The straw that stirs the drink...

It's pretty safe to say that if you don't have a solid quarterback and a capable point guard in football and basketball... you're probably gonna struggle.

Both positions are leaned on heavily to get the offense running... execute the plays from the correct formations and sets, distribute the ball and most of all... be a leader.

At Hampton-Dumont High School this fall and winter... one guy will be counted on to do both.

The Bulldogs' QB and PG paid us a visit Thursday and on THIS day... he was forced to give up the leadership reigns.

To his sister.

Three years ago I photographed Coleton Barz's older sis, Taryn.   And while our young signal caller from Hampton wasn't expected to our largest session like his older sibling did... there was no doubt who was in charge on this day.

Mama Cinda and Yours Truly knowingly deferred to the Simpson College coed, and since he was outside the athletic arena, Coleton did too.

So whether it be clothing, hair or even pose or smile coaching... Taryn was my gal on the spot for the day.   Being that she'd already been through the process with us before... she was a natural... and she even took over grey card wrangling duties for the whole morning.

With his load lightened with the leadership duties in capable hands for the day, that left Coleton and I time to break down Hampton-Dumont's district schedule... returning letter-winners, key graduation losses and we even took a peek back at last year's playoff run.

As was mentioned three years ago in Taryn's blog, my very good friend from college is a familiar face to all those in Bulldog Country as math instructor and multi-sport coach, Dan Aalbers has been molding young minds for many-a-year in those parts.   Somehow it has slipped through the cracks that my old buddy is now the Director of Athletics at H-D.   Team Barz got me up to speed however and I just wanted to take a minute to send out a belated congratulations to Mr. Aalbers on his promotion.   I'll be expecting state title banners to be hoisted into the rafters in Hampton regularly.

It was great catching up with Taryn and Cinda and getting to know Coleton.   It's probably a good thing that Papa Kevin wasn't there on this date, as he and I have been known to hi-jack a session with sports-roundtable type discussions on occasion.   Right Taryn??  

It's been a whirlwind few days here with Team Stewart seeing their only daughter get married yesterday... and the First Lady of Stewart Photography celebrating a birthday today... but alas... duty calls... and the show must go on at some point.   Thanks for your patience, Barz Family... I hope you find your images worth the wait.   

Cruel and unusual punishment...

She's probably heard it a hundred times...

"Bet that was fun to try to spell in kindergarten!"

I greeted Tuesday's senior at our door with a piqued curiosity as to how she pronounced her unique name.

Tyieshia.

How would YOU say it?   Be honest.

My best guess woulda been something along the lines of Tie-EE-shuh.

Negative.

The correct pronunciation:   TAY-shuh.    As in rhymes with Asia.

So... I promptly said it three times to commit it to memory... and then came the second bit of interesting info...

The middle name.

Unique as well... Mama Sheryl COULD have just gone with the more familiar version that most of us associate with a luxury automobile... but OH no...  If you're gonna do something... go big or go home, right?

Musta been Sheryl's thought because Tyieshia is followed up with Mersadiz.

You've heard of guys compensating for inadequacies by driving a big ol' pick up truck?   Well... perhaps having a last name with just three letters entitles one to have a totally difficult to spell first and middle name, then!

Tyieshia and Sheryl know I'm just razzin 'em.   And in fact... I think they almost kinda like the questions and hard time I gave them about it.   Almost wearing it like a badge of honor.

So, once we got the name thing out of the way, the Arp ladies and I were off to enjoy a nearly perfect afternoon of weather for our rowdy redheaded senior from South Tama.

It was a big departure from Tyieshia's original session date which was the week prior.   A blustery combo of rain and wind prompted Team Arp to postpone... and boy did we hit the jackpot on the second attempt.

It was the perfect backdrop for Tyieshia and I to discuss our country music concert snobbery (it's either pit/floor or bust, right girlfriend?) as well as much talk of her summer activities, future plans and how I just might get to photograph her a couple more times this year... (stay tuned Team Trojan... the news is coming...)

As I usually do, I asked the senior parent how many children she had (with the specific intention of finding out whether there could be OTHER potential seniors coming down the pike in years to come).   Unfortunately, I didn't get the answer that I wanted (which would've gone something like:  "Oh yes... I've got eight kids, Bryan... and Tyieshia is the OLDEST!)    Instead, Miss Arp was the third and last of Sheryl's kids... I'm sure Tyieshia would argue that the best was saved for last... I'll just say that we finished strong.   Fair enough?  :)

The southpaw from down south

While I never experienced it myself, I can't imagine it would ever be easy.

No matter what age.

When dad's duty calls in the form or a new job opportunity... sometimes it involves a big change.

A new town... a new school... new friends.  

Starting over.

And when your father is asked to lead a school as it's principal, sometimes it can happen more than once.

So when you're from the Show Me State... and totally comfortable being a die-hard Missouri Tiger... a member of Cardinal Nation and also a fan of what was the Greatest Show on Turf with the St. Louis Rams, moving to Iowa probably wasn't  high on the list of things to do or want for young Colson Frakes, back in the day.

But moving time it was... not once (Blemond-Klemme) but twice... (South Tama County) for Team Frakes.   The latter of the two moves came when Colson was entering seventh grade... and he's been a Trojan ever since.   And while being the Principal's kid no doubt has had its challenges, he seems to have flourished in Tama County's Twin Cities.

A lefty ace on the baseball team... a safety/wideout on what will be a state contender in Class 2A football starting next month... a young man with a finance plan at UNI or Iowa next fall  (and did I mention a cute-as-a-button girlfriend from the school that has adored him for about a year now?).   Life is pretty good for Mr. Colson... and it was my job to chronicle that Friday morning.

Sure, we battled some intense heat (Mama Tami and Colson got to see photographer flat out drenched in sweat), but a little Missouri-like heat wasn't gonna slow down this Hawkeye State operation.   Oh no.

A trip around Tama ended at the football and baseball fields where Colson's passion lies.   Number 7 on the diamond, and number 8 on the gridiron... the trio of mother/son/photographer were all over the facilities trying to beat the heat before the 100-degree heat indices kicked in.   While they hadn't quite reached that point when we finished at 11 a.m.-ish... it was close... and the sweat soaking through my khaki shorts will vouch for that.

Nevertheless... it was another "challenge accepted" to capture killer images for one of South Tama's very best.   We've already had an amazing slate of seniors from STC thus far... and there's several more coming.   Pair that with a major announcement that will drop in the next week or so, I've been feeling really blue lately... Columbia Blue that is.   For those of you that are fans of our photography in Trojan country... you're about to see a lot more of it very soon.   Stay tuned. :)

I did my best to make sure I didn't wear down Colson too much on this day, because I knew he was getting the start on the mound just a few hours later as his Trojans took the field against Vinton-Shellsburg over in Benton.   My man and his teammates left it all out on the field, but it wasn't quite enough on this night as the Vikings rallied in the final two frames.   Like any pitcher worth his salt, Colson didn't want to be taken down for a reliever late in the contest even with the oppressive heat and his pitch count rising.  

That's the type of determination that will serve him well whether it's inside the chalked lines along Harding Street, or playing for Coach Hoskey's talented Trojans this fall.  The kid has shown his ability to adapt and succeed over and over in his young life thus far... and I have no doubt that will continue through his senior year and as he moves on to college next year.

Thanks for choosing Stewart Photography, Team Frakes!

 

The Last of the Sizzlin' Sevens...

Everyone knows I'm a sucker for a good sports story.

And while there were several options for a lead after Monday's senior session... I'm going with one that includes a little family history... and a fitting dash of weather.

Dee and Allen Burt's fourth of four boys finally got his shot at this senior picture thing on Monday.   And with forecasts calling for heat indices into the 110's, we had one goal and one goal only early on...

Get the outdoor portion of the session done ASAP.

So, while we were talking sports right out of the gate (don't worry Hawkeye fans... I made sure to razz the notorious Cyclone Burts about The Mayor turning his back on Ames, Iowa!) we put off the actual sports images until the end of the session. 

To make sure things were different than the last installment of The Brothers Burt (Michael, GMG Class of 2011), we took a roadie into town to urban things up for this farm boy.   No worries... we eventually worked in a grain bin as a tip of the proverbial cap to Jacob's ag roots, but being a younger brother myself... I knew Jake would appreciate the extra effort to make sure his images were different than his siblings.

So after a couple hours of trying to ensure young Mr. Burt didn't sweat right through his shirt tops, our mission was accomplished... 10 a.m.... and while it was already nearly 90 degrees... it wasn't triple digits yet... and we were ready to get our chill on inside for the rest of the day.

As Burt tradition would have it... a full suit was required to keep it classy before we got to the part that Jacob really came for.... the sports.

Jake's Wolverines are in the midst of a post-season baseball run that for the first time in his career includes a district win.   GMG has put together a solid third place Iowa Star Conference finish and the day after his session, the silver, black and blue polished off AGWSR in their post-season opener.

The long-time Wolverine catcher (and sometimes hurler), decided to have me highlight baseball in his sports collage... but it was something about football that I found particularly cool.

I usually will ask guys WHY they are the number that they are.   Sometimes they'll tell me... "that's the number they gave me when I was a freshman."   Or maybe, "I dunno... I've just always been that number."   Or, "It's my lucky number.".... Or maybe someone famous that they idolize wore it.   There's always a reason, it seems.

But this one... I thought was noteworthy.

All four of Allen and Dee's boys have wore the number 7 at Green Mountain-Garwin High School.   And while I coulda chosen to talk about the fact that Jacob will eventually earn five varsity letters in baseball... or that he'll be the starting quarterback this fall... or that he's the strongest kid on the team with an impressive bench of 285 pounds... I think the neatest story on the day was about a family tradition.  

Four x 7 = 1.   As in one awesome family.

Thanks for your support over the years Team Burt.   I know it's against your religion to support a Hawkeye like you have... and I don't take that lightly.  :)

As good as advertised...

I had a pretty good idea of how this one was gonna go.

And I wasn't disappointed.

Social media these days can give a good indicator as to what kind of client you're dealing with, before you actually meet the individual.

Good and bad.

Add in some encounters at high school activities... and the fact that your own kids go to school with the person... I felt like I almost KNEW this one before she walked in the door.

Sometimes upon further inspection things can be far different than they seem.

And then there's Jaymi Lee Mason.

Her beautiful soul shines from the inside out on instagram, facebook and twitter almost daily.   Always smiling and unashamed in showing her beliefs and faith, I've always found her to stand out as a shining light in a internet world more often filled with drama and diatribes.   I can't count the amount of times that in the midst of an average to below average day... I'd come across yet another Jaymi selfie on a news feed... mouth wide open... smiling bigger than life... doing her part in bringing a little joy to the world.

So I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't at least a little excited to see this senior arrive last week for her senior session.  I had already "forced" her to take one of her infamous tonsil bearing selfies with me at volleyball team pictures and at prom last year at East Marshall.   And I greeted her and her entourage with a selfie stick image just as they walked in the door last week.

Jaymi didn't seem surprised either... maybe she thought she had me figured out, too?

So despite our preconceived notions, it was time to get down to "work" with Miss Mason and her Army of Emma's.  (there were two... Emma Kielman and Emma Lang)   Between the three of them and I... it was quite the afternoon.

Most of the first half of the session was filled with music.   As in instruments.

Jaymi had her acoustic and electric guitar.... a ukelele and a violin for good measure.   This is a talented young lady who no doubt uses music as an outlet to express herself... and to worship... which is way awesome.

It came as no surprise to me that she is planning on at this point attending Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri upon graduation.   Getting involved in some sort of ministry seemed inevitable.  Friends of this gal are aware that she's spent a large portion of the last few years constantly traveling on mission trips all over the world spreading the good news... lending a hand... helping those less fortunate than she.   I can't say enough good things about that.   Well... I could... but that would embarrass her... and she and I both know that it's not about her... so I will digress.  :)

Near the end of the session, we did take a timeout to indulge a bit into her not-so-secret vice.    Ice Cream.

Chocolate to be exact.

She had asked in advance if we could do something with the ice cream idea.   Being one to take ideas an run with them... I told her to bring waffle cones and a spirit of sharing with her photographer, and she had a DEAL!

The result?   The totally adorable four faces of Jaymi taking delight in her dessert... and as promised... I was able to partake as well.  SCORE!  :)

Jaymi's original session was booked a couple weeks back in early June... and not surprisingly, it rained like cats-n-dogs that day... forcing us to reschedule back a couple weeks.

I told her it would be worth the wait.   It was on my end... I hope she feels the same.

Thanks for choosing Stewart Photography, Jaymi!