Friendships can be fun. Friendships can be memorable. Friendships are taken to new heights when emotions are involved & you are asked to do grown folk stuff. After graduating from South Carolina State University, one of my dearest friends, Tiffany, was blessed with a child that she named Tyler. During the pregnancy, she asked me to be his godfather. Still young, I quickly accepted not thinking of the “true meaning” of being a godparent. Before he was born, I reflected on my godparents and our relationship and was reminded of the dutiful task I had accepted. In a nutshell, I was to treat Tyler as if he was my child (just like a father does) and agree to be there for him in the event anything happened to his birth parents.

Fast forward close to two decades from me signing up to be The Godfather and Tyler residing in multiple states and excelling in basketball, high school graduation was upon us. He was scheduled to be a graduate of Atlantic Coast High School. Anxious to see him march & document that day, I pulled out the Nikon.

Once inside and the clock said so, the festivities begun …

Those were just a few highlights that came through my lense. Glad I pushed against the grain of the venue and took my 70-200mm. It allowed me to get closer to the action with room to crop in on my final pictures. Anyway, here are a few after-graduation images of the graduate hanging with his family & friends ….

Another young black male destined for excellence and defied the odds stating that he wouldn’t graduate. Tyler will be matriculating in the fall at Troy University. I am very proud of this young man and even more proud of Tiffany. She started the early part of her adulthood as a single mother of one and blossomed into a married mother of three.

I was blessed to be asked to be GODFATHER TODD. I was and still am happy for him. Seeing Tyler embrace the start of his new phase of life was refreshing. Having his family there was surely a great thing for the graduate that he will never forget. Here is a final image of his village.

“Son, go forth and be greater than great because being great is not the greatest thing that you can do.”

– Godfather Todd

how did THAT work out for you?!?

Very grateful weekend where I celebrated Fathers. I started the weekend with a quick 7 mile run before heading out to photograph the Daddy & Me 5K. The event will be covered in a future blog. Thennnnnnnn, I spent time with my little Princess for Father’s Day.

She makes me happy. Well, time to bail. Snap at you later. BE EZ. PEACE!!! #moseawell #beEZpeace