Dani Hagler played on the RYNJ Jazz basketball team in elementary school, but when he didn’t make his high school team, he found a new outlet: photography. What began as a hobby quickly became a passion for capturing authentic, meaningful moments.
Hagler learned fundamental skills in the TABC photography club, and from online classes and videos. After high school, he studied in Lev HaTorah in Israel, where he took on selected photography jobs. Word of his skill reached Rav Judah Mischel, executive director of Camp HASC, who asked him to join their photography team. Today, he is the lead photographer at Camp HASC in addition to expanding his own event photography business.
At Camp HASC, Hagler enjoys documenting the joy and happiness of the campers and staff. “There’s so much raw, unfiltered happiness there,” he said. “That’s the beauty of people in that community. They’re just who they are—and I love that. What I excel in, and what I love about photography, is when people are themselves and they act naturally.”
When posing portraits, Hagler notes that it’s a nuanced process: “On the one hand, usually you have to pose people because they don’t know what to do, so you have to direct them, but at the same time you want people to look natural,” he explained. “People like looking back at their photos because they get to relive the experience and emotions—a photo is essentially an emotional anchor. That’s why even as AI improves, no one is going to want an AI-generated photo of their wedding day, because the AI photo didn’t actually happen and there’s no emotional anchor.”
Simchas are full of emotion, which is why Hagler is drawn to photographing proposals, weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. This is where he can use all his talents for connecting with people and capturing their finest moments, preserving the memory forever.
The key to event photography is to make the couple and everyone in the photos feel comfortable, Hagler said. That starts with getting to know them as soon as he takes on the job. He meets with clients to understand their needs, establish who the VIPs are, and whether there are any sensitive family dynamics to be aware of.
Hagler believes it’s the photographer’s responsibility to capture the moments that matter most to the client, which is why communication is so important. “I want to capture as many moments as possible, but it’s my job to ensure I get the key ones,” he said. “There might be a moment or a person that’s especially important, and I don’t want to miss that. I’ve had friends who told me their wives were disappointed with their wedding photos because their photographer missed specific shots that they dreamed about—the photographer never met with them to discuss what they wanted.”
Every client gets an online gallery with photos that have been edited and color corrected. Hagler is starting to work on producing albums. He knows too many people who let the time go by and then they can’t find the photos or the photographer isn’t in business anymore. He advises everyone to back up their digital photos. But there’s nothing like printed photos or albums so you can relive your memories.
Each kind of simcha has its own dynamics, and Hagler loves all of them. At any simcha, he loves getting pictures of special moments, like the mother looking at her son with nachat at a bar mitzvah, or the kallah admiring her chatan as he describes the future home he hopes to build.
Proposals demand creativity because there is an element of subterfuge and surprise. Hagler has to be in the right place at the right time without being discovered. He recently photographed a proposal where the woman’s sister-in-law set everything up at a lakefront gazebo. He got pictures of the whole arrangement and coordinated where he would hide so he wouldn’t give anything away. He rented a very long zoom lens so he could see everything without being seen. “Those moments where he proposed to her were priceless.”
Hagler’s personal touch with the people he photographs gives the pictures added impact beyond technical perfection, and makes the whole experience enjoyable. Lior Hait found Hagler when he needed to remedy an unpleasant problem. He got married in Mexico and the photographer’s camera wasn’t working correctly. There were no good photos of the wedding.
When they returned home, Hait and his wife decided to set up a photo shoot, wearing the exact clothes they wore for the wedding. That’s when they found Hagler on Instagram. “He was great,” Hait said. “He wanted to make sure we had the best spot for what we were looking for. He suggested several and we picked a beautiful state park. It was wonderful, from the staging to the way he taught us about different poses and how we would get a great shot if we do what he recommends. He took photos of us separately and together, and creative photos of us, like throwing leaves in the air, and they came out beautifully. He gave us one great edited photo that night and the rest of the photos a few days later. He was so nice to work with and gave us excellent quality photos. I feel like a lot of photographers can deliver great photos but the personal aspect really makes a big difference, in my opinion.”
Hagler approaches every event with the goal of creating genuine, lasting images that capture authentic emotion and can be relived for years to come. To see more of his work or inquire about booking, visit www.danihagler.com or follow him on Instagram @danihagler.
