I couldn't help but connect the dots. Stay with me here...
It's kind of a long story... but many of you in these parts know Todd and Mindy Finders.
Good friends of my family from way back, the Finders clan has connections aplenty with the Stewarts. Calling them friends may not do it justice. And, I'm not gonna lie... when they moved away to take advantage of an awesome work opportunity for Todd and the family, it left a hole in our community. Youth group leaders... Little League coaches... Concession Stand Directors... Church Elders... you name it... they did it... and had done it... with OUR community... their entire lives.
So, to say we miss them would be the understatement of the century. Add in the mix that they have three outstanding young men under their roof that I've watched grow up, and you get the idea... This is a family that's easy to miss.
And that's where our senior comes in.
Tyler is their oldest... and it's still seems impossible to me that we actually did his senior images last Friday. After driving up from the St. Louis area for a college visit at Central College (GO TO CENTRAL TYLER... OR ELSE!) he and his folks made the trek to Montour to have his image taken again.
Again?
In an interesting bit of studio history... Tyler and his brothers were the VERY FIRST clients that we photographed after going digital in April of 2002. Film one day... Digital the next... and the Finders boys, dressed in their grandpa's old wool baseball uniforms were my first guinea pigs! More than eight years have since then and we never took another film exposure after that day...
So Friday felt a little bit like a reunion... and a little bit like coming full circle as Tyler made his triumphant return.
Where then, does connecting the dots come in? I couldn't help but think of a little Greek mythology here as I was working on Tyler's first image shown here.
The Finders family had asked if there was a way to make an image that somehow tied Tyler's East Marshall Mustang roots with his new-found Orchard Farm H.S. Eagle loyalty. And this is where it all came together to me.
Maybe it's a stretch... but if you look at this image... and you see the mustangs.... and you combine it with the wings of the eagle... what do you have? A horse with wings of course.... Or, in Greek mythology... a Pegasus.
But why does a Pegasus have anything to do with Tyler? Well... i really doesn't... but to wrap this all up... I'll probably embarrass him here... but I noticed a marked difference in Tyler since the last time I had spent any time with him over two years ago.
Shy and somewhat inward and preferring to be with himself (and his XBox), suddenly, it seemed to me... Tyler had found his wings. More confident... smiling more... even a little brash at times (see the cross country collage below!) and just comfortable in his own skin... I couldn't help but notice it... I wouldn't ever say that I'm glad that the Finders family moved away... and maybe Tyler woulda had this growth back here... but I'm not so sure. The change of scenery seems to have allowed him to reach his potential... and that's awesome to see.
I was glad to see that despite the change... God is still the center of Tyler's life... and that had to get incorporated into the session.... as well as his second "religion" as he and the clan are spreading the Hawkeye Love all over the Show-Me State now. What better way to kick off Cy-Hawk weekend than spending it with dyed in the wool Iowa fans! 35-7... WOO HOO!
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Tyler's awesome grandparents, Chuck and Darlys Finders before I sign off. No fewer than three images below were taken at Gma and Gpa's house in Ferguson. Also influential folks in my life... it was neat to finally see Chuck and Darlys' home and while I know no one misses getting to see Todd, Mindy and the boys more than they do... It was neat for me to be able to put a bow on Ty's session by photographing him at his grandparents home. LOOK at that image that we did of him in their back room with all the old seed corn and farm signage that adorns the ceiling. Love it!
Anyway... Thanks so much to you guys for going the extra mile to allow me to do Tyler's images despite all the distance. You know Tara and I and the kids adore all of you like we always have. I'm honored that you came back and gave me the opportunity. Take care and God Bless.
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