The Brom-diggity...

Matt walked in Tuesday morning and the trifecta was complete...

All three children of Kevin and Michelle Bromley came HERE for senior pictures.

Some may not think that's a big deal... but I do. And it's worth mentioning every time a client returns because they were happy the time before.

So, mad props out to Team Bromley. Evidently we've maintained the same relevancy that we had in 2004 (Lindsay), 2007 (Steven) and again for the Class of 2012 with Matt.

I always love getting the updates on successes of our former seniors. Michelle informed me that Steven is flourishing in Kansas City while Lindsay is in public relations at the University of Northern Iowa. Awesome!

So... what about the youngin'?

Matt sounds like he's gonna follow in his older sibling's footsteps by attending Iowa State next year (I think Papa Kevin may have wore a Cyclone t-shirt just to ward off the forces of Black-n-Gold that permeate Stewart Photography). :)

In the meantime... we had some senior pictures to make, and the highlight of the day was definitely having Matt channel his inner Pete Townshend and grab some air with his guitar in tow.

Tell me that THAT image isn't sweet?!? Love it. A pretty good indication that I've found my lead image for your blog is when I'm reviewing your files on the back of the camera and I start to giggle like a schoolgirl. I'm not pleased easily when it comes to my own work... but that rockstar image framed by the bridge? We hit that one on the screws.

All-in-all it was just great to catch up with the Bromleys and when you're with old friends... it hardly seems like work.

Thanks gang.

Funny what happens when you get a little cooperation! :)

I would have never remembered on my own, but her mother insisted it was the truth.

About 14 years ago I was at the home of Gary Bryant just east of Marshalltown photographing his extended family.

Evidently there was a four year old granddaughter in the group... and that toddler was making my life VERY difficult.

Every photographer worth their salt has been in this spot. Big group... finally got 'em where you want 'em... and then there's at least ONE.

The pain in your hindquarters...

As it turns out, the little four year old girl that was sticking out her bottom lip so far that my pops used to tell me a little birdie was gonna come and poop on it.... was the now stunning senior that I got to photograph on Friday afternoon.

There was no whining, complaining or fit throwing this time. And strangely, we ended up getting some pretty fair results for Madelyn! :)

"Interesting, isn't that, Richard?"

"Yes... provocative."

For those of you that didn't catch that above quote... you should know it comes from my favorite movie ever... Tommy Boy.

I know I've had to have mentioned it in this blog space before... but Friday was a fun session, not only for the fact that we had a beautiful subject and a hilarious mom... but we all THREE love Tommy Boy.

So... those of you that know me know that I've been known to bust out a pretty fair Chris Farley impersonation on occasion. And if you are savvy enough to understand the line came from the movie without me telling you.... BIG brownie points. BIG.

So, just how big of Tommy Boy fans were Madelyn and her mom?

They had the family pet (a pretty little pet that was a possible sale...) along for the ride. And this pug's name? Well... Tommy of course. And it came to my attention that their last dog's name was Richard.

Why didn't I think of that? It's gonna make my HEAD explode... Or make me jerk the wheel into a BRIDGE embunkment.

Makes me almost wanna go out and get a dog... just so I can have a dog named Richard.

So... needless to say... there were plenty of opportunities in between capturing amazing images of Madelyn to squeeze in a few movie quotes... so it was a totally fun day for me.

I hope they felt the same. ;)

Coming full circle...

As I near two decades in the business... I'm sure moments LIKE these will only continue to increase.

But there will never be another one quite like this.

In late August of 1993, I didn't know it yet. But I got my big break.

Long story short... another man's tragedy led to the former owner of my studio getting desperate.

How desperate? How about asking a 21 year old kid who had two months earlier picked up a 35mm camera for the first time to help him finish a wedding.

A WEDDING.

Most of you are aware that one doesn't get a chance to "redo" a wedding.

Yet there I was... as a last resort... at Mike Dixon and Tana Beach's wedding. Finishing it for John Foley so he could book it from Grinnell to Marshalltown to start ANOTHER wedding.

As fortune would have it, I didn't screw anything up for the bride and the groom that day. And the rest, as they say, is history.

If my math is correct, just 10 months later, the newly weds welcomed a baby boy in to the world. And seventeen years later... on his birthday... I got to photograph his senior pictures.

Eighteen years have passed... and that nervous-as-all-get-out bride... has turned into perhaps the most nervous of senior mom's I've ever encountered. Anyone who knows Tana will nod knowingly... and I think she'll be the first to admit it. It's part of her game.

While it may have nearly driven her son Nate crazy, there's really nothing wrong with planning and being thorough. What I tried to assure Tana of, however... was that while she had GOOD reason to be worried with Mr.-Know-Nothing doing her wedding back in '93.... I was fairly confident that 18 years and 3,000+ seniors later, we were gonna kick some serious tail on Nate's senior pictures.

As thorough as Tana is... I knew she knew this anyway... but she wouldn't be Tana unless she portrayed her Tana-ness by emailing me once daily for a week and a half leading up to Nate's session! :)

The day itself last Thursday was a fun one as girlfriend Samantha... and grandpa Bob joined us for the "reunion." Sam was the perfect assistant to the day... and Bob was there to help with what I was told is Nate's pride and joy... his HARLEY DAVIDSON!

Nate and his grandfather have put a TON of work into this bike to restore it to it's current amazing state. I was told that the Harley shots were of THE utmost importance. I'm proud of what we banged out with Nate's ride... and I hope he and Grandpa Bob are, too.

I recall Nate saying after several hours of listening to his mother ask, "are you ok, Nate?" "everything ok, Nate?"... "how about now, Nate?" that he HOPED that maybe his beloved mom could relax now that it was all over.

Guess what, young Nate? You've got at least another week of it because my eyes tell me you and the family have some BIG decisions to make over some sweet images.

Good luck my man!

A cardinal, a mustang, an angus and a big yellow dog...

Ok, maybe there was just ONE animal that came in the door with Danielle on Wednesday afternoon...

So where do the other birds and beasts come in?

Let me explain.

I was told by Danielle's mom, Cindy that a dog may be coming with for this session. And evidently... despite trying to talk her daughter out of it... In walks Goldy. Pictured below was the nicest of dogs... but since she was an indoor pet... there was no collar... and as a result... the three of us had our work cut out for us controlling the big ol' girl. :) Let me tell ya the TAIL on this pup sure was happy... and I wasn't so sure it just might not knock over a light stand all by itself!

Once we got Goldy photographed... Cindy ran her home and returned with another "animal." This time is was Danielle 2005 black Ford Mustang. *jealous*

Any high school kid with a ride THAT sweet needs to be smiling and sure enough... Danielle was. It was another cold, damp and misty session... but that wouldn't stop us from making awesome images.

Two more animals to go.

She couldn't have brought an red angus with her, could she?

Well... no. But she did bring in many of her fair/showing awards and with the help of a stock angus image... we documented this cowgirl's passion.

Finally.... the cardinal. This may have been a bit of a stretch by the author here... but as most of you know... somehow Iowa State University has found a way to represent it's tornadic type symbol of a cyclone into a little red bird. "Cy" as we know him by around here, is over Danielle's heart, fittingly enough, in the ISU t-shirt she donned for the session. This future veterinarian, will be off to Ames for college in a year... and while it goes against my religion to "promote" anything Cyclone related... I swallowed hard... bucked up with professionalism... and then smiled an evil smile as I watched Danielle "suffer" through riding around in my Hawkeye Hummer H3. :)

Thanks for a fun session ladies... :) You ain't half bad for a Cyclone, Danielle.... I don't care what anyone says about 'cha. ;)