Sunday, September 21, 2014

Bakin' up another September 16th session with my like-minded F•R•I•E•N•D•S

It's hard to watch our babies grow up.

And despite dragging our feet and severe cases of denial, our kids eventually have their last first day of high school, their last homecoming... their last game to cheer at... their last high school play... and yes... they do have to get their senior portraits made.

Someone might want to give Jackie Pippin that memo.

You'd think that she'd be fully aware.   She just had her first round of letting go just last year!   Her and her husband, Robb, just cut loose their ton-of-fun son son to Wartburg after an epic high school career.   His session was just as crazy cool as his well coiffed hair and hilarious sense of humor.  Yet, just one calendar year later... to the exact DAY... the Pippins were stepping back in the batter's box at Stewart Photography.

September 16, 2013 to September 16, 2014.    Brother then sister.

Oh sure, Jackie KNEW that she needed to plan ahead and call early for her daughter.   And she did... yet the appointment wasn't nailed down for the longest time.

Seeds were planted... ideas were bandied about, but there was the pesky little issue of actually setting the DATE.

She claimed that a hectic work situation kept her from finalizing daughter Sarah's spot, but I'm not so sure it wasn't a healthy case of denial.

Every time I'd bump into Jackie at an East Marshall event it you could count on it like clockwork.

Jackie:  "I need to get you called."

I just smiled... knowing full well she knew she NEEDED to... but she just didn't really WANT to.

Finally the follow up phone call came in late August and I checked when brother Jake's session was a year ago just as a point of reference.   And when it became clear that the same exact date was available, she jumped on it.

She could deny it no longer... her baby girl was going to have to be photographed.  :)

And just like a year ago, the Pippins had done an extensive amount of planning for the day.   The kids know what they want... and they aren't afraid to put in extra effort to get it done... even if it means Dad had to be recruited to come along to help this time around.

I've known Robb for several years now, so I knew he was a funny guy... but about half-way through the session after about the tenth hilarious sarcastic retort, I told the girls that there could be no doubt as to where Jake got his sense of humor. 

In addition to Robb's entertainment, he was also the hired "muscle" for the day as the Pippins quite literally MOVED in when the arrived that morning.

(Did I mention that I was told that Sarah would be there for her session an hour early... only for it to end up about 20 minutes early?... Most would call it running behind... But I knew better... I think Jackie had locked Sarah in her room and wasn't going to let her leave!  Yep... more denial)

Alas, they did arrive and in came the STUFF.   Cheer poms, golf clubs, bake ware, posters, signs with numbers on them, chef's hats, inspirational signage, the prerequisite myriad of outfits and even a full sized purple DOOR.  (more on that later)

So, it was clear... my marching orders were set... time to get to work covering all the Pippin Particulars.

The first order of business was a trip to the Tama/Toledo Country Club to cover all things golf.  We followed that up with a visit to the newly renovated football/track complex at East Marshall.   A Mustang Cheerleader, it only made sense to get out on the field for some images... except for the fact that all the gates were locked in anticipation of the top surface on the new track being laid down in a day or two.   That meant the photographer, cheerleader and father of cheerleader had to get over the chainlink fence.   Let's just say that THAT was an adventure... and fortunately all reproductive organs were spared.

After that we were off to the Pippin residence to hit a few areas we did a  year ago.   Their property borders the winding Iowa River and after a half mile trek through muddy terrain... we got Sarah her sandy shots in her white dress.   In drier conditions a year ago, Jackie was right out there with us... this year?   Dad's department. 

Nevertheless, Mom did get to see what touches her heart the most before we went river hiking.   The Pippin Pasture (where I had photographed big family groups several years ago) is home to many parties and family memories.   What better place then for Sarah to pay tribute to both of her grandfathers?   The image holding the rose momento that was given to her by her Grandpa Pippin before he passed two years ago, and shortly thereafter, Sarah held her Papa Max's Bible in a moving image decorated by her requested Romans 8:28.  It's never easy losing loved ones... especially when they happen one right after the other in a short amount of time.   And even though it's been a couple of years now... I could feel how much everyone there still misses those influential men.  Some may claim that it's sad that the Grandpa's will never see Sarah's senior pictures, but make no mistake, their presence was shining down on us in that pasture.

Another trip to Tama/Toledo was in order to allow Sarah the opportunity to rock her jacket and heels before we returned back to the studio for her flurry of a finish.

Saving many awesome options for the end, we nailed her "2-0-1-5" image of Sarah and all of her "evil twin sisters."   The came all the signs that normally adorn the walls in Sarah's bedroom for inspiration.   The aforementioned purple door had to be worked in as well as Sarah's tribute to her favorite television show.   For those of you that remember Monica's door from the wildly popular sitcom, that's the look she was going for.   Robb had wondered why he had to paint his daughter's door purple back in the day... and September 16, 2014 was the day that the images would be captured in order to show the rest of the world that Sarah is not just your everyday fan of Friends.

Last but not least, we had to pay tribute to Miss Pippin's love of baking.  As a local champion competing for East Marshall in the Cupcake Wars held annually at MCC as part of the "Spring Extravaganza" that pits local students in various business, family and consumer sciences, and industrial tech competitions.   While her school has struggled in many athletic arenas of late, folks at Marshalltown, BCLUW, GMG and WM can only WISH they could bake like Pippin and her Mustang baking teammates.  :)

The day ended fittingly with Sarah coating the camera room floor in flour with her face covered in the stuff and her adorable chef's hat flopped to her left.   I gave Jackie a refresher on pricing and what they ordered a year ago, and after another full day... with a warble in my voice I thanked the Pippins... as my friends... for choosing my studio again.   They told me that they wouldn't have it any other way.

And just like Jake's session a year ago... it was hard not to go way overboard after being given so many ideas that they were clearly passionate about.   So here's a ton of artwork, Team Pippin... I, too, wouldn't have it any other way.



















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