Case and point... The Wieland family from Marshalltown.
The mother of the two children pictured below is Caleen Wieland, and she won a special place in Stewart Photography's owners mind as she made what is typically a long night, just a bit shorter last spring.
For those of you who are not aware, one of our biggest jobs of the year takes place each spring when we photograph Carolyn Hoffman's Main Street Dance Academy's pictures a few weeks prior to their annual spring concert.
Tutu after tutu after tights all night... it's a grind... both Friday night and all day Saturday. The Friday portion gets particularly difficult because we're shooting non-stop from 4 p.m. until after 11 p.m. Like most guys... that time is going to overlap at the usual time that my stomach taps me on the shoulder and says, "hey buddy... how about throwin' me a sammich or somethin'?"
There has been times when I've been nearly ready to start gnawing on my arm during that Friday shoot.
Then came Caleen.
Like she was sent from above, Mrs. Wieland trots in last spring on that Friday evening with perhaps my favorite sandwich on the planet... Sub City's #25 on white with mayo and mustard. Can I get an amen, folks? Needless to say... I am indebted forever! ;-)
Through this same job over the years, I've gotten the opportunity to photograph the charismatic young lady in these photographs that you see... Alicia! I think when I first met her I had asked Caleen on the side how old her daughter was... thinking that she may be almost ready to be one of our seniors at Stewart Photography. "Is your daughter, what? a junior?" Caleen: "Umm.. no... she's an eighth grader." Oops.
Well, guess what? Alicia IS a junior at MHS now, and next year we WILL do her senior session and we look forward to that event.
So, all that being said... I hadn't gotten the chance to meet the fellas until Tuesday. It was a pleasure getting meet young Daniel and to work with a dad that genuinely looked forward to this experience. (or at least Mark was good at faking it for an hour!) Mark mentioned... "I just want a nice outdoor family photograph, and if you can get my hunting dogs in there..."
Well... it was a particular challenge getting the pups to cooperate... but we did get ONE... and in the end... that's all that counts, right? Darn that Chiggers... she was just not gonna look at the camera!
Finally, I did have yet ONE more request from the Wielands before they left. We got the fall looks and the water image that Caleen had been envisioning for a long time. But, nothing could prepare me for their final request.
"We've got Iowa State gear to change into, too."
Uggh!
Those of you that know me are aware that I'm an official card-carrying member of the Jihadic Wing of Hawkeye Nation. That being said... I am a professional. And sometimes, you do whatcha gotta do. I KNOW that Mark, Caleen and the kids were taking particular joy in making Hawkeye Bryan stomach this.
I will say that despite walking on the clouds during this magical run that my Hawkeyes have been on... I cannot deny that I've been impressed with what first year coach Paul Rhoads has been able to get done in Ames. This last Saturday was a epic day in our state, to be sure, as the Hawks nearly gave us all a coronary at East Lansing... and long suffering Cyclone fans got a rare day in the sun over at Lincoln, Nebraska with it's first victory at the home of the Huskers since I was a snot-nosed 6-year old. For those of you who haven't seen it already... take 2 minutes and watch this scene from the ISU locker room in the postgame... I don't care who you are... goosebumps.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcKiMy0Gp4
So, despite having to break my religious stance by photographing the Wielands in their Cardinal and Gold, it came a little easier to me this week as I have a newfound respect for Coach Rhoads and the Cyclones. (it also doesn't hurt that the HAWKS need ISU to keep winning to help Iowa's strength of schedule status with the BCS!) ;-)
35-3. Out.
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