I had photographed Erik in the spring right after his prom before he took his tux rental back for his senior portrait. We had agreed to do two sessions, one formal with the tux and one later on much more casual. So a couple weeks ago we got together and made some more pics--some fun and some more serious. I really think in the fun pictures we find more personality that is truer than we do in the more staged portraits---though we want to get a little of everything in the shoot. Erik's a tough kid, he curls 60 pound weights with one hand(I had trouble even moving it out of the way for one shot and I was using my whole body!). One of the things he does in training is the lineman challenge activities which often includes moving these giant tires around by flipping them--it ain't easy. So we did this sort of laid-back portrait against the tire---sort of like saying--I conquered this no sweat! Even though I thought the context of having the lights in the background was important, that would be something I might try to do different--do this shot without the lights.... or put the lights somehow in the center of the tower. We'll see, I might play with the image a little more! SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.