When Derek called me a couple of weeks ago and asked me to do him a “huge favor” but it was “top secrete” I immediately said “sure, what can I do for ya?” he then told me of his plan to propose to Emily. He had spelled out “Emily will you meri me” in a wheat field and needed a picture of it. He planned to put it in the Monroe paper. I of course was thrilled, this was just my thing, I would get to fly and take pictures. I could hardly wait. I am one of those girls that every time I fly I just love it, I can’t help but grin as the plane lifts off the ground and soars into the air… to me it is just awesome! Now normally when I get asked to do pictures for someone I am excited but nervous. This was different, I had no doubt I could capture exacty what he was wanting. So, I was not the least bit nervous. Little did I know what I was getting into!
On the afternoon of the planned flight and shoot Andrew came and picked me up, we headed to the airstrip (literally, it was a grass runway!) this did not worry me one bit, remember I love to fly.
“We have a bird!” Andrew exclaims as we pull in.
“Good deal.” was my reply.
We jump out and he starts his pre-flight check, while he is doing this he asked “You scared of flying?”
“Nope, I love it.” I say.
“good, good.”
We get up in the air, the grass runway was unbelievably a very smooth take-off, and away we go in seach of the field asking Emily to marry…. After only a few minute’s we find it and Andrew prepares to circle it on his side. On the way over he had already explained to me that we would circle on both sides but on his side we could open the window and hopefully get a better picture, I would just lean over him to get the shot.
So, as we circle I lean over as far as I can and prepare to start shooting when suddenly the plane banks hard and fast on my side! “Aaaaauuuuggghhhhh, Andrew WHAT are you DOING?” I yell….. Then we are banking steep again on his side. Whoa, I was not expecting that! He finds all of this yelling from me pretty funny, of course, and says “Sorry, didn’t mean to turn it that fast.” or something like that.
I guess I should have known it would be something like this. But I didn’t. And at this point I am thinking “what have I gotten myself into….???” haha! The one time that I am not a nervous wreck when someone asked me to do pictures for them and thinking this is going to be a breeze… turned out to be quite the adventure!
So anyway, we go around a few more times on my side and his, each time banking sharp and me doing a little scream and/or yell… leaning over as far as I could to get the shoot. Andrew found all of this very funny and I couldn’t help but laugh a little at myself… but mostly I just thought oh no! here we go again!!
All in all, I think it turned out great. We got the shot. And Emily said yes.
Congratulations Derek and Emily!
This is our “bird”…..
Our landing strip….
Coming up on the field….
And the finished product!
And here I am on the way home… looking at my watch…
Waiting on the judges…..
Meg and Garrett on the big screen
