We would be making a trip to the Marshalltown High School Pool.
We have had Bobcat swimmers come into the studio over the years consider going to the pool for image... but ultimately... in the end... we never made it there.
That would NOT be happening in this case I was told.
I could totally respect that and so it was. Sure we had several outfits to get through before we made our way to Leah Barkema's home away from home, but the marching orders were placed and all the regular outfits somehow felt like just window dressing for the real reason Leah had hired us.
I had some familiarity with the Barkema's through dealing with younger sister Abby through Kimberlee Benson's Community Y School of Dance/The Dance Konnection. I had also photographed Abigail as part of the outstanding BCLUW Cheer State Squad last winter. But this was different. No tutu's, no skirts. Nothing frilly about it. Just lots of sheer strength, power, goggles, a skull cap and lots and lots of water.
I had been in discussions with Mama Gayle and indirectly with old pal MHS Head Coach Angie Nelson on when we could get into the pool facility... and if I subtract about 20 years... I could recall spending several hours at the pool covering the legendary Linda Bloom's Bobcat squads for a couple years. So I was familiar with the facility... I just hadn't shot there professionally.
That all came to an end that Monday of Leah's session as I dragged in a studio's worth of lights... and with the help of Coach and Leah's Babysitting Boss, Mike Loupee, we were covering that pool from every angle.
I probably drove all parties involved nuts with my placing and replacing of strobes... but, as passionate as Leah is about her 100 Freestyle, she knows I am equally as intense about getting the image that I have crafted in my mind. In the end... both Leah, Gayle and Coach Mike could see it in action... and the payoff has finally arrived.
Leah felt so strongly about her swimming and the relationships that she's made over many years in the pool in Marshalltown that she felt the need to transfer from her hometown school to be closer to her real passion with the Bobcats. Sometimes in life... one has to take risks to chase down their dreams. Twenty years ago, I left my job as the Assistant Sports Editor at the Times-Republican to pursue the dream of owning my own business. Some may have called me crazy to take that chance at age 22 and not a dime to my name. But just like Leah, when you believe in something, and you know in your heart it's where you belong, conventional wisdom doesn't always apply. It's easy to do what everyone else does... go where everyone else goes... It takes hope, vision and extraordinary focus to go the road less traveled.
Three straight trips to the state swim meet tells me that Leah has made the right choice for her. College swimming may be in order... an extra .01 of a second may land her at the state meet as an individual... and ulimately... her happiness is something that cannot be measured.
It's not hard to see that I related to Leah on many levels. Not the least of which comes in the form of mutual respect for someone that is willing to take a risk for something they feel strongly about. Her belief and trust in our studio to portray that for her was high praise.
It's my hope that the images matched her desire.
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