And then there were none...

I look forward to this senior blog.

Alot.

Why you ask?  

Because after seven months the number of seniors that are now waiting on me is finally... zero.

The number reached an all-time high of 22 anxious waiting seniors at one point this fall.  A daunting number to be sure.   There were times I felt like this day would never come, and yet... here we are.

Just one day before Christmas, and as I type this, Maria Aguilera is on her way here to get her book before we put a bow on our busy senior season and retreat to the comforts of home, family and celebrations of what's truly important in all of our lives.

But before I can get there... I have to pay tribute to one more senior... one more client that I'm so very thankful for... one more set of images... one more blog.

Maria was indeed our last senior on the 2013 calendar, and when she and her mother Consuelo walked in the door, I was told something I rarely hear.

"My daughter is NOT looking forward to this."

"She HATES having her picture taken."

"I really had to TWIST her arm to get her here."

"If she had it HER way, she wouldn't even have DONE senior pictures!"

Whoa.

Granted, I've heard that a time or two thousand from mothers of senior BOYS.    You know... the I'm-too-cool-to-see-the-importance-of-this type guy.   The Mom-is-making-me-do-this crowd.

But from a senior girl?  

I took one look at Maria and with a healthy amount of skepticism and my confidence abound... I told Maria, "it's my job in the next few hours to convince you otherwise."

So we began.   She might not have wanted to be here... but she knocked 'em dead in her first outfit right out of the gate.   A pair of rockin' heels and a B.A. jacket was all I needed to see to be instantly convinced that I was gonna change this girl's mind about how this was gonna go.

I pulled no punches... She got the 4x6 softbox... the starfish modifier... the ring light... the Larry Peters Eyelighter... the fan whipping thru her hair.   I can't be for sure... but I think it may have taken all of two minutes for her to figure out that this wasn't just kinda fun... it was flat out awesome.

Her Native American mother and Hispanic father were both along for the ride and fittingly we paid tribute to both halves of her heritage in one image.  How cool is that?

Maria traded in her slick look for some fun with Minny Mouse and we just kept on cranking out fun stuff of her.  I got the distinct impression somewhere about halfway through this outfit that Miss Aguilera was now suddenly regretting not pushing for MORE outfits rather than being dragged here kicking and screaming to do our minimum amount of two outfits. 

At the end of the session, with my Nikon D3 screaming for mercy and another busy season now in the books, I turned and asked Maria, knowing full well the answer, "was it as bad as you thought it was gonna be?"

She beamed at me.   And I had all the answer I needed before she even said a word.

Yes... she had fun... and ya know what?   So did I.   Not just with this session... but all year long.

It's a wild ride every year... and at annually at Christmas when I finally get a minute to stop... turn around and look back at what we've accomplished... it's overwhelming to me.   All the images... the stories... the personalities and friendships we've made.   It's just fills up every part of what makes me the guy you trusted to do this for you.  

So, thank you... thank you all, from the deepest part of me for coming to Stewart Photography.   All of you.   From Gus all the way back on June 5, until Maria, just hours before we celebrate Christmas.   I couldn't be more blessed.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!