When Alex’s Mom called about scheduling his Senior photo session we talked about details and when I asked about his interests and hobbies she told me that he was in the middle of getting his pilot’s license.  I thought, HOW COOL!  I suggested, “What about getting some shots with planes?”  She loved the idea so we planned to do the whole session at the airport. Brett and I were really excited about this session. We loved how it was so unique and personal to Alex.  But on a side note, if I had to hear Brett sing the theme song from “Top Gun” one more time, I might have screamed. :)

On to ALEX!!

This is the plane he flies with….

Then we walked around the airport and looked at some other cool planes.

They were taking off right behind us.

I love this old vintage plane. Looks like something off the set of “LOST.”

We tried to get some regular non-plane shots too around the hangers.

I love this shot because he was looking over and smiling at his Mom.   I can’t imagine how nervous she must feel knowing he is up in the air all the time. Alex has already enlisted in the air force too.  I know her heart goes up in that plane every time it takes off.

What a great SMILE!!

Alex, thanks so much for getting up early to hang with us. We had a blast walking around the airport and hearing about everything. We wish you the best of luck your Senior year, and the years after in the air force! Be safe for your MAMA.  :)

As we were getting all our gear together and preparing for a photo session a couple weeks back, we noticed a visitor sitting on our back deck.  Actually I was watering my flowers and never even noticed the uninvited guest peering at me from 4 feet away.  When Brett yelled a minute later, I walked out to see this guy staring at me.

We have a hot tub on our back deck, and since we live on a hill we get some major wind gusts ripping through.  The previous owners decide when they put the hot tub in, to also put up a wind shield behind it made of plexy glass.  It does a great job of stopping the wind, but also does a great job of stopping birds.  (You would think with how filthy it is, they would see it!  I purposefully DO NOT clean it.) We realized after the bird sat there for a while that he most likely had hit the glass and was injured or stunned.

Brett started taking pictures and he kept getting closer, and closer, and closer. I quickly reminded him that those suckers are fast, and could jump up and claw his eyeball out if he wanted too. Then I went inside to look him up in the internet to see exactly what he was. He is a Hawk (Falcon’s I guess are endangered-I didn’t know). My kids see him flying around all the time, and earlier that same day they were outside doing hawk calls. Call me crazy, but I think this guy was swooping down to check things out.  Kinda creepy.  Kinda cool.

a hawk + a super-soaker gun = weird photo combo

Brett got this shot of him blinking….

So, we didn’t know what to do and he sat there like an hour and we had to leave for our shoot. We said that we would call the animal services if it was still there when we got back. Brett’s Mom was watching the kids while we were gone, and she said about 2 hours later that it just took off. We were happy he moved on.

Very interesting visitor indeed. Our first official animal photo shoot. :)