Marchin' to his own beat...

It didn't take long to figure out that this one was gonna different.

And not just the run of the mill I-Wanna-Be-Different-But-Actually-I-Just-Wanna-Be-Like-All-The-Cool-Kids type different that I've heard ad nauseum for twenty plus years in this business.

But it wasn't an in your face, rage against the machine, teen angst type of deal either.   It was more of just.  Hey, this is who I am... and I'm comfortable with it regardless of what fashion mags say.

Red hair?  No matter... grow it out HUGE and let it be fro-riffic.   

Society says clean shaven?   Time to bust out the stasch and sideburns.

Rock revivals, American Eagle and Aeropostle?   Nah... slap on some Dickie's and work boots.

Toss in some suspenders and make sure that the attire is well worn complete with some holes that were MADE... not just there when the garment was purchased... and you get the picture of my latest senior, Levi.

Like most guys... maybe even ESPECIALLY in this case... Levi shrugged his shoulders when I asked him if there was anything special he wanted from his session.   Despite what I assumed was his suppressed answer of "for it to be over,"  he had little to offer.   

But that's ok.  If we were all the same... what fun would that be?

I had photographed older brother Gavin back in 2009... and while I knew this family was certainly capable of producing off-the-beat-and-path kids after that session, Mama April assured me that Levi was WAY different than his brother.

I'll admit that I kinda interpreted that to mean that Levi was perhaps more mainstream.   But, I think Levi would be the first one to set me straight if I thought for more than even one second that he adhered to anything "popular."

Don't get me wrong.   I want to be clear.   This cat was coordial, cooperative, conversational and cool with anything I suggested.   There was absolutely no chip-on-the-shoulder anti-society vibe.

It was just 100% Levi's Way... the way he's comfortable with... and you know what?   I'm down with that.