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.  

Hoppin on the Kalan train...

Almost three weeks ago, I was in Vinton, Iowa watching my twelve year old play baseball like I have most Saturdays for the past two or three months. 

In between games, we made a trip around town looking for a place to eat and as we rambled down a cobble stone street and crossed some train tracks, I glanced to my right and, like a photographer will do, I noticed a totally cool old vintage railroad station.

"Oh look at that," I said to my wife.

By the time she and my son had looked, we were already past it.   Little did I know... I would return.    And sooner than later.

The baseball tourney came and went... and a week and a half later, my second senior of the 2016 class requested a trip to.... you guessed it.... Vinton, Iowa.

With a special affinity for trains (he's looking into making it his livelihood) and a long history of doing most of their business in the town, the Deke's of Traer requested that we make a trip to Vinton to capture senior images.

I was up to the challenge, just as their family members Sterling Formanek (Belle Plaine, Class of 2013) and her father, Rob had promised them I would be.

I couldn't let any of them down... so off to Traer, and Vinton we went.

There was just one problem.

Rain.

Just like many of these early sessions, (or postponed sessions, as the case may be) we were battling mother nature from the get-go.    A fine mist to a steady rain plagued Kalan Deke's session for much of the morning.   Undaunted, Mr. Deke and his mom, Kelly were up for anything.   So, armed with an umbrella and bailed out by train station overhangs and good ol' toughness, we managed to plow our way through.

Mama Kelly and I looked like wet rats by the end of the day when we were back at Casa de Deke in Traer shooting the relatively dry Kalan and his "best friend," Whitey. 

Whitey is the 10 year old schnauzer that is depicted in the images here.   Before we started, Kelly showed me a candid of a toddler, Kalan and the puppy version of Whitey.   Both had changed much over the years, but it was apparent how important these images would be for the Deke's on this day... so it was a perfect way to end the session after all the trains, towers and trips around Tama and Benton Counties.

Thanks for choosing Stewart Photography, Team Deke.  (And thanks for any arm twisting that you had to do, Sterling and Rob!)  :)

It pays to be flexible...

 The 2016 group of seniors got off to a great start last week as familiar face, Katie Gassman, was our ice breaker.

Miss Katie and I go way back as I've been her dance photographer for the past decade... and even further back as her family photographer for two decades.

And if there's ONE thing I can always count on at Miss Kimi's Dance Konnection picture day, it's that Katie will undoubtedly end up in a pose at some point that puts a pretzel to shame.   Quite literally, I usually end up wincing out of sympathy pain for her spine.   Just WATCHING her makes me want to go see my chiropractor!

I made her wait until the last outfit of the day to crack out her acrobatics, but as the images show... she did not disappoint.

Flexibility was not only a key component physically on this day, but it also came in handy in our figurative approach to the session.

Right out of the gate, Mama Crystal and former Gassman family exchange student, Tessy, arrived at 8 a.m., fully expecting our guest of honor and her friend Tori to already be at the studio.  

"Aren't the girls already here,"  Katie's mom asked.

Negative.

A five minute panic ensued that was on the verge of escalating into a two county manhunt before the girls finally did show up (with the elusive hairspray that caused the delay in the first place).

Our slow start, sped up quickly, once I had a senior to actually photograph.   First on the docket was a trip to Quakerdale Ranch west of LeGrand to make some images with a couple horses that Katie volunteers with regularly.   Unfortunately... the mares were not quite ready... so the aforementioned flexibility came into play with an outfit and locale change in mid-trip to the ranch.

As soon as the horses had been prepped, Katie soon found out that she had to once again be flexible (or patient at the very least) in attempting to get our animals to cooperate.   It seems like it's never easy to get a horses ears to come forward... but we got it... eventually.   :)

Nothing much ever seemed to throw our cool customer, Katie.   Easy goin' and full of smiles, she was exactly as I've always remembered her... which is a testament to her upbringing and inner strength.

Most of those that are close to the Gassman's know that Katie lost her wonderful father, Paul when she was just 11 years old.  Paul worked with my father at Fisher Controls in Marshalltown for many years, and due to our many sessions with the Gassman's over the years (including one of my very first engagement sessions ever back in the day) I can confidently say that to know Katie's Dad was to like Katie's Dad.  While I'm sure it hasn't been easy going through the teen years without him, the great news is that your father would be extremely proud of the young lady you've become just two days beyond your 17th birthday, Miss Katie.   I'm blessed to know you and your family, and I appreciate you choosing Stewart Photography once again after all these years.   Best wishes in your upcoming senior year and as you head off to Iowa State the following year.

This session was totally B.A.

Frankly, I'm disappointed in myself that I hadn't noticed it before.

I must be slipping.

We're three outfits into this session with Mr. Bo Ambler, and I take the black and white image that you see below here...

I glance at the back of the camera... smirk a little... look up.

"Dude... that's totally B.A."

You'd think a guy with the initials B.S. would've appreciated the not-so-hidden meaning of a pair of great initials before he had uttered something so accurate, yet ironic... but he didn't.

Mama Valerie did, however.   And was quick to point it out.

They, along with longtime girlfriend (and might I add... most excellent photographer's assistant for the day), Emma Sternhagen, got a laugh out of my out-of-nowhere epiphany.

"You're RIGHT!"  I said.    "That IS totally, B.A.!"

Now the hand we were dealt for the outdoor portion of this job wasn't a good one...   Don't get me wrong... we were all thankful for the nearly perfect spring day we were blessed with... but green and full of new life, it's not, as of yet.   So, waiting to get those darn braces off, while a great thing for his smile... limited us a bit outside.

The solution?  Get that man next to a barn and some buildings and an alley way or a grain bin... and we were set.   Toss in a cross bow and then a trip to just south of Grundy Center to see his boss Justin Lynch and equipment from Boulder Contracting and dude was in for a long afternoon of being bossed around by yours truly and his two favorite ladies.  :)

Outfit after outfit, we plowed thru Mr. Ambler's torture.   A pit stop at Hardee's by Valerie probably was key to keeping the young man's attention for the duration of the session... so the photographer was thankful for Mom's willingness to buck up and drive Bo's super loud pickup truck across town on the dash for a Thickburger while we set up for the motorcycle images! 

Speaking of that Yamaha.   I'm not sure I had ever seen a guy so meticulously strap his pride and joy to a trailer like this guy did.  In fact... when mom offered to do so one when we were finished (so that he might be free to allow the photographer to take more images of him), he rebuked her offer.   Insisting on doing it himself... so that it was done perfectly.

Or so he thought.

On our way to Greater Grundyville, I was following the Ambler Caravan.   Bo and Emma in the pickup... towing the bike.   Mama Val in the family SUV directly behind... and then the H3.

Then I saw them.

Brake lights.

Our parade lost speed suddenly... and I followed suit as each vehicle eased on over to what little shoulder was there on the highway just north of Green Mountain.

A clearly disgusted senior guy stormed out of his truck and then I caught what the problem was.

The Yamaha was on it's side.

Uh oh.

Instead of staying in it's upright position, the strapped up bike had worked it's way sideways, and Mr. Ambler was clearly none-to-happy about it.

Cars whizzed by in what felt like kind of a perilous situation at the top of that hill there somewhere near the Marshall/Grundy county line.   What was five minutes seemed like an hour as Team Ambler scrambled to get the motorcycle safely secured again.

Alas that did happen... but when we arrived at the job site 10 minutes later to get Bo photographed with the big red Boulder dump truck... Emma said it might be a few minutes.

"Ummm... we kinda have a blood situation on our hands."

I laughed... but I probably shouldn't have... because as a guy... we've all been there.   Ticked off... the blood boils... and then suddenly it seems like a prudent decision to punch... say... umm.... a motorcycle trailer.

:)

A mere flesh wound, right Bo?

Nothing that a few minutes of cleaning up wouldn't fix... but the problem was that the sun was setting... and FAST.

Our wonderful spring day had suddenly gotten quite cold as Emma shivered her way through holding my auxiliary flash just a few more times as her beloved bludgeoned Bo popped off a few more B.A. looks in the spot that was totally appropriate for it.... work.

Valerie had explained to me before the session that she had herself a blue collar son who was never happier... than when he was at work.   Early to rise... work all day... get those hands dirty (or bloody?).   Rinse and repeat.   Toss in some huntin', some cruisin and his girl... and you, my friends... have the story of Bo Ambler.    Better late than never.   Thanks for sharing your day with me, gang.