April 1st began a series that will allow me to be transparent about the people that have influenced my personal and professional growth.  When I look at where I have achieved success, I can honestly say that I never did it alone.  There was always someone there that believed in me, motivated me, encouraged me, or pushed me to continue.  This series is dedicated to those people!

“If you admire somebody, you should go ahead and tell them. People never get the flowers while they can still smell them.” ― Kanye West

DAY 5: MARQUES (MARK) BASKIN

It only seems right that I dedicate Day 5 of Watermarks on my Soul to my older brother Mark because today is his birthday!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!!!!  Mark just so happened to be visiting D.C. this past weekend and stopped by my house on his way home, so I was able to grab a few photos of him before he hit the road to NC.

Ahhh, where do I begin with this guy?  Well, I guess i’ll start by finally releasing a semi-grudge that I have been holding since I was seven years old.  (Just kidding, sort of).  Here’s the story- my mom and I had a ritual on Saturdays morning as I was growing up- she’d take me to McDonald’s, we’d order two cheeseburgers, two small fries and 2 small Hi-C orange drinks and we’d sit in the car and eat versus eating inside the restaurant.  I don’t know why we did this but we did.  To this day, I find myself ordering food and eating it in the car during lunch.  I do it now because it give me a chance to respond to phone calls and e-mails without being the annoying person in the restaurant.    After we’d eaten, we would go grocery shopping.  I would push the cart and my mom would load the groceries.  At the first free moment, I would breeze past the cash registers to see if the Twix bars were on sale because if they were my mom would buy us some (just for me and her)!  I had my same ritual when I got home with my Twix bars- Freeze it, Bathe, Eat My Twix!   I love frozen candy because it mixes two of my favorite things – sweet and crunchy!  One night, after our Saturday outing, I performed my ritual- Freeze-Bathe-Eat.  I always took the Twix out of the freezer and set it on my bed until I was bathed and dressed. On this particular evening, I did the “freeze-bathe-eat”, but when I walked back into my room I couldn’t find my Twix bar.  I searched all over my room looking for it.  I went a checked the freezer again, checked under my bed, and check the bathroom to see if I somehow messed up a step somewhere.  I asked my mom had she seen my Twix and she hadn’t.  I asked my dad had he seen my Twix and he hadn’t and I went and asked Mark had he seen my Twix and as he pretended to be sleeping he said he hadn’t.  I went back to searching my room and then pleaded with my mom to help me find it.  She finally decided to walk into Mark’s room and ask “Mark, did you eat Terri’s candy bar” and he confessed!!!!!  He ATE it and had the audacity to hide the wrapper under his pillow and pretend to be sleeping while I’m tearing up my room searching for my missing Twix bar.  My mom told him that he would have to repay me, but that didn’t fix the problem!!!  I was 2/3 of the way thru my Freeze-Bathe-Eat ritual and was so upset that I cried….over a candy bar!

Mark would probably never admit to doing this but it happened.  Since that tragic “Candy Bar Confession”, Mark has managed to play his big brother role a million times better.  Mark and his family are very supportive of my dreams and they were my first large family that I photographed- there are 6 of them.  Now, I can confidently stand in from of a bridal party and give instructions on posing because I had some practice with Mark’s family, which prepared me for other large families and groups.  Mark has somewhat taken up photography as a hobby and uses my first camera and reaches out to me when he has questions.

Thanks Mark and your family (Danene, Brittnee, Jala, Devon and Malia) for leaving Watermarks on my Soul!  Oh, and Mark still hasn’t repaid my Twix bar but it’s all good now, Happy Birthday!

Watermarks on my Soul Series:

• Watermarks on my Soul : The Why
• Watermarks on my Soul : Day 1 – My Parents
• Watermarks on my Soul : Day 2- Rae Images
• Watermarks on my Soul : Day 3 – Quad and Keisha Smith
• Watermarks on my Soul: Day 4- Laura Huntley Photography