Sam and Brando, Signing Off
It was about two hours after first meeting Sam, when we were standing with our cameras at the top of Chair 4 at Vail Mountain, when she first told me that GRP is magic. I did not understand at that time what she was talking about, but everything else was magic for me, and it wasn’t long before we’d begin our life adventures together.
In 2017 we found ourselves driving past the front gate onto the driveway of The Preserve. I was immediately in awe of Sandy’s cabin and the enormous, perfectly manicured Front Field. Having never been to a summer camp of any kind, I had nothing to imagine except for the outrageous comedies I’d seen. Now I know there are camp “events” like desert, or breadstick night, that make some of those comedies seem slightly more realistic. Anyway, there we were with our pup, Einstein, and on our very first night we decided to backpack to Joe’s Pool, got lost, and ended up tying our hammocks into the Clyde Lyde shelter. The next morning, on the short hike back to our new home at the Mentor Lodge, with sun rays dancing through the treetops and mist floating through the undergrowth, we both knew we’d found our place.
With each passing day, week, month, and year, we grew. We found ourselves. We found our people. Between the two of us, we’ve been on hundreds of Mentor hikes, capturing iconic moments of adventure and wonder. For many summers, my greatest joy in my position was tagging along with Expeditions to chronicle their incredible adventures paddling on whitewater rivers, climbing at Bear Rock, or following their journeys out in the wilds of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For Sam, camp comes alive in the trust her campers place in her. For laughter shared every day, for the steady comfort of belonging, and for honest conversations under the pines.
Over the years, we’ve been lucky to deepen our craft, forge countless friendships, and help make GRP as unforgettable for our campers as it has been for us. After so many memories that will live in our hearts forever, Sam and I have decided it’s time to turn our full attention back to our first love: photography and storytelling. Dreams of our own studio and a small creative business have been rekindled by every frame we’ve shot during our time here, and we’re ready to take that step.
Thank you, GRP—thank you to our admin, our staff, our campers and each friend who has made this place so much more than just a job. You’ve given us roots in a world of endless possibility, and for that we’ll be forever grateful.
Sam and Brando, signing off.