"Gotta lint roller?"
"How about a bobby pin?"
"Could I take a picture with your Hummer?"
"You wouldn't happen to have a curling iron, would you?"
I've seen and heard it all. My Oakleys... my Hawkeye helmet and jersey... my belt... all have made cameo appearances in senior sessions. Hey, I'm here to help.
So when a brother is in need, you do what you gotta do. More on that later.
Trevor Long and his family and I go way back. Life long members of the East Marshall community, his folks and I track all the way back to high school. His mother is a Roseland and between they and the Longs, I think the two families themselves could nearly single-handedly keep Stewart Photography afloat. Family pictures, childrens sessions, weddings, sports pix for the high school... It seems like everywhere I turn they are there.
With that as your backdrop, you know then, that I was looking forward to hanging out with old friends (and just so happen to capture a few senior pix of Trev while we were at it).
Trevor on the other hand? He might have needed some convincing.
As laid back and chill of a guy as you'll ever meet, I think Trevor felt like maybe all the fuss that goes into senior pictures maybe wasn't exactly his cup of tea. That's not unusual. Sure, he wanted some cool shots with his guitar, and some B.A. football stuff. But other than that.... ehh.
Well... anyone that knows Trevor's mom, knows that "ehh" was never gonna do. As energetic and fun as God makes 'em, Jeanne Long knew she had her work cut out for her in convincing her SON to be every bit as excited as she was.
Jeanne had been through the process with her oldest daughter, Karly just two years back, so she knew what to expect. Awesomesauce, of course. But, was it realistic to expect an equal amount of epic from her boy?
In classic Jeanne fashion, she wasn't gonna go down without a fight.
Right out of the gate, the two were at each other.
Suggestions left and right coming from Mama... only to be sacked by Trevor just like #55 does to opposing quarterbacks on Friday nights.
"No mom... we're not doing that."
"That's not happening, mom."
Jeanne would look at me with her eyes nearly coming out of her head as if to say, "Bryan, would YOU tell him that I'm not crazy."
On more than one occasion, I came to the defense of Mama Jeanne, and gently suggested to Trevor that maybe we should consider her request. Somehow, coming from ME, it's ok. Why it isn't coming from the woman that gave him birth? Only from the world of high school seniors! :)
So, we were off and running... getting many of "mom's requests" knocked off... saving the best stuff (guitar and football) for the last. And, while we were getting into outfit one, it was brought to my attention that they had forgotten Trevor's black shoes at home. I said, no big deal... we can avoid it for the most part.
And THIS is where the borrowing began.
First outdoor spot... full length shot needed. Blue shirt... Nike kicks with BRIGHT green trim.
Suddenly, I was eating my words about "for the most part."
I looked down at my black b•o•c's on my feet... glanced at Trevor's clashing tennis shoes.
"Dude, what size you wear?"
The swap was on like Donkey Kong. Senior in black shoes... photographer in Nikes with green trim. We got our full length image, and I asked Trev, "wanna switch back?"
"Nope... I'll keep these on if that's ok?"
Go ahead and add Shoe Swapping to our list of services at Stewart Photography.
But it didn't end there. We made stops at Three Bridges, Casa de Long and the boyhood home of the photographer in Gilman before we got back to the studio for the guitar and football images that Trevor had been patiently waiting for.
He had done his time... putting up with Mom, Aunt Kelley, Grandma and Grandpa, The Girlfriend (also known as the completely fabulous and now Stewart Photography "Alum" Lauren Welton). Even kid sister Lana (also fab) was along for the duration. And did I mention that Lauren's mom and Stewart Photography mega fan, Maddie Welton popped in over her lunch break? (one can never underestimate the amount of good that bringing in a ringer to flatter the owner by incessantly calling him "The Boss" and "A Genius," so while having Madaleine there may have added to Trevor's extended torture, it certainly couldn't have hurt the quality of his images.)
Having Trevor and his girlfriend there left me just a Blake Roseland, Trevor Parrish and Ben Terrones short of having one heck of a jam session with the band Minor Night, rather than a senior session.... but no worries there were good tunes blasting in the camera room regardless. I popped on the Guns N Roses channel on my Pandora and I was thoroughly impressed with Trevor's mental catalog of songs and artists. Dude has mad game with a guitar in his hands... Let's just get that straight right now.
Speaking of game... we were finally down to the finale'... The football stuff.
As we sit here just a mere five days from the season opener, the excitement is palpable. Add in some new threads and facility upgrades, and I couldn't be more pumped to get this thing kicked off. Now we just had to make some images worthy of our senior captain.
Trevor did actually have some input for this part as he asked if the center image of his football collage could be just him in his jeans and purple jersey. I said that was no problem and we were set to get our pigskin portraits goin.
Or were we?
Trevor was taking a little longer than normal to change when Mama Jeanne came back with one more request.
"Hey, Bryan... are you wearing a white t-shirt today?"
As it turned out, evidently Team Long had forgotten to pack a white tee to go under the jersey for this image. And just as Jeanne was ready to bolt out the door and dash home to get one, Sister Lana had an epiphany.
Her hunch was right. Not only did her big brother's photographer have a white t-shirt on... but he was also willing to let his senior client borrow it for those few images.
If anyone has ever told you that I'd give you the shirt off my back to help you out... Now you have proof!
The new uniforms looked sleek and sharp and we completed the session doing what we do. Killer sports images. I leaked one image out a couple of days ago to promote the Mustangs upcoming intersquad scrimmage. Flying #55 is an image for all time. There we were... photographer rolling around on the gridiron grass... Trevor launching himself in mid air time and time again until I had him perfectly placed. He didn't land on me... and nothing was broken or sprained in the process.
Best of all, rumor has it that our once malcontent senior guy actually admitted that he had fun... and in fact... just may have told mom that he wished he could do it all over again the next day.
It's that kinda appreciation that makes it worth giving the shirt off your back for your clients.
Literally, and figuratively.
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