Temperatures in the 90s... tropical humidty... sweat aplenty.
Fast forward a couple of weeks... and football season feels like it's about two months early as our highs are in the 70s, detasseling kids are freezing in the cornfields, pool attendance is way down and tans are fading FAST.
What in the name of Al Gore has happened to global warming?
From my perspective, the cooler temperatures have been most excellent. It's tough looking your very best when heat indices reach into the triple digits... and I figured that topic HAD to be discussed when looking ahead at Amber Hinegardner's session.
Amber, an East Marshall senior, was scheduled in the middle of our long forgotten heat wave two weeks back. Worse yet, her session was set up for 1 p.m... in the heat of the day. Furthermore, she wanted pictures near a lake by her father's home, and wanted to mix in her dad's bike, snowmobile and a couple of wild animals from her father's preserve for good measure.
My thoughts? We were set up for an epic fail.
I wasn't afraid to tell Amber exactly that in hopes that I could convince her to avoid the hair/makeup issues that come along with equator type weather, in addition to giving ME, her photographer... a better opportunity to get her requests fulfilled at the lake.
Amber bought in, and the session was moved to 8 a.m. Even better, I had suggested that she could show up even earlier if she wanted to. Miss Hinegarnder took me up on the offer, and pulled up to the studio at 6:30 a.m... with Mama Amy, ready to roll.
It's wasn't even 7 a.m. and we were shooting out at the lake by her Dad's. We did the water images first and it totally paid off. Amber had no fear, even getting down in the water on her last set to get the pose she wanted. Hey... it's only extra laundry for mom, right?
The next in line in the priority list was to get a couple of young wild animals photographed. A challenge to be sure... but Amber wanted to take a chance at it.
Her father operates a wildlife hunting preserve just north of Highway 30 near Montour... and as part of his business... Amber had come up with the idea to be photographed with a couple of pet/preserve/breeding animals that she had become familiar with.
A tiny doe, named Dora, was our first living and breathing prop. Bambi personified... for a second I felt like I was in some weird cartoon/dream world complete with the spotted baby deer... a bottle with a special milk formula to bribe her and a spunky senior girl who desperately wanted to capture that postcard moment with our little fawn.
Mission accomplished.
The second animal invasion wasn't quite so simple as baby wild boar, Spike, was ready to take the stage.
Amber told me during our prior conversation that Spike would NOT allow us to hold him... and I broke out into a cold sweat thinking how in the WORLD we were gonna pull this off.
Papa Terry was a trooper to end all troopers trying to corral the little pig time after time when Spike would scamper away. Dad would pick Spike up and bring him back... despite the ear curdling SQUEALS in protest that Spike would let out.
I think four or five times Terry asked me... "Have you gotten anything yet?" Hoping against all hope that I had bailed him out of any further pig chasing. Eventually, I assured him that I had SOMETHING that would work... and Spike returned to his home on the north side of the house where he could sit in the shade... dig in the dirt... and grunt to his heart's content.
After that, photographing Dad's Harley and snowmobile felt like child's play, even with the oppressive heat. Amber's energy... for anyone that knows her... was infectious, and getting this little gal to have fun was like taking candy from a baby. She oozes excitement.
Fittingly then, we had to get a bubbly image before she was finished with, well.... BUBBLES. Amber brought her own bubbles, but I happened to have some of own with an industrial strength dispenser, and our senior girl quickly turned to our bubbles and dispenser to get the VOLUME we needed.
Overall... we finished the outdoor BEFORE the 100 heat index kicked in... and completed the session in 70 degree indoor temps and we got all Amber's bases covered. It was win-win all around... and I have to give mad credit to Amber for sacrificing sleep for the quality of her session. Way to go Amber and hats off to all of her team including Papa Terry, Mama Amy and Step Mom Teresa for all their help in making it happen!
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