Last year a couple things came around full circle for me. One of those things was an opportunity to teach at the OSU MU Craft Center. I took my very first B&W darkroom class there more than half my life ago, worked at the front desk when I was a student in the photography program, and spent countless nights developing film under the safe light. When they needed another instructor I was excited to return years later as an instructor. That’s where I met Amanda (Manager Amanda, I’m Photo Amanda). After connecting on facebook I got to see photos of her freaking out when her man arrived home – unannounced SURPRISE! – after months abroad playing/teaching basketball. My first thought was, “Yaaaaaaaaay!!! Happy Day!!!” My second thought was, “Damn check out the height difference on those two! That would be a bitch to photograph…” Which promptly lead me to asking her if she and Calvin wouldn’t mind helping me work on posing and directing a couple with an extreme height disparity (such as themselves) by modeling for me. Double bonus points for me because they also had never had professional portraits done and I would get even more practice working with folks who have little to no experience being directed for photography.
We stayed on Oregon State University campus for their session. It’s a beautiful campus, it’s where they met, Calvin played many a game at Gill Coliseum, and it’s where Amanda will graduate from later this year. The thing I loved most about working with these two, besides that they’re just the sweetest ever and follow directions beautifully, is that they laugh together. …like a lot. And Amanda has a loud, itself hilarious, wonderful laugh and Calvin loves to make her laugh. Awwwwwwww! Now I can only hope that if these two crazy kids ever decide to get engaged that whoever does that asking will know to have me hiding in a nearby bush/garbage can to capture the whole thing. ::cough:: hint! ::cough::
