Missy Franklin hits the field || For the Denver Post

Sometimes, you just don’t know where a day will take you.

Most times, you don’t know where a day will take you. This idea has largely been the theme of my 2012 thus far. Well…

Back in February, I had an unexpected opportunity to photograph soon-to-be Olympic swimming wonder, Missy Franklin. As I conveyed then, I was humbled and grateful for the warm welcome the Franklin family gave me during that assignment.

Since then, Missy enchanted the world with her performance at the London Olympic Games this summer, winning four gold medals and bronze.

Yesterday afternoon, I had just settled down to get some work done at home when Dan texted me asking if I was free to go to a Rapids soccer game to photograph Missy Franklin. She would be visiting with fans and be recognized for her achievements during halftime, and the Denver Post needed some art to accompany a story concerning her life after the Olympics.

I roused myself right quick.

“Would you take a picture so I can post it to Twitter?” Missy Franklin, 17, asked her friend, as she posed with her new, custom Rapids jersey.

As she was led down to the soccer field prior to the game, almost instantly the crowd recognized Franklin and scrambled to get a picture and autograph with the swimming sensation. She graciously obliged.

Franklin poses with Rapids forward, Brian Mullan. Mullan graduated from the same high school Missy now attends.

Franklin autographs the arm of one of her young fans after the girl’s father talked her out of getting her forehead signed instead.

It was great to photograph Missy once more. She remains a genuine, classy, comfortably teenage gal.

Check out the full story over on the Denver Post.