Zev Wolff’s simcha: An artist’s perspective

Near the end of my portrait session, Dr. Ranan Wolff puzzled: “But you never asked me to smile!” True. I never do. My approach is to get meaningful expression that only comes from within.

When you are truly happy, you do not need to be told to look happy. When you are smiling on the inside, all those important little parts of you are smiling on the outside too. It’s the gait to your step and the lilt in your laugh; your eyes twinkle, facial muscles follow your heart, and the photographs will be great.

Feb. 15 was particularly purposeful. Everyone looked happy, even when they cried.

Zev Wolff’s drug, and the young man from Woodmere it was named for, was featured in The Jewish Star a number of times on the years. A photo accompanying one of those articles was from a shoot done in my studio. Zev and his siblings struck me then as being extremely sweet, curious and hungry to learn about the world and to interact with all its life forces. I remember that gentle curiosity, and especially Zev’s concern for a high-tech stuffed dog that would respond to both sound and touch.

At age 3, Zev was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer known as Neuroblastoma. He had surgery, chemo and radiation. But by the age of 7 there was still no cure and things looked bleak.

Zev is still curious and engaging. For the families and a community so involved in making a difference not only for Zev and the Wolff family but for all children with this disease, I can’t imagine the myriad of feelings beyond what I could photograph. Everyone was on top of the world, especially 13-year-old Zev Wolff as he was airborne multiple times and even danced on a table. This was truly a three dimensional event.

It is always the people who make the party. Clients tend to assume that the more activities, rooms and guests, the more there is to photograph. Those factors can play a role, but what tells a story best is the emotion that is apparent as the event unfolds.