Ok... there's no tip-toeing around this one.
I've done a ton of seniors.... over 3,000 senior sessions over the last two decades....
But never have I once photographed a senior that just so happened to be dating my only daughter...
I've debated for two days now on what is appropriate to even say in this space. Two young kids in love... don't say anything that I will regret later.... in the end... I know this... He wouldn't be a great kid if my daughter didn't think he was neat enough to spend this much time with him.
Maybe I'll end up eating my words down the road... but what I do know... is that our Wednesday senior, Tyler Sawyer, has spent a lot of time at our home, and even after a rough start due to a daddy that was reluctant to let his baby girl grow up... he's fun to hang with... and I see why she's so enamored with him.
All this being said... even if he wasn't dating my only daughter.... Tyler and I go way back...
His first experience in front of my camera was in August of 1995 when I dealt with undoubtedly the HOTTEST wedding I ever photographed at Todd and Jodi Hinegardner's outdoor wedding. Ninety-eight degrees and tropical humidity led to my khaki pants being SOAKED thru with sweat... and to add to it... it was the BIGGEST wedding party EVER in over 250 weddings that I did before hanging up my bridal camera in 1995. Three members of that wedding party? One-year old Tyler... as well as his folks.
Point is... Tyler and I go back a long ways... I photographed him several times between age 2 and 6 for our Tiny Tots promotion back in the day.... The kid even took home some honors a couple times. In fact... when he arrived Wednesday morning for his session... I looked it up... it had been since May of 2000 since I had seen him last at the studio. Well... i have SEEN him many times as a member of the East Marshall community over the past decade.... but just never at the studio since he was tiny.
Little did I know.
Perhaps things won't work out... as young love tends to find it's way. I won't put anything in their way from succeeding, however, as a young EM junior tracked down a shy freshman 23 years ago which led to this whole mess in the first place. Parenting by guilt can be dangerous sometimes... but in this case, I think both of the parties have their heads in the right place.
The session was a long one Wednesday... in yet another life-full-circle moment... I ended up photographing Tyler at the very lake that we shot him and the wedding party at when he was just one year old. His awesome mom, Tracie was there for every step of way.. just like she's been for the last 17 years... making sure her pride and joy ended up being a great kid. In the end... I was proud of what we came up with... Just like I am with both of the kids.... Not just with what we captured in front of the camera... but because of what kind of people they have become.
I have no doubt his side of the equation feels the same way...
No one doubts that I love my daughter... and if she loves this young man... he must be something special. Just like Wednesday's session was...
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