My signature word

I've shown you a few of my latest shoots.  Now, I'll take on on a magical mystery tour...way back to the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth...2009.  Fine, you got me, it was last fall.  But it seems like forever ago.

My first shoot ever as a "professional"; John, Alyssa (blondey over there), and Ava.  They are pretty awesome*.  They are all pretty cute.  They are all Wheeler's.  My brothers kids.  We had just picked up out Nikon D90 at Hunts in South Portland and needed willing guinea pigs.  When in doubt, turn to your family...whatever, it was free.  We headed to the Footbridge in Ogunquit ie; the world's most awesome* beach.  It was sunset.  As far as I'm concerned the best time of day to take pictures.  The sunlight is still bright, but the lower the sun sits the softer and warmer the light is.  Warmer in regards to color, not temperature.  From what I hear, the sun is raging hot wherever it is. That's science.

And THAT is my sister-in-law, Tree.  Yep.  Tree.  Actually name, not short for anything.  She's holding baby Ava, who is one tough kiddo.  Ava was born with a severely deformed heart.  The best way to describe it...well, only half of it works and its in backwards.  She had her first of two open heart surgeries four days before Christmas.  They live in Wells.  We live in Portland, and Ava was at Maine Med.  So Jamie, the kids and I, my in-laws, my brother, sister in-law, John, Alyssa, and just released from the hospital Ava, opened presents in our condo on Christmas morning.  Best.  Christmas.  Ever.  Ava is doing awesome* now.  She is such a sweet baby.  Not out of the woods yet though.  Surgery two is months or possibly years away.  For now, she's the Wheeler family miracle.  And she'll have a long life of me sticking a camera in her face.  She also rocks a mean baby-hawk!
        
And then there is John.  Technically, my step-nephew, but he's just as Wheeler as the rest of us.  He is ranked highly on my top five most awesome* kids of all time list.  John was a pro...he rocked some mad awesomeness* during the shoot.  I didn't even have to tell him what to do.  He's a natural.  His awesome-ocity* known no bounds.  Pretty sure he was Pistol Pete Maravich in his former life.  You should see the kid "ball."  Mad skillzzzzz, dawg.  He's straight up killin' 4-5th grade pee-wizzz-ee hoop-shizle!  Wait...what?            

There's Alyssa again going all cyclopes behind John.  Don't let the coyness fool you, she is a spark plug!  She never stops moving, talking, singing, yelling, playing, bossing, or bouncing...and she can do all that at once!  Its pretty spectacular to witness.  But she stopped long enough.  I say "Hey Alyssa, go hug John."  She replies, "I don't like him enough and he smells."  Clearly, at 4, she had already mastered the art of sarcasm.  Another sure sign that she is, indeed, related to me.  Wheeler's are basically awesome* at sarcasm.

By now, you all see my signature word is Awesome*.  I've been saying it for years...I mean, before Captain Awesome* was a staple on Chuck, before Crayola produced the color Awesome*(its dark pink btw), and WAY before Wells-based rapper S'pose dropped "I'm Awesome*" on the world...I was awesome*.  I think thats 13 awesomes*.  Wait...14.  

*denotes signature word