Thursday, June 18, 2015

I got your back... you got mine...

Jolene Keller tried to warn me... but it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before.

"You'll probably have an easier time tomorrow," she said.

"Tomorrow" was to be the time when we photographed Blake's twin sister... "Today" was Monday... and it was Blake who was to be the first of the Keller twins to be photographed.

Whether Brother Blake was indeed the first to go was in question as of 6 a.m. that morning when Mama Jolene called the studio to talk rain strategy.   The decision was made to forge on and to cross the reschedule bridge if we had to... but that we'd do the indoor at the very least.

So, with a distinct, and not-so-unusual sense of "I-wanna-get-this-over-with" in the air as Blake (and most senior guys, for that matter) arrived at the studio... I made my promise to him that I would try to minimize his torture, weather permitting.

Blake smiled and I thought... this isn't gonna be that tough.   He was hardly the hardened angry-at-the-whole-process senior guy with a chip on his shoulder that we sometimes see.   And my intuition was correct.

Any reluctance Blake had was fairly short lived, and with his fun mom and sis there to keep the mood light... he really had no choice.  :)  

Jolene had informed me at 6 a.m. that Blake thought that the rain would stop by 10 a.m...  and while certified meteorologist  Blake Keller did see his prediction of the rain subsiding come MOSTLY to fruition, it didn't seem like it ever truly stopped COMPLETELY.

So... it was Team Keller to the rescue.  Armed with umbrellas and a healthy dose of cooperation, we managed to quite literally dodge the raindrops.

The plan was working to a T... and the end was in sight... and all we had left to do with the future Wartburg student was to get some images of the Class 3A 3200 meter track state qualifier at his home track at South Tama High School.

Jolene informed me at this point that this cool rainy weather actually was her son's favorite condition to run in, so it was no longer necessary to work at avoiding the rain... so it was bring-it-on time... and off to STC track we went.

I put Blake through a bit of a workout so he could get in some summer reps (either that, or I just am picky trying to get action shots just right).   But, in the end... we got what we needed and mother nature would not stop us.

I forgot to mention that Monday was the day that we did the obligatory twin sibling shots that mom's have to have... and understandably so.   I kinda figured that this set up Blake to be in a position to opt out of sitting through his sister's entire session the next morning.   Either he truly enjoys his mom and sister's company or he was telling the truth when he told me the next day that he "felt sorry for me and came back to even the tables," but either way... there he was... back for more 'torture.'   I thought it was cool that he had my back... even if it mighta been a stretch.  :)

What a great guy, huh?   Either that, or a glutton for punishment!  Stay tuned... More Keller Tales to come.  













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