A weekend to remember...

It's not often that you have TWO landmark moments in your life in just one day.

But Friday was just that for Ryan.

Maybe I'm giving too much credit for a guy's outlook on getting his senior portraits taken, but if we can, for arguments sake, put it in the "landmark" category, this dude got his Super Bowl weekend kicked off in style!

It was fitting that the Steeler Fan Photographer had to shoot a Cheesehead heading into the big weekend, and after what happened last night, I'll definitely have to give mad props to all of Packer Nation, but I digress.

Back to Friday.

Mr. Hines other big moment happened when he inked his letter of intent to attend Iowa Central in Fort Dodge on a football scholarship next fall. The Titans got themselves a big 'un as Hines' time in the weight room and that 300+ pound bench press paid off for the Comet senior. The long term goal is to eventually play for Coach Mark Farley at UNI... so here's hoping Ryan reaches that goal of playing in the Dome once and for all!

While he's all business on the football field... his ornery side came out during the session as we got some part showtime/part playful images of future offensive center/business management major. Check out what a ham he was when the lights turned on. Number 56, ladies and gentlemen. :)

Mad props must go out to Mama Lisa as well, who, despite having to kill two birds with one stone with the L.O.I. signing and senior pictures in one day... ALSO wore a smile after having her car backed into at the post office and having the front end crunched. Oops!

So, college got paid for, senior pics were put in the can, his favorite team won the Super Bowl. Bet that weekend won't be forgotten any time soon.

Not just a Cameo appearance...

Friday afternoon allowed me the opportunity to photograph, not only what will most likely be our last senior of the calendar year, 2010, but also my first cameo appearance.

Make that a Cameo appearance.

With a capital C.

In what was part "yearbook panic" part listening to her buddy, Miss Parker made it our way and even though we had sub-freezing temps, we weren't gonna let her down.

Cameo had let me know that she came our way due to listening to co-worker, Taylor Harre. Taylor and her sweet sideways hat saw us LAST year in the fall, and not only can both girls make a mean Dairy Queen Blizzard... but they were both fun to photograph. :)

My dream shot of getting a DQ employee to bring in their work uniform and a Blizzard that we could turn upside down and stick it out at the camera, in the same fashion that our football players do in a menacing way, once again failed to materialize... but we did get some fun stuff anyway.

In perhaps her most unique image, Cameo had brought in a ton of beaded necklaces that her grandmother had use to wear... check that out! Taylor had mentioned that Cameo was "such a colorful person." Glad we could bring that out in her.

As a capper for the day, we did get outside at the very end. The girls had mentioned that that she wanted "one in the snow." So... by my way of thinking... she needed to be IN the snow! :)

With a little resistance... Taylor and I convinced Cameo to sit down in it for a couple... and rumors of her demise are greatly exaggerated.

Barring some last minute change, this will most likely be our last senior of 2010. It's been a wild ride... I'm sure they'll be a few more 2011 seniors to do in the coming months prior to graduation, but the end of the year is always a good time to look back a bit and reflect.

Thanks for all the thrills this year, everyone! And if I don't get back to ya before then, Merry Christmas to all!!!

Excellent Smither(man)

Kind of a small world co-inky-dink deal i ran into Tuesday afternoon.

Not only did I have a second senior fella in what would normally be a slow period for our studio... but they were from the same school, actually. (and NO... they aren't up against it for yearbook deadline, strangely enough).

So in walks Austin Smitherman and his mother... but it wasn't the first time I had "encountered" them.

Turns out last spring... just before graduation I photographed yet ANOTHER BCLUW guy that went by the same first name... and similar last name (Smith).

As I'm known to do anymore... I looked up the Austin Smith on facebook... but... could only track down an Austin Smitherman. BCLUW, yes. But not the right guy.

Turns out... we got that guy too... it was just eight months later.

So, in comes Smitherman and it turns out... I had another "connection" with the guy that preceded him.

Because Facebook tells all... it came to light that our Tuesday afternoon senior has something special going with a young gal name Denelle, who has frequented our studio for family pictures.

So, in between our previous story... his main squeeze... the Hawkeyes and the cold weather... we had plenty to talk about on this afternoon. Throw in an excitable one year old boxer pup... and we had a full day.

Thanks for the business, gang... felt like busy season all over again.

Finally reelin' in Rev...

He was supposed to have been this summer...

His "punishment?"

Eight degrees.

As in single digit temperatures.

Illness kept us from getting Tyler photographed at his original session date, and by the time we got back together again, we're just a few weeks from Christmas!

So, Tyler and his mom and I braved the bone-chilling temps to get at least SOME outdoor done Tuesday morning, but I think his real passion was taken care of inside.

Perhaps it was fitting to be so close to Christmas, as Tyler informed me that he is planning on being a pastor someday. Clearly a strong Christian, we had to bring that to light several ways. I asked him if we wanted to be a youth pastor... thinking that it might be logical for a young guy to want to head that way, at least at this point.

His answer?

"Oh... nah... i'm not so sure about kids."

HA!

I told him it was spoken like a true grumpy old man. :)

Football was Mr. Critchfield's other passion, and no-so-surprisingly, he told me that some of his teammates called him "Rev" (i.e. Remember the Titans) due to his Christian faith. No doubt that faith was tested in a senior season that saw 7 more losses than wins, but the biggest chuckle i got of the day was from his claim that he played EVERY offensive position for the Comets this fall.

After taking a few snaps at QB in the season finale versus Hudson... the cycle was complete for our self-proclaimed "jack of all trades - master of none" on the gridiron.

Whew... dude was busy!

Anyway... Tuesday was a flashback to busy season as Tyler was the first of two BCLUW seniors. It felt good to get back in the saddle again... if only for a day.

Three saxes, no sunshine and a shadow...

Allison chose us a month ago and knew full well she was in the "straggler" category... but we're perfectly okay with that. The more the merrier!

So in rolls Miss Wogan and her mom, Sheri last Friday. I wondered for a minute if the entire Marshalltown High School pep band was gonna follow behind her for a second, as she toted in FIVE musical instruments with her!

Three saxophones, a flute and a trombone crossed the threshold for our viewing pleasure on this day. She assured me that she can play 'em all... so we worked 'em all in. :)

But that wasn't ALL that followed her in the door.

We were also graced with the presence of another job shadow on this day. Budding photographer, Dana Moses made the trek from Iowa City to watch Allison's big day and hopefully pick up a thing or two... and we loved having her along for the ride. Thanks to Allison and Sheri for allowing Dana to be a fly on the wall... and in reality... the extra set of eyes never hurts!

What Dana got to see was what I consider to be a blessing this time of year which is decent temps... and perhaps more importantly, overcast skies.

Much of the full and rich outdoor looks we've been doing for 6 months now have went by the wayside after several hard freezes and lots of WIND and rain. Translation... the outdoor is limited. However... having a thick layer of clouds allowed us to roam where we wanted and we avoided the full sun scenarios that are prevalent nearly everywhere on most days this late in the calendar year.

The result was we got a healthier dose of outdoor than we probably shoulda gotten in November.... which was totally awesome! All I ever want is to be able to give our clients LOTS of choices and to make it very difficult on our decision makers! Good luck, Sheri!

So, in the end, waiting to this point didn't haunt like it could have. Allison let us know what her decision to choose us came down to... and we're glad we didn't have to pull any punches for her! Thanks for your choice A-Dub! ;-)