Just a good ole boy

C.J. (yes, it's on his birth certificate that way) shows up Tuesday morning with three red white and blue outfits, his boots, his Z24 and a country boy "aw-shucks" attitude that would make The Beav blush.

The most fascinating thing I learned from C.J. was the fact that there is a school for car junkies in Charlotte, North Carolina called the NASCAR Technical Institute. No lie.... it exists. It's my understanding that C.J. will enroll there next August and will learn the in's and out's of race cars and the race car business. I thought he might have been joking...... but he's not...... it's very real (http://www.uti.edu/NascarTech/School/Charlotte/tabid/1027/Default.aspx).

So, naturally, C.J. had to be photographed with his car, and despite the off and on rain that we had all day Tuesday........ we got it done along with lots of other nice fall images.

Be like Mike

Although I think Michael would argue that there's only ONE that we should all strive to be like, I couldn't help but think Friday afternoon that lots of guys should try to be like the fella I had a chance to photograph.

If anything... Mike nailed it on the clothes....... we preach it all year long..... long sleeves! Add in the solids and my all-time favorite..... black oxford button-down.... and we were set!

It's also refreshing to find a senior guy that's "into" the experience. Michael had lots of input of his own and did the opposite of what many do, which is to say... "I'm just here because mom made me... how long is this gonna take?" :-)

I got the impression that Mike is also a scholar, a musician, a thespian and a thinker...... and more than anything I'm jealous of all that hair!

I big thank you goes out to Michael for choosing us. We don't take it for granted that just because an older sibling came our way that you were automatically on board when your time came around. I appreciate it.

Friday Fouch

Friday's morning session showed EXTREME dedication by making the 8 a.m. appointment from their home in Altoona. I was puffing up with our ability to snag a senior from out of the typical market area as Joel was representin' from Bondurant-Farrar High School.

I had asked his mother earlier how they had tracked us down from the Des Moines area and I got the standard, "well, he's seen your website and really liked what he saw."

Upon further review, there was some other issues in play.

Joel here, is the first cousin of 2008 Stewart Photography alum, Katie Sharer of MHS. So, I think THAT was the real connection. And, furthermore, I discovered that Joel's mom, Angie, was a graduate of old SEMCO high in '85. I'm convinced that Joel regrets that THAT issue came to light after his mother and I reminisced about the former high school in Gilman and all things Black-n-Gold-Cougar related.

All that aside, Joel had two outfits right out of a Hollister or GAP ad, in addition to two passions. The sports and paintball themes had particularly cool results. It was fun discussing football on a football Friday from an old wide receiver to a current one. It's my understanding that Joel's Bluejays suffered a gutwrenching loss last night... hang in there, my football friend... the playoffs have expanded and the Jays still control their own destiny.

Thanks for a fun session guys!

Steven was Stylin'

I see a lot of senior guys that do the t-shirt thing.... the polo thing.... the flannel, the plaid... the plaid flannel.

Then there's Steven.

This guy walks right out of Jordan Creek with the Abercrombie... the designer glasses... the Armani Exchange watch and necklace...... the thumb ring. This dude loves his style. I think he needs his own "What Not to Wear" show or something. :-)

Seriously, though. Steven and his mom made a return to the studio for the first time in over a decade (we did family portraits for them way back.... back when I didn't know anything, really).

Enjoy the images........ they do not need an Extreme Makeover.

Phinally, Phil's on Phire!

Wednesday afternoon was Phil's long awaited session as his mother LeAnn booked this around Easter. Mom put all her eggs in the "fall-colors" basket and we had a nice crisp afternoon as a reward.

Phil was sharp as a tack in his suit and that solid tie..... we've had a run of sharp dressed men lately.... and chickity check it out, ladies........ :-)

I think the highlight of the session, however, was mom lighting the baseball on fire in the image below. It's not a computer generated thing..... it's real fire. Let's just hope that my insurance man isn't a follower of my blog!

Baseball was Phil and I's topic of choice for the session. We listened into the NLDS game between the Brewers and Phillies during the shoot. Phil is a Yankee and is struggling thru his first non-playoff season since he was about... what? four years old? As you know... I'm a fan of the long struggling Cubs.... and I have little sympathy for the most successful franchise in North American sports history. :-)

A stone's throw

We've had seniors come from every corner of the state to have us shoot their session. Sometimes even from beyond Iowa's borders.

Yesterday's session came all the way from.... well...... about 50 feet away.

Bryce and his family live directly behind the studio (and World Famous Rube's Steakhouse) here in town and we've probably crossed paths thousands of times over the past 15 years. The little boy that I watched running around in a Packers jersey is not so little anymore. In fact, he's an offensive tackle at South Tama County H.S.

Bryce and his folks have generously mowed the grass around the studio... jumped my van when the battery died a few times over the years, and have always been awesome "neighbors." I won't even hold the fact that they're Iowa State fans against them. :-)

Seriously, though... it would have been real easy for Bryce or his folks to decide that perhaps they should see if the grass is greener at another studio rather than the one right next to them. Sometimes, as the old saying goes... you're not a saint in your own backyard. So... for their decision to trust me despite a relative loss of the thrill of the unknown...... I thank you.

Big Mac

So... she's not real big... and THAT's exactly why I tabbed McKaylee "Big Mac" for at least the duration of her session Tuesday morning. Part of the fun that we have at our studio is razzin' each other, and this gal was game....... and has mad game, btw. :-)

We continued our cornering of the market of BCLUW Cheerleaders (2007 Class 1A State Cheer Champions!) McKaylee did some arm twisting of Mama Heather to include the cheer stuff in her session, and I hope I made it worth the while. Sometimes parents will play the "we-have-enough-sports-pictures-already-card." Clearly what we do here, is NOT the run of the mill memory mate image done at the school.

Check out the image below of our senior in a poignant moment remembering her father who passed when she was just six years old. The image shows text from a greeting card that ironically foreshadowed daddy's passing as he delivered this card to little McKaylee shortly before he died. What a tear-jerker.