SENIOR
A Session Full of Laughter, Roping, and a Whole Lot of Chevy Charm
When Hyatt Stephens’ senior session rolled around, I knew I was in for something special, but little did I know it would turn into a session full of wit, Chevy vibes, and a roping showdown. The first session was all about being a fly on the wall, capturing Hyatt in his element—no forced poses, just him doing what he loves. Watching his passion shine through was a pure joy. By the end of that day, I packed up my camera feeling like I had hit the jackpot with some amazing shots, but the excitement didn’t stop there. A couple of weeks later, I headed to his grandparents’ place for round two. We kicked things off with some classic fence portraits, but Hyatt—being the shy, laid-back guy he is—wasn't giving me that perfect smile right away. The pressure was on, especially with a family audience watching. Enter Grandpa and his beloved old Chevy—aka, the MVP of the day. With one witty remark about the truck, Hyatt’s finally smiled, and I pounced like a paparazzi at a red carpet (in my head not legit). Gotcha! But Grandpa wasn’t getting off the hook that easy. After letting Hyatt soak up the spotlight, I turned my camera on Grandpa and told him to step into the frame. At first, he resisted, but after some playful nudging, I finally convinced him to pose. Two clicks in, and he mutters, “Jeez, sounds like a BB gun going off... pew pew pew.” Yep, I’ve got my camera set to high-speed mode because catching Hyatt’s smile is like chasing a tumbleweed in the wind—quick, elusive, and always worth the chase! Now, let’s talk about that smile. Hyatt’s not one to flash it around like he’s at a photo booth, but the minute we started talking about roping, the shy cowboy turned into a rodeo champ. The stories started flowing, and before long, he was telling me about the time he lost a finger while roping at 12 years old. No big deal, right? Just a casual war story from the roping world! The transformation was amazing to witness. After a few more shots by the barn (and, of course, with his horse), we wrapped up back at his home barn. By the end of the day, I felt like I had captured so much more than just a few senior portraits—I had documented Hyatt in his truest form. It was an honor to be a part of such a huge milestone in his life, and getting to know this family, from Mom and Dad to Grandma and Grandpa, oh and his famous Chevy, was a total joy. A huge shoutout to Nikki, a previous senior’s mom, for referring Hyatt and his family to me—this session was one for the books! As I would say my kindaaaa vibe. If you know, you know. Hyatt may be reserved, but when it comes to roping, his passion speaks louder than words. Here’s to capturing the real deal a missing finger and all- here's to Hyatt and the road ahead!
