“My life is hockey.”

I’d asked him about himself, his interests. His clear, simple answer told me a lot – about the commitment, sacrifice, and demands of a life dedicated to a sport that asks everything.

I wanted to make portraits for him and his family that would honor that dedication. It was February, so surely we could find some ice for him to be photographed on, right?

The Scout

Keiji and I searched high and low, and at one point scouted a pond that was high enough in elevation to potentially be frozen. When we got there, the weirdly warmer temps in town were trying to creep up the mountain and defrost the ice. Keiji tenderly stepped out onto the surface and promptly crunched through to the bottom, soaking his shoes and pants legs. Fortunately, we made it back to the warmth of the car before hypothermia could set in. It was a little uncomfortable!

The Session

When we met on location for his senior photo session, it was a 65-degree winter day, yet there were 6 people FISHING in the little lake! Not a problem I was anticipating. But Brody, for all his intensity on the ice, is a delightful guy who took it all in stride.

He was super sweet with his little brother, who came along to help his mom, Renee, carry clothes and be his brother’s stand-in. Renee was a positive, welcome presence. As hockey parents are, she’s a get-it-done mom. They drove up from Phoenix for the session and had to drive back down right after. But no whining, no rushing the end of the session.

As the sun got low, I started getting greedy with the stunning sunset light. I didn’t want to miss a second of it.

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Flagstaff Family Portrait Photography • Flagstaff Maternity Pregnancy Photographer • Flagstaff Newborn Photographer • Flagstaff Child Photographer • Flagstaff Senior Portrait Photographer • Flagstaff Couples Photography

Kristen Dacey Iwai of KDI Photography is a full-time professional portrait photographer based in Flagstaff, Arizona with decades of experience. Making portraits of families, pregnancy, newborns, babies, children, and high school seniors in her downtown studio and on location, she serves clients from Flagstaff, Sedona, Tuba City, Winslow, Payson, Page, Williams, Prescott, Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Arizona

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