Erica and Sam

Gorgeous weather, gorgeous girls. . . Erica is a former student, and Sam her senior-to-be sister.  Both are runners, excellent students, and super fun to be around.  Erica loves her shoes, and let Sam borrow some for the shoot.  It was fun making Sam walk in them. . . We had a great time, and Mom was a big help holding the reflector and fixing hair.  Erica will be a sophomore in college this year and is bound to do great things.  I look forward to watching Sam run for KHS and can't wait to see what amazing things she does as a senior!

Fall Sports Begin

A break in the weather gave kids a pleasant morning to begin fall sports.  One of the great days of the year.  I love going around to the different practices, seeing all the different faces, both old and new. . . we have some of the finest coaches in the area, and they hit the ground running.  This morning I got to see volleyball, field hockey, soccer, football, softball, and tennis, and hope to hit swimming this evening.

Sarah H

I didn't know Sarah too well to begin with, but was impressed that a high school kid would agree to meet at 6:45am to take some pictures!  We tried to beat the heat with an early-morning session and we fared pretty well.  We hit the train, the bridge, and then the park.  Sarah did a great job and was up for anything.  Nice going, Sarah!!

Emma L

The hot weather sent us indoors for session #1 with Emma.  She has a beautiful smile and striking blue eyes to go along with a fun-loving personality.  She is comfortable in front of the camera as she has considerable experience doing the announcements at school.  Mom and two Smantha's kept the atmosphere fun, and we left with some great pictures of Emma.

I'm looking forward to the weather cooling off a little so we can add the outdoor session to Emma's pics.

Kate M

We had a great time shooting Kate's senior pics this past week.  In a week where the temperature was consistently above 100 deg., Kate and her Mom picked Thursday afternoon. . . and would you believe, the sky became overcast, and the temperature dropped into the 80's for about an hour and a half, giving us enough time to get some great pics and have some fun.

A former student of mine, Kate has always been a superstar!  She is a motivated, kind, and caring individual who is well respected and loved by her friends and classmates.  You can't be around Kate and not feel good about things.

Any photographer would love to shoot her, because she is obviously gorgeous, but knowing how beautiful Kate is on the inside made this an extra special afternoon for me.  Mom was a great help, picking out our first location (Vin De Set, a rooftop bar and diner with a several great views), giving Kate support, and most importantly holding the light!!  : )

Thanks to both of you for a fabulous experience.  Kate, I'll miss you and look forward to hearing about all of your great accomplishments in Arizona. . .

Sarah T.

It was back to Des Peres Park for another shoot.  This time, it was Sarah.  Sarah was a student of mine a couple of years ago.  She's a bright scholar and recent recipient of the "Best Math Student" award at KHS.  She's a super-nice kid who's potential is unlimited.  I'm sure, in time, we'll hear about some amazing things she's accomplished.

Mom joined us and was a big help holding the reflector.  She took the challenge of folding it up when we were done and nailed it.  I can see where Sarah gets her smarts!

Thanks for your trust, Sarah.  I had a blast, and you were amazing!

Kelli M.

Well, we've been trying to get this scheduled for quite a while now, but it couldn't have worked out better.  The weather was perfect and Kelli picked a great location.  I hadn't been by this park in a few years, and it sure was different than what I remembered. . .
We started out on the wooden walkway, then worked our way around the lake.  "Get off the picnic table and head to the bridge."  : )

We finished up at a building that had some really cool doors.

Kelli, you did a great job.  It's hard to believe your senior year is almost over.  I've enjoyed the times we've spent together and appreciated getting to spend this evening with you. . . Thanks.

Morgan D. & Albert

Morgan is a sweet kid, and obviously beautiful.  It was a warm evening, and it was hard to believe that just a week ago we were wearing sweatshirts.  Summer is almost here. . .

Morgan had only one request, that she be able to bring along one of her 3 rescue dogs.  This one was introduced as the 100 lb. basset hound. . .  I asked if per chance, he was named after Albert Pujols, and Morgan said, "No, we think it was "Fat Albert"". . . I had a good laugh over that one.

Everything about shooting Morgan was easy.  Where ever you put her, she looks great.  Albert was a great sport until he got tired, then he just plunked down and decided he was done.

Morgan, thanks for letting me spend some time with you outside the classroom.  I'm rooting for you and hope things go great next year at Missouri State.

Nate W.

Never one to procrastinate, Nate decided to get his senior pictures done BEFORE he graduated. . . : )

We had an easy time of things. The toughest part of this shoot was just getting up early and meeting at 7:00am, but Nate is such an easy going guy that it was very relaxed and fun once we got started.

I had Nate in class last year, and it's amazing to see how much he's grown up since then.

Nate has two GIANT dogs, and the goal was to get done with all the "regular" pictures so we could head back home and get pictures with "Tank" and "Bailey".  I was ready for some chaos, but it was just the opposite.  These guys were just as laid back as Nate, and seemed to enjoy getting their pictures taken.

Nate, I hope your future holds great things for you, and kudos on your prom date. . .

Jordan W.

I remember meeting Jordan several years ago, when she used to come by Math Lab everyday.  I liked her right away, and just like her more and more, the more I get to know her.

We met at the golf course where her family plays, grabbed a couple of carts, and headed out.  We found a little out-of-the-way corner and got to work.  I knew from the first picture that this would be an easy shoot.  Jordan is completely comfortable in front of the camera, she looked amazing, and the scenery was fabulous.  Mom played a huge roll as the "reflector-holder" and you can see her handiwork if you look closely!  Great Job!!

Wow. . . you look incredible, Jordan.  Your personality jumps off the images.  It's easy to see your enthusiasm and joy, and I'll certainly miss seeing you around school next year.  But hey, you're off to do great things, so we'll just have to deal with it.

Thanks for letting me hang out with your for a little while. . .

Jess G.

Jess is a former student, an outstanding musician, and just an all-around good guy.  We met at Kirkwood Park and managed to get all our work done before the storms rolled in.  It was super-windy, so Jess had the idea of heading to the racquetball courts for some work with his guitar and bass clarinet once we shot a few regular pics.

I guess we're two-for-two in the racquetball court. . . it was another fun shoot where I was entertained in the process.  Jess pick some John Mayer tunes on the guitar and hit some awesome low notes on the bass clarinet.

Jess is headed off to Belmont University in Nashville, and there's no doubt he's made a good choice for himself.  Maybe some day I'll buy a one of his CD's. . .

Tara B.

I still remember the first time I saw Tara. . . I had gone to Vetta to watch some of my students play in an indoor soccer league, and a couple of them pointed out this little incoming freshman.  I just remember that she was skilled, played hard, and the older girls were excited about having her on the team the following year.

Well, it's been four years, and now Tara's a senior.  She's had a great career and been part of some very successful teams at KHS.  She's been a great teammate and a consistent competitor.  She's put in so much work on the soccer field, that it just seemed like the best place to shoot her senior pictures.

It's been a weekend of rain and storms, but we got about 30 minutes of shooting in before the next wave of clouds and wind rolled in.  Tara did a great job between the embarrassed looks caused by either something I did (got stuck in the fence) or something "Mom" did, "Hey mom, could you pick up her shoes?"

Tara, you look beautiful, and I've enjoyed watching you compete these last 4 years.  Thanks for allowing me to spend some time with you today.  You ROCKED!!

Jordan B.

It was another early morning as Jordan got up and met me at 7:00am this morning.  (She convinced her friend, Suzy, to join us, so Suzy made sure she was warm, fixed her hair, and gave her general "good friend" encouragement.)  Jordan is a sweet kid and an outstanding All-State volleyball player, who will continue playing in college.  Her older brother, Tyler, made one of the great clutch free throws I can remember against our arch rival, Webster, in the Meramec Tournament back when I was still coaching.

We just got started when the rain hit, and then it really started to pour.  We were stuck under several awnings, but made the best of it and just kept shooting.  Jordan has brilliant blue eyes that just jump out at you.

Jordan, thanks for hanging in there this morning.  I hope Suzy's pancakes worked out!

Will H.

What a fun shoot!!  Will is a former student of mine, and a great young man.  He also happens to be a juggler-extrodanaire!  We wanted to try to catch some of the high-speed action, so I loaded up the battery pack and a couple strobes and met Will at the racquetball court at Kirkwood Park.  Will started off juggling 3 balls, and I was quite impressed.  Then he upped the anti to 5.  I explained to him that all he had to do was just get them in the air for a second or two and we could get a good picture.  I was shocked when he just started juggling the 5 and kept on going while I moved around to try different angles.

We took a break to get some "normal" senior pics over by the lake, but we were both eager to get back to see what the "fire" would look like.  Yea, THE DUDE JUGGLED FIRE!!  It was so cool, and I just started laughing during the shoot because it was so much fun.

Will, you're headed off to do great things I'm sure.  You've always been a top-notch person, and I have great respect for you.  Thanks for meeting me at the courts and doing your thing!

Caroline C

Caroline is a former student of mine and just a super-sweet person, so I was eager to meet her for this shoot.  She is so unassuming and as a result wasn't super-comfortable being the center of attention at first, but you have to try really hard to keep a smile off her face, so we just started shooting and things just worked.

Caroline had just returned from a spring break trip to Hawaii, and we wanted to capture her tan.  She also brought a flower that gave her a little island feel.  We meet at the bowling alley, headed to the bridge, and then over to the park. She just lit things up from the start.  She was going to change into another outfit, but for some reason, the bathroom at the park was locked.  Mom had a fun time hanging out and holding the light, so thanks for that.

Caroline, I can't wait to learn of all the great things you accomplish in the years to come.  You're a kind soul and it's been fun getting to know you. . .

Megan W.

Megan is AWESOME!!  She was brave enough to meet me at 7:00am on a Saturday morning so we could get the best light and also had to brave temperatures in the 40's!  Mom and Dad and the two dogs joined us and we had a blast.  Megan is an amazing kid and is just joyful and full of life.  Mom and Dad embrace her quirks whole heartedly, and it's great to see a family that knows each other so well, and loves each other anyway.

We hung out around the train station with Mom and Dad offering encouragement (and boundaries) while helping haul around some equipment.  We didn't get yelled at for being on the tracks, which is a first.

Megan, you knocked it out of the park.  I loved hanging out with you, and your spirit is contagious.  . . . And WHAT A SMILE!!

Caitlin W.

One of my favorite things about photography is the opportunity it affords you to meet and build friendships with people you'd otherwise never know.  Caitlin is a student at Eureka, and I met her while shooting their lacrosse poster a couple of years ago.  She's a great athlete with a beautiful smile and I was excited about meeting her downtown for our photo session.  We worried all week about the weather report, but as it turned out, we had an almost perfect evening to  shoot.  It was a little windy, but Mom did a great job holding the reflector and blocking the wind.  It was surprisingly chilly, and at one point I saw Caitlin shiver, but she was a trooper and just kept plugging.

It was great having Caitlin's Mom, Dad, and boyfriend Scott along (and it was a pleasant surprise when Scott stepped out of the car and I realized I knew him.)

Caitlin, you were amazing!  And like I told you several times during the shoot, I knew the pics would be good, but not THIS good.  You lit up the camera, and I had a blast hanging out with the entire clan.  I'll see you at a lacrosse game sometime soon!

Ellen H

A long time in the making, this was a photo shoot of "firsts". . . Like the first time we've run across a turtle, or the first time I'd been MACED. . . funny story, really. . .

We found the world's most wind-resistent dandelions and had a great time!  Ellen is a sweet kid, and when her car pulled up, it was a great surprise to see her older sister, Maggie, step out of the car.  Big sis was a great help with her suggestions, and it was good to see her and catch up.  Ellen was a natural in front of the camera and I learned she works at an animal shelter / kennel, and you could instantly see her love for animals when we crossed paths with that wild turtle. . .

Ellen & Maggie, thanks for sharing a beautiful Sunday morning!

Madeline H.

We had been hoping to shoot Madeline's senior pics in a big snow storm, but alas, no snow in St. Louis this year. . . Madeline put on her awesome green coat anyway, and we pretended.  I had a great time with Madeline as we hung out on the railroad bridge.  Madeline has gorgeous eyes and a kind heart.  She's off to tackle the world and I was happy I got to be a part of her senior picture experience.  Thanks, Madeline!

Boy's Tennis Poster

I was really excited to shoot the Kirkwood Boy's Tennis Team and try out my new Innovatronix battery pak, which allows me to take the studio strobes out to a location.  Here's the original photo we shot and then the final poster after a little work in photoshop.  I used two umbrellas set at 30 degree angles to cross-light the players.  They did a great job of mixing up their poses, and looking pretty intimidating.  Nice going, fellas!!

Pioneers Win Districts Again!

The Pioneers came out firing, built a lead, got a little careless, fouled too much, then settled in and rode Kayla Martin's 20 point effort to a District Title, defeating Cor Jesu, 67-55.  Lianna Doty controlled the ball, showed 3-point range along with the ability to finish drives with buckets, and hit free throws (She finished with 25 points to lead the Pioneers).  Good all-around efforts from the entire team sent the Pioneers to their second straight Sectional game.  They will play Wednesday night against Zumwalt West.
Congratulations, Ladies!!!!

Seniors Win Final Home Game

It was a festive Friday night inside David Holley Assembly Hall as we celebrated the six senior basketball players; Myles Artis, Jeremy Byrd, Ben Crancer, Connor Jacobs, Clark Randall, and Chris Taylor.  A large student section and the amazing Kirkwood Drum Line brought a high intensity feel to the game and helped the Pioneers get off to a quick start.  Summit rallied late, but then Clark Randall sealed the victory with a gutsy "3" late.

Halftime began with the senior Cheerleaders and Senior Pommies and appeared to be over, when a crazed Bria McWoods ran on the floor.  Little did we know, that was the plan, and as Bria started dancing, she was joined by her fellow senior classmates, parents, and teachers and a joyful "flash-mob" was the result.  What a fun way close out these seniors last appearance in this gym.

Both the boy's and girl's teams begin district play next week at Fox.  Come out and support your Pioneers!!