JDP senior Hunter

This kid…JDP senior Hunter has made me smile every time I’ve seen him over the years.  Mostly because he’s driven to adventure and to embrace life in a way that’s bound to generate some incredible stories.

Hunter’s not looking to create a story with his adventures, but instead memories that will be stamped on his mind long after he’s unable to accomplish the exploits he’s famous for.  This summer he won the longest ride for the day of the mechanical bull at the Ag Fair.  When I heard, I smiled, not surprised!

At his core he’s an outdoor adventurer.  Two of his life guiding passions are hunting and fishing.  He’s up before the rest of the world, trying to cajole friends out of bed to join him in duck hunting.  We created the segment below in our studio pond.  I imagined Hunter up early in the morning as the sun is rising and then there till later in the day still waiting for just the right hunting opportunity.

While we were having Hunter’s view and choose he kept glancing out the window and I said, ‘are you hearing the geese?’  Yup!  It was driving him a little batty and he was itching to go hunt!  That ‘get up and go do the thing you love’ runs strong in Hunter and is a trait that will serve him well throughout his life.  He’s not a kid to sit idle behind a screen because he’s well aware that our best memories are made pursuing what we love, rather than watching other people do that.

I’ve heard stories about Hunter’s adventures involving four wheelers, bareback horseback riding/standing on his horse, fishing and hunting since he was a little boy.  And even been able to witness some of that adventuring a few times.  The stories always make me smile and think, ‘go get ’em Hunter!’  I’m a little partial as well because I’ll never forget this very iconic Norman Rockwell moment I captured of Hunter years ago while running through our back woods…

Hunter is a hunter in all forms…no pun intended;)  He hunts deer, duck and goose and eats them all.  He’s even butchered his own deer!  My favorite thing about our JDP senior line is being able to customize in ways that make our seniors grin in pride and joy doing the things they love most in life.

And this segment right here was where I was so bowled over by how much Hunter resembles a young Patrick Swayze!  Unreal!  I’ve got quite the cast of stars lately in my JDP seniors–a Swayze, a Julianne Moore and a Zac Efron all coming up! 😉

Hunter was recently featured in Carroll County Times for his work at the Career Tech center in carpentry.  He enjoys the program although not sure it will be a career choice for him.  Welding is intriguing him right now as well.

When we planned Hunter’s session, we knew that his truck and hunting would be the two major focuses.  This is the truck that takes him to his adventures and equips the country boy life he loves.

Hunter envisions himself out west one day making his life on a large piece of property that allows for the freedom that east coast regulation squashes.

Hunter’s mom fell in love with this moment of Hunter below.  “He does that, he just sits in his truck and thinks.”  He’s equal parts thinker and doer.   Years ago someone told me I was like a hunter as a photographer, searching out my surroundings for where the amazing was and being alert to grab it when it happened.  That’s what happened below, I hunted and found this moment.  Hunter, keep embracing the fullness of life and making us all smile in the process!