEARN MORE

True To YOU

Mitzvah Stories

Faqs

Yes, you can still book if you don’t know your specific timeline for your day. A retainer in an agreed-upon amount will secure your spot on my calendar. I only accept one Mitzvah or other event per day so you have the peace of mind that the day is yours.

I have photographed many of the Boulder mitzvahs at various indoor and outdoor venues. For more traditional mitzvah services, I have photographed at The Hebrew Educational Alliance (Denver) and Har Shalom (Fort Collins). Temples and indoor reception areas tend to be dark and require knowledge of photographing in low light. I have extensive experience in low-light situations having photographed a multitude of mitzvahs, weddings, vow renewals, anniversary parties, and birthday parties over the years.

Yes, I will create and send a personal-use print release to show to your printer if needed. If you have additional needs outside of the print release, just ask!

Yes, please reach out on the contact form. Include a note letting me know we should set up 15/20 minutes to talk through the day and any known variables like venue or accessibility to the temple for the service.