The Reason Wy(att)

There are a lot of reasons I love my job. Being your own boss... setting your own hours... getting to deal with people during happy times in their lives... graduation, a family get-together, a new baby, an engagement...

Most of all, this job is less shutter speeds and apertures... and more about people.

Taking the time to find out what's really important to someone... discovering where their passion lies... and getting to the bottom of was ultimately makes them tick inside, is part of what I try to do everyday.

Sometimes it's easier than others... Perhaps you know the senior is a standout athlete, or is into music or speech and drama... or whatever the case may be.

Sometimes you are aware of them just because their a part of your communities' extended "family."

That was the case as last Friday came to a close.

I can't say that I REALLY knew Alex well. I had seen her several times out and about at East Marshall events... at homecoming... at prom. Always smiling and friendly. I knew her mother, Amy because she was my youngest son's preschool instructor when he was 3 years old.

The NEAT thing, then, is... getting to peel back the layers of the onion and getting to learn more about people. Sure, it's just a few hours of their lives... but is it?

Amy and her daughter sat with me prior to the session and I asked them if there was anything they really wanted to do. And they both agreed that it would be awesome if we could go to the Friends Church in our hometown of LeGrand and take some images there in the sanctuary.

Alex spends a TON of time there and clearly it's a very important part of who she is. And that's an awesome thing, in my book. And we had fun creating some unique images in the sanctuary there. I've lived just a few blocks from there for 17 plus years now and while I had photographed several weddings there... never had I done senior images... chalk one up for the really cool and different! ;-)

So what's my point? I guess I would just like to compliment Amy and her husband Jay on the fine job that they've done. As a parent in the same community you are in... we face similar challenges everyday. We're all busier than snot... I know Amy went back to school herself recently to better herself... and to do more for her family... And while all the craziness of hustling the kids from here to there and our jobs and activities and everything pulling us in one million directions seems to be overwhelming at times... I know after getting to know you all a little better on Friday that all of your hustle has been worth it.

Why? Because your hearts are in the right place, that's why.

Alex may not be the star athlete or a girl that's gonna immediately demand your attention because she's a quiet gal... but what she is.... is undoubtedly a neat girl, with a heart of gold and a bright future.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to get to know you a little better, Alexandra Jae. God Bless the Wyatts. ;-)

A Triple Trifecta...

One town, three families, three children each, one week.

All with the same photographer.

We began the week with Marshalltown's Dennis and Jacey Stewart bringing me the third of three daughters, followed by Bob and Jenny Kosbau's third offspring on Thursday, and then on Friday morning, Joe and Terri Allen's third of three sons, Chris, dropped in on game day.

Of the three Bobcat families... the Allen's stretch back the furthest with us as their oldest, Jason, was a film-era senior a decade ago in 2001. Seems like forever since the old lefty was in and I did one of those really cool "double-images" with him in his MHS baseball and basketball uniforms... no digital...no photoshop... all in camera. Who knew?!?

Well Chris's images here show just how far we've come in a decades time, because as hard as it was to do a double exposure in camera back then and to get it just right, it now simply pales in comparison to the multi-image sports stuff we do now. (see, Chris... it ain't all bad to be the youngest brother!)

Chris plays outside linebacker for Coach Holdiman's Bobcats and was an integral part of last year's run to the state title game. While this season hasn't seen the success level that made last year so special, they still have something to play for as they head to Mason City tomorrow night as a win puts them back in the playoffs.

So... as you might imagine... Chris and I spent a great deal of time talking gridiron during his session.... would you expect anything less from the guy that led the team in tackles on the state's biggest stage a year ago? I didn't think so. While he clearly is flawed in his thinking by admitting he was a Cyclone fan, I will let it slide due to him clearly being one heck of a nice guy. ;-)

I got the update from Mama Terri on how Jason and Nate were doing... it's always great to catch up with what my former seniors are doing... actually... they don't know it... but I did see both Chris and Nate doing their MFL Youth Football refereeing duties Saturday at the MFL complex while my youngest son (third child, incidentally, but i digress) was quarterbacking the 2nd grade Broncos.

So, while many businesses, including ours, have suffered from just a general erosion of loyalty in today's marketplace, it was refreshing for me to look back at last week and see what I saw. Three families... and nine big thank yous from our family to all of yours.

Rambo meets Blue Steele

Let's just say that I'm really glad that he's on our side...

I had photographed a couple of the Kosbau children from Marshalltown over the last few years, and I'm gonna be honest... I wasn't expecting this.

Both of the previous two siblings... I think it would be fair to call them quiet and conservative.

And THEN there was Ben.

He marched in proudly wearing his Army ACU's... he had a couple assault rifles in tow... and it didn't take long to figure out, that Bob and Jenny's third child was different.

WAY different.

I know that I set a record for finding the most ways to photograph a 12-gauge Mossberg police issued sawed off shotgun... and while I doubt that Mama Jenny wants to hang any of our Rambo style images on her wall... we DID have a blast making the images. I'll have to admit that Ben and I were just like a couple of boys playing war back in the day.

On a serious note... it's clear to me that Ben is passionate about his service to America. He got his basic training out of the way last summer at Fort Benning, Georgia and is planning on Army Individual Training right after graduation from MHS. And if he's even half as excited about serving as he was about making out of the box images... his superiors have themselves quite a soldier.

It was great to see Jenny again, in addition to her only daughter, Lydia (MHS, '08). Lyd is now a junior at Central College (whoot!), so it was good to catch up with a fellow Dutchman. She was home on fall break for a bit and WANTED to sleep in... but, as I found out, Ben can be VERY persuasive, and he coerced Lydia into rolling out... throwing on a hat... and giving him some moral support.

The funny thing was that Jen and Lyd could BOTH tell that Ben was constantly pushing the envelope (which was fun and awesome at the same time)... but if I had a dime for every time they apologized to me or I looked over to see them shaking their heads... I think I may have had myself a great deal of additional profit!

So.. we had ourselves a session for the ages... I won't forget it anytime soon. Quite the character to be sure... He might be a little crazy... it might just be Ben's world and we all just live in it. He might have done one of the most hilarious Ben Stiller-Zoolander-Blue Steele impressions known to man....

Bottom line? I think we've found the reason that we haven't tracked down Bin Laden. He'll be no match for Ben... ;-)

Thank you Honda...

Mom was clear about the situation.

Evan didn't wanna even do this senior picture thing.

And then... he got a bike.

Mr. Jorgensen turned 18 just a couple weeks back on September 13, and it was time to get something he had always wanted.

A crotch-rocket. ;-)

I'm glad he did, because instead of just having a friend or a family member do his images... he now felt it necessary to capture something extra special.

So we were on a mission to create kickin' motorcycle images... and we did just that... And we had some extra help.

I've been working the last couple of years with GMG High School with their job shadowing program and Wednesday morning's visitor was sophomore Cheyenne Wurr. Luckily for me... we had her along because since Evan was flying solo on this day, that allowed Chey to be our substitute flash and umbrella holder on the outdoor! Thanks, Cheyenne... even though you were freezing your tookus off! :)

It was a fun session with the two teens... Evan is a gadget guru as he works for a cellphone company in Ames and builds computers on the side. I got the distinct feeling that he may have been way smarter than anyone in the room.

And clearly... since he saw the merit of actually getting senior pictures done by a legitimate studio... he just got a little bit smarter.

Thanks Evan and Cheyenne.

Finally! Shelby gets her Swaim Schwerve on!

It was Thursday night, April 29. I had the biggest job of our calendar year ahead of me the very next night. I was running into Marshalltown to set up for it and I needed, of all things... some duct tape.

So, I'm in a hurry... and I bust it into Menards to save some big money... and, wouldn't ya know it... but it's about 5 deep at every checkout register.

I stood there tapping my foot impatiently... when suddenly I heard a voice....

"I can help you over here..."

It was like a chorus of angels... and the rest of the store went dark except for the glow around the sweetie that offered to save me the excruciating wait.

I didn't know it... but the tiny gal that had just made my day had already booked at our studio for senior pictures.

How did I find out? Well... Shelby took one look at my black polo shirt with our logo on it and let me know, in no uncertain terms, that she was TOTALLY PUMPED to come to me for her senior pictures.

"Oh really, well, when is your session?"

"October 12th."

Only about about SIX months away.

I did get to bump into Shelby when she visited with her friend Tiffany during her session back on June 4th... but since then... it's been the excrutiating wait of her own... and unfortunately... I couldn't speed up the arrival of fall colors for her!

But Tuesday, Oct. 12 was finally on us this week and I can honestly say that no one was more excited that Lil' Shelby this year to do this. Not only that... but I dare say that no one was more agreeable during the session, either. She had been paying attention all year and not only knew what she wanted... but also knew I'd get her there.

In fact, her mother, Kara, wanted some of my "magic" so she TOO could get her daughter to be so polite and obedient. ;-)

So, we took a little roadie... worked in her faithful pup, Megan... and we took advantage of some clouds for the first time in a couple weeks in what was the oddest of weather days. There was some rain that we avoided for the most part... and some sunshine as well... but for much of the outdoor we had an eerie mix of thunder and lightning at the same time as some sun and blue skies... WEIRD!

Regardless... the weather mix could not slow us down and I was really happy with our ability to deliver unique images despite the dense coverage we've had with the GMG class of 2011.

Since I am looking ahead now and see no more Wolverines on the schedule... I felt like I needed to give one BIG shoutout and thank you to GMG High School. The smallest of schools in our core market area is our biggest supporter this year in total numbers... which means a lot to me. We are just short of having 1/2 of the senior class in our camp and if you factor in the tightness of small schools and today's usual trend to gravitate towards being "different"... I'm humbled by the mass of support from folks in the Green Mountain and Garwin communities.

Thanks so much, Marissa, Tiffany, Jamie, Sharice, Laura, Michael, Brandon, Nick, Arianna, Kristine, Hannah, Raina, Madison, Brody, Taylor, Caitlin, Jake... and of course... Shelby. ;-) You guys are the bomb.