Hi! I am Susan Ryan Kalina. I am a Deerfield mom of three beautiful girls. I love to read, binge watch Netflix, wander art galleries and travel. I have already hosted three of my own bat mitzvahs, so I know exactly what you are going through. I am a former photojournalist who started photographing families and events nineteen years ago when I quit my job as a photo editor at The Chicago Tribune.
I added bar and bat mitzvahs to my business several years ago when friends and acquaintances kept asking me. Once I started photographing them, I was hooked! Being a former photojournalist, I LOVE the opportunity to tell the story of your day with photography. My speciality is capturing all the little moments that make up your day. I look for body language, gestures, smiles, and even tears. Anything that conveys the emotion of the day. I want you to look at my photos and be transported back to this momentous day in your child's life.
Basic Photography Package - $3200
* Four hours of event photography. (I get there an hour early to setup, shoot room details, as well as capture a family portrait before the party starts.)
* One hour of temple portraits
* Downloadable link with lightly edited digital files
* Online preview and gallery for four weeks. Prints can be purchased in this gallery. Photos are made available within six weeks of the event.
* Event pricing for prints
* In-person consultation/ordering session after the event (any wall art or album orders are expected to be finalized at this session)
Sales Tax will be added to any order that includes physical products. Any parking fees will be billed to the client.
If you prefer not to do a package, Up to 90 minutes of temple photos with downloadable digitals is $1200 and an hourly event will be charged at $450 per hour.
Do you know you want a fine art album? If so, I offer a discount for pre-ordering.
* Basic Package ($3200) plus 20 spread, 40 page 8x12 Heirloom Album ($1249 value) is $4349. If you pre-purchase the Heirloom Album with the Basic Package it's $4324.10 total. Extra pages in the Heirloom Album are $70 per spread. Increase the size to a 12x12 book for additional $300.
* Additional time: $450 an hour
* Additional photographer: $500 for a four hour event, $85 per hour for additional time beyond four hours
* Temple shoot same day as the party - $350 (to account for down time between the temple and party)
* Mitzvah Child Pre-Shoot , 60 minutes: $750 (This pricing only available as an add-on for an event)
* Mitzvah Child Pre-Shoot plus Guest Sign In Book from Pre-Shoot (20 page 10x10 Coffee Table Book): $950
* 8x12, 40 page Custom Heirloom Album: $1249. Additional pages may be added at $70 per spread, in increments of 5 spreads. Increase the size to a 12x12 book for additional $300.
* Replica 8x12, 40 page Heirloom Album for Grandparents: $650 each
* Grandparent 8x8, 20 page Coffee Table Book for Grandparents, original design: $450 (only available after an Heirloom Album has been purchased)
Would you like to see some more examples of my bar mitzvah photography? Click here, here and here.
Would you like to see a couple highlight slideshows? Click here and here.
Ready to Book?
Let's talk! Email me at Susanrkphoto@gmail.com , call me at 773 510 7105, or go to my website here and click on the "inquire" button. Let's discuss your event, I'll check my schedule and hopefully move forward. I am happy to meet with you in Deerfield if you would like a no-obligation, pre-consult in person. When you are ready, I will send you a contract and an invoice. Once the contract is signed (electronically) and the $600 deposit is paid, it's official! I do not hold dates until the contract is signed and the deposit is paid.
A few weeks before your event I will send you a questionnaire so you can make sure I know all the family and friends you would like me to focus on at the event. You will tell me what groupings you would like for portraits. I will also find out any special details about your occasion that you want to make sure I capture.
Credits:
Photos by Susan Ryan Kalina Photography