Warren-ted: Class of One.

Anyone that knows me well by now knows that I love a good story. Even better? When there's two of 'em.

Blake Warren and his wonderful mother, Andrea, visited our studio a week ago Friday on the morning before his first football game of his senior year. Naturally, the conversation turned to all things gridiron as the old Assistant Sports Editor at the Marshalltown Times-Republican in me bubbled to the surface once again.

After getting the softball questions out of the as to who was playing at what positions, etc... I then played hardball...

"If you were a betting man, Blake... does this losing streak come to an end tonight?"

For those of you that don't know, the GMG football program had hit rock bottom with a losing streak that had spanned over three seasons and had reached the mid-20s in duration. The light at the end of the tunnel? The Wolverines were opening the season against Southeast Webster of Grand... who just so happened to have lost 53 straight games.

Something had to give.

So when I woke up Saturday morning and jumped online to check scores... my heart dropped for Blake and the boys when I saw the Wolverines' streak would continue, while SE Webster's came to an end, 38-21.

The whole thing seems so unnatural to me as I grew up in a time where GMG's prior incarnation, Garwin H.S. was a perennial power, and I actually PLAYED against the school's crown jewel in 1987 when the silver and black won the Class A State Championship with a team for the ages.

I told Blake that Friday morning that we had been to photograph the team pictures at another local school the week prior and they had a good senior group of sixteen guys. Come to find out... just one week later... I got the chance to photograph the senior group at GMG as well...At Blake's session.

Only difference was.. there were no more teammates to be found on this day.  That's right... Blake is the ONLY senior out for football this season at GMG.

The definition of a man is getting up and doing something that you don't want to have to do, but you know you HAVE to do... so you do it anyway.

It would have been real easy for Mr. Warren to cash in his chips... let some one else take the lumps, and call it a career. But you know what? He didn't do that.

Most of you also know that, like most Augusts around our studio... we've fallen behind in our attempt to quickly send our our preview books/blogs. While for the most part... that drives me CRAZY... One blessing is that because of that delay... I have good news to report.  It's often said that things are the darkest, right before the dawn... and just when many might have figured that another winless campaign might have been in order for the Wolverine boys, the football gods smiled down on them.

I awoke last Saturday to read about a miracle pass on the last play of the game down in New Sharon that found friendly hands in the endzone as time expired and after all that suffering... it was over... 27-24... Wolverine win.

I have no doubt that tears were shed on that field... Tears of joy. All the suffering released in a celebration that probably felt no less amazing than many of the celebrations that happened for the community in 1987.

Sure the circumstances were much different. But try telling that to the moms that were wiping tears off their cheeks after seeing what may have been the first victory in most of their son's entire high school careers.

Victories cure lots of evils, and I mentioned earlier that there were TWO good stories here... so i must mention the other.

Before I ever met Mr. Warren... I happened to photograph his long time girlfriend, Sara Hinson, way back in June (which seems like 2 years ago at this point).

Sara had told me that her boyfriend, just like his older brother, was going to a competitor for his senior session. Normally, that would not be much of a surprise to me as that's usually how things go. Senior goes to Studio A... Studio A does a good job... family returns to Studio A for the NEXT senior.

However... THIS revelation from Miss Hinson came as a surprise, if not a disappointment.

For you see... I had the opportunity to meet Blake's mother, Andrea, at a New Year's Eve party in Marshalltown this past year.  And at this party, long time friend of the studio, Chris Rhinehart was borderline going over-the-top with the full court press on Andrea as she was trying to convince her friend that there was only ONE choice for Blake senior pictures.

After Sara's update, I had merely decided that perhaps Chris' influence wasn't as influential as I had hoped. What did I learn?

Don't doubt Mrs. Rhinehart.  :)

A few weeks later, my secretary told me, "Andrea Warren called today."

#winning.

Victories were all around in the past couple of weeks. As it turns out, we got BOTH ends of the GMG power couple... despite Sara's misinformation. :) We'll forgive her.. because as far as I'm concerned... all's well that ends well.

Reunited with a couple old friends...

Bumping into old friends is always a cool thing, and that's exactly what happened to me a week ago Thursday when we photographed Katelyn Kunkle's senior session. This young lady is the FIFTH senior from this single Marshalltown family that I've had the opportunity to photograph. I figure that there can't be too many that have had MORE over the years... so their loyalty is impressive... to say the least.

The run of Kunkle kids began in our first year of digital photography in 2002 when brother Brandon visted as a member of the MHS class of '03. Ashley followed in '04, then Tiffany in '05 and THEN we took one whole year off before continuing in '07 with April. It's been a little bit of a Kunkle-drought since then, but we came back with a vengeance when Katelyn walked in the door.

Three cute outfits... a gorgeous day and toss in the family pup, "Lady" once again... and we were set for an amazing set of images.

But wait! That's not all!

If we go back even FURTHER... to the year 1996.... a young East Marshall lad by the name of Brett McBain had HIS senior images done by a very green photographer back in the day. One of four siblings that we photographed from THAT clan, Brett made his triumphant return to the studio on this day as well.

An aspiring photographer himself now, Brett had contacted me back in the spring about maybe getting to sit in on a session with me to pick my brain and see how things were done... I figured what better family to ask then a FIVE-TIME offender like the Kunkles? The graciously accepted and Katelyn got the benefit of having an extra set of hands on board for the job.

My hope is that not only did Katelyn have fun with her session... but also Brett learned a thing or two along the way. It was a fulfilling day to be sure... It's always nice to see clients return... and it's nice to give back to the profession that's given so much to me over the years.

 

All out Alex...

"You never know the experience of something until you actually do it..."  - Alexandria Toszegi

Pretty wise for a sixteen year old, huh?

I was informed that our West Marshall senior from a week ago Wednesday just turned had her 16th birthday on February 2, which puts her at least a year younger than most of her contemporaries that go through the senior picture process.   Vaulted ahead a grade at a young age, Miss Toszegi certainly showed me no ill effects from the advancement... if anything, quite the opposite.

While most parents do the calling, fact finding, date picking, booking and general question asking... I was surprised this time, that most of that, fell on Alex's shoulders.

Not that she HAD to... but because she WANTED to.

A take charge kinda gal, Alex asked all the right questions, got her ducks in a row and during the course of our initial conversation, I discovered we had something in common.

Photography.

Alexandria spoke to me knowledgeably on the topic and how to maximize her opportunity with me... and while Mama Tami did eventually have to step in with the credit card to take care of the business end of things, nearly everything else was Alex's department.

Needless to say... I was impressed.

And when I tell you that she wanted to maximize her session... she did just that.

While she stopped just short of our RockStar package, make no mistake, Alex was rockin' it right out of the gate that Wednesday morning.

I found out quickly the reasoning for Alex's most excellent disposition as I got the treat of meeting both of her folks.   Her mother, Tami, like most moms, was there... and native Hungarian, Papa Sandor was there as well.   I discovered that both of them were almost into the experience as their daughter... which i find very cool.   Daddy mighta been having the MOST fun of all of us!   AWESOME!

Wanting to a lend a hand whenever possible, Sandor was my right hand man from stem to stern... holding exterior strobes, umbrellas, reflectors, straightening backgrounds... he could NOT get enough.  I wish more dads had a chance to run through this process with us.  ;)

So we were off an running out of the gate, Team Toszegi... attacking Alex's sweet Mitsubishi Spyder GS from every angle... Sandor working the strobe,  Alex workin' the heels, and Tami keeping us all in check.

The session "accessories" didn't end there.   I got to meet Alex's boxer pup, Ceera.   She was a laid back gal that wasn't quite sold on the entire senior portrait experience, but we did get some priceless images... just look at that FACE!!!  Awwwww.

Next up in our line of "have-to's" was another educating experience for me.   While most around here are certainly aware of Alex's school's propensity to field a football team annually that's among the state's elite, little did I know that their drill team/color guard takes a back seat to no one.

A quick glance at the internet confirmed what I was told... The most recent Iowa State Dance Team Championships found West Marshall High School sitting a top the rankings in the Class I Color Guard category.   Stuff like that doesn't happen by accident... it's from putting in a LOT of time, practice, fine tuning, teamwork and undying dedication to the cause.

I wasn't surprised just yesterday when I photographed Alex's BFF and she had to back out of attending her friend's session... Why?  Because she couldn't miss color guard practice, of course!   THAT's what it takes to make a champion.

So, my job was to find a way to rock the flags and the rifles in a way worthy of a state titleist.   I spared nothing... shimmying up on top of my H3 a couple of times to get the high angle images.  I may have even impressed Tami a little with my ability to pose with a flag like it was my job.  ;)

I was told that Grandma Toszegi back in Hungary may need some translation to read my ridiculous ramblings on this blog... but one thing I do know is that after hearing stories from Sandor about how little his mother gets to see her grandbaby... and how when the rare opportunity arises and she lays her hands on her granddaughter's cheeks as if to somehow freeze time and soak in Alex, I have a feeling that seeing pride and joy, draped in the Hungarian flag, may bring tears to grandmama's eyes.   While it certainly isn't as good as getting to hold her Alexandria, it's my best effort to bridge the gap across the ocean in a photograph.

Finally, the session would not be complete without busting out Alex's Canon Rebel.  It was was I was most looking forward to.   She has some amazing stuff here... and perhaps my ornery-ness combined with Alex's inspiration let to a couple off the wall images, I couldn't have had more fun creating with another artist... It was fulfilling to say the least.

"Live in the present, not the past... regret nothing you do."

More excellent advice from a 16 year old.

In the Kromas-zone...

The unenviable task of having to follow one of the most epic blog in studio history had to fall onto someone's shoulders... and if anyone had a big enough aura to pull it off... it was Gladbrook-Reinbeck's, Paige Kromas.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to take one look at this gal and realize that the camera was gonna agree with her.

A quick friend add on facebook after Mama Jodi called to set up her daughter's session told me that if there's a prettier gal at G-R... I'd like to know who it is.   I don't think she exists.

Paige and her mother walked in a week ago Tuesday and all my preconceived notions were brought to life in front of me.   But you wanna know what the bonus was?  

She was just as witty and fun as she was beautiful.

It was just what the doctor ordered after an exhausting couple of days.   They came in primed and ready for fun... and perhaps I should give credit where credit is due?

Almost every session I'll ask how my clients ended up at our studio.  It usually gives me excellent insight into things we're doing right... what people think is important in their decision making process... and it always leads to great conversation.

In this case... it lead me to talk of a former client... some of my favs... The Purvis family!

In the previous couple of senior seasons... I had the honor and privilege of making senior images for siblings Hillary and Tanner Purvis... and got to know Mama Vicki quite well.  I would count Vicki as either one of the biggest liars in history... or perhaps one of my biggest fans ever.   (i know it's the latter) :)

I was informed that Tanner was the lucky man that got to escort Paige to prom last spring (high five, my man).... and it became clear that the Purvis clan was instrumental in getting Miss Kromas to land at our studio.   Why?   Over and over... both Kromas ladies told me... it was because the Purvis' family told them how much FUN they would have.

Sure... the images should be number one on the list... but after that?   What is Paige, or anyone else gonna remember after the hair, clothing and pictures go out of style?  

Answer?   The experience.

It was yet another in what has been a month of epic sessions that all have seemed to go nearly twice as long as our brochure guarantees we will.   But, I'm okay with that... Paige only does this once... and even though I might be running on 4 hours sleep for the 90th consecutive day... go-time means time to deliver... and one look at these images tell me that Paige's bubbly-to-sweet-to-diva-to-rocker-to-thoughtful-to-stylish personality shined through all afternoon long.

It's an honor to me every time a senior chooses our studio... but especially when it's a gal that cares a lot about how her image is gonna be portrayed.   I told her that there were a lot of photographers that coulda made her look good... my hope is that she found the one that not only did that... but gave her the time of her life doing it.

Thanks for the awesome session Paige and Jodi... I hope it was worth the wait.