A tip of the hat to Team Benda...

They can all just keep coming back... as much as they want...

Even if it's not their session.

I photographed my second senior from Carolyn and Brad Benda's family recently, and I'm not gonna lie... I'm a big fan.

Leading the charge for the fourth time now was the sweetest of all sweethearts, Lauren Benda.

Lauren (now a student at UNI) has been to the studio in FOUR consecutive senior seasons. Her own session in 2008. Melissa Mossman's in 2009. Bethany Hall's turn a year ago... and now... her brother's turn.

Joshua.

Before I get to Josh... let me just say that if I'm gonna get paid a visit by Lauren annually for the rest of my career, that's ok with me. Anyone who knows Lauren would agree... to know the girl, is to like her. In addition, the apple didn't fall far from the tree because her sensational mother, Carolyn (who is my Central College "sister") couldn't be more friendly and easy to talk to. I've spent time with Josh's mom on just a couple of occasions, but it seems like she's an old friend from way back that you could say about anything to.... and I have.

I read something this week as kids were leaving for college that a good friend of mine told one of last year's seniors as she embarked on a new chapter of her life. This friend told the freshman-to-be that her job was to get educated so that she may provide more for her future children than she had herself.

A noble thought, to be sure. Honorable. Decent. Responsible. Upstanding.

(*soap box alert*) However. If I may respectfully disagree... If we're gonna look ahead as to what our duties are as parents... I may contend that it's our duty to ensure that our children are God fearing, and enjoyable for OTHERS to be around.

My point? If my theory is correct, somewhere along the line, Brad and Carolyn have done something right.

If Lauren is the sweetest of the sweet.... then Josh is the male counterpart.

It's rare for me to find a young fella that was as excited about his session and images as this guy was. A guitarist, a mallet player, an AUTHOR (yep... already gettin' published) and a servant of the Lord, Josh was SO into the session. I bet he coulda stayed all day... and let me tell you... that's rare. Most guys are wondering why things have to take more than 30 minutes! :)

It was just neat to see a guy's wheels churning like that... I could tell that he was just tickled to be there because he KNEW he was gonna get cool stuff. So when we were putting our heads together and pushing towards the same goal in tandem (with the wonderful support of two of the finest ladies you will EVER meet), it just made the creativity surge forward that morning.

Everyone knows by now that my schedule has really caught up to me and that while physically and mentally this is a grind that I've seen before every August, that doesn't make it any easier when you're in the middle of the storm.

Special thanks to Team Benda for being a breath of fresh air when I needed it most.