Case and point.
December 17, 2005. Our studio was embarking on a new endeavor as we had been asked to take dance pictures for the first time ever for Carolyn Hoffman's Main Street Dance Academy. MSDA was putting the finishing touches on their rendition of The Nutcracker and Carolyn asked me if I would take their images for them.
While there, I met the first of many dance mom's that have been very good to us over the years in Caleen Wieland. Like most hairdressers (Creative Touche' salon in Marshalltown.... {shameless plug}) , Caleen isn't afraid to do her share of talking... so we chatted it up in between dance group poses when I broke my own policy.
My policy is to usually just let my work speak for itself... and if Caleen (or anyone else for that matter) likes it... they'll find me.... and judging from the fact that I'm six senior sessions and nine senior orders behind as we speak... people have found us.
But, being the dummy that I am, this time, I spoke up. Caleen points out her beautiful daughter to me... and I say something like, "so... she's probably about ready for senior pictures, right?"
Caleen: "ummm... she's an EIGHTH grader."
Ooops.
Our relationship with MSDA has continued for the past five years... as has our friendship with the Wielands... Caleen makes a point to ensure that my wife and I don't go hungry on the Friday night of pictures every spring... and we've met the rest of the family (see the blog from last fall) as I got to know Mark Wieland and his wonderful son, Daniel as well.
So, it was NO surprise last Monday when Caleen burst in the door at 8 a.m. with that 8th grader who had, seemingly overnight, become a senior.
Alicia's session was indeed, finally upon us. I have watched the girl pose in front of the mirrors at MSDA for the past half decade, and have always gotten a kick out of it. I can tell she's "critiquing" herself as she does it... tweaking the expression, the pose, the hair... until it's just so.
Monday, it was my turn to do the tweaking and did we ever tweak. I took the ladies to my old stomping grounds in Gilman and after fighting early morning rush hour traffic (ahem) we took the old town and its' every nook and cranny.
After we got back from our trek, we had a some indoor to polish off, and I would be remiss if I didn't explain the four-image combo of Alicia you see below.
Sometimes I cringe at seniors involving boyfriends/girlfriends in their senior sessions due to the potential pitfalls that can occur with young love. But in this case, Alicia's been dating the same fella for two years... so I suppose she's earned the right to get her request. In addition her boyfriend, Logan Boehm, is a Stewart Photography alum, so it's all good. ;-)
The request was to work in one of Logan's hockey jerseys. Logan came to us as a member of the Class of 2009. He was in a prep school (Gilmoure Academy) in Ohio at that point on hockey scholarship. Eventually he found his way back to Marshalltown and graduated from MHS and won the heart of young Miss Alicia in the process. Anyway... Logan is still playing hockey and his team wore the pink jersey you see here as a benefit to breast cancer. So, this image, I have a feeling, is an extra special gift to Mr. Boehm... from his extra special gal.
No comments:
Post a Comment