I was invited to a seder once, and it was a wonderful glimpse into a beautiful old tradition. Lovely capture of this nascent celebration.

Beautiful photo.

Lovely shot Mark!!

You would not believe how many Matzos I get through!
I love the understated elegance of this setting.

superb ambiance and mood. the soft lighting really makes it inviting. when is dinner?

A lovely image and an impeccably set dinner table! Very interesting, Mark.

Very great shot !

great image

Wonderful capture

Beautiful contrast

I want to repay the kindness of your wonderful narrative comments, though leaving long comments have never been my strongest point. I look at this scene and the first thing that comes to mind are the odd assortment of mismatched chairs. The tables are pushed together, waiting, empty, but that's not all what I see. In my mind I am seeing what the table will look like after all the guests, family, and friends arrive and breathe life into that scene. We are looking at a moment suspended in time, the 'before' the 'now'. Whether you intended to or not, you have captured that perfect moment anticipation.

Yehuda Matzos? You guys are hard core. You forgot to mention that the Seder is given at Passover to retell the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt and is designed to take so long that the participants will inevitably be so famished when it ends that they will devour what ever is put before them. And then there was my brother who impatiently waited for his favorite part of the ritual to arrive and when it did would joyously call out "Drink the wine!"

This is a table I'd love to be sitting at, being able to take part in such an age old tradition--a splendid still life!!

I dont know how you do it and you shall not tell me, This is your beautiful artwork and I adore what you do. You make it looks so untouched so pure, so clean. Just waiting for the people to arrive and spoil all the beauty. I adore this image. Dont let them in.

Stunningly beautiful blendings of blue and subtle contrasts in this super shot of the seder sacred trappings, Mark. On the other hand, the first thing I think of before and after Passover and a seder, is that I hate matzos. Everything else is fine except for that distasteful ingredient. No way do I eat it anymore.

This is truly lovely, Mark. The lighting along with the beautiful setting just looks so inviting! I really want to sit down here, dine and learn about the traditions.

Good capture picture.

Well, there you go. Helle has the answer to the inevitable family tensions: Don't let the in! So simple. :)

I'm glad you decided to post some of your "beginning" work in photography, and in particular this one. I remember it well, and when you posted the picture of the closet, I was hoping this one was in the queue. This is so intimate and so familiar. Even those who have not attended a Seder can identify with the preparations and the look of a large family dinner. Your post work has the beginnings of your "signature" soft-glow work, and it's lovely. The overall pink/lavender tones of the light and shadows is superb. Your image contains tradition and reverence and anticipation, and I've always thought this was one of your best early pieces.

Speaking of Seder ... as a teen, I thought the word was pronounced "See-der." Then later on I thought it was "Say-der." Bill says "Say-dah," but he talks funny, so who knows?

Bill: blah blah something something blah Say-dah blah blah.

Tara: I think it's pronounced "Say-der."

Bill: That's what I said. "Say-dah."

Tara: It has an R on the end. "Say-der."

Bill: Well, I grew up on Long Island and 50% of the town was Jewish, so I've heard it pronounced a million times, and it's "Say-dah."

Tara: Okay, but Jews in New York all talk funny too!

:P

When we talk, you'll have to pronounce the word for me.