commitment.

1

caelan saxton, 22

i walked around the gallery taking photos. it was kind of redundant you know, taking pictures of pictures. nevertheless i snapped away at various things. often times the photographers would call me over to take a picture if they made a sale. i was becoming extremely bored, i suppose i was considered "staff" therefore i was overlooked. i headed over to the dry bar. i got a bottle of water and went back to walking around. i made my way over to the back of the gallery. i stood at a table and looked through my photos. all of them were better than half the things that sold tonight. they weren't even my best work. and yet, here i was... taking pictures of the pictures.

"excuse me, are you still taking pictures?" a woman asked me. i didn't even look up as i nodded my head. i was over the night.
"would you mind taking mine please?" she asked. now that got me to lift my head up. i haven't heard please all night, everyone was so caught up in their own world that i guess manners don't matter.
"sure." i said. i followed her to an art installation. it was a series of tubes and thread intertwined with each other. she stood next to it and posed. truthfully she was breathtaking.

"can you turn around, so i can get the back of your outfit?" i asked her. she turned around tugging at her jacket so i could get all parts of it. she was a natural model.
"can i see em?" she asked me. i nodded and went through the ones of her.
"these are amazing, is your work here tonight?" she asked.
"thank you & no it's not."
"a shame for real... when you upload these can you send them to me please?"
"yea no problem, what's your email?" i asked trying to sound professional. i've done a lot of these art shows and gallery openings, i've never had anyone ask for the pictures i take of them.

"just take down my number." she replied. i handed her my phone and she saved her number.
"thank you again, have a goodnight."
"thanks, you too." i replied. as the night winded down i mulled over the rest of the pictures i took. they became dull to me, only her pictures stood out. i checked my phone to see her name, sakari. on my drive home i decided i would process her photos first, after all they were the only ones i liked. when i got home i sat at my computer and got to work. after three hours i finished. i didn't touch anything on her, not even her hair. i only fixed some of the backgrounds. i did some creative edits on copies i made. the next morning i sent her a text.

caelan: hey, it's caelan. the photographer from the gallery. i finished all the photos. i can send you the raw ones with no edits, the ones with the changes to the background, and the creative ones if you would like those.
sakari: send me all of them, thank you
caelan: attachment 15 images.
caelan: let me know what you think and i can make changes if needed.

she took a while to reply, i guess she was looking through them.

sakari: i love them all. how much?
caelan: thank you & how much for what?
sakari: i would like to buy them, do you take apple pay?
caelan: oh wow, yes i do but it was a free event so you don't have to pay. you would've seen them online anyways.
sakari: apple pay $300
caelan: oh thank you. i really appreciate it.
sakari: no problem.

i left her on read and finished sending the rest of the photos to the owner of the gallery. i was genuinely glad she liked the pictures, i was shocked she paid for them. my day went on as normal. checked my emails and dms for business opportunities, then accepted some while i negotiated others. some people really come with their audacity preloaded. why would you ever ask me for 20 photoshop edited photos for 100 dollars...? i just didn't get it.

sakari: can i book you?
caelan: sure, i need a time and date.
sakari: today at 3. my regular photographers wife went into labor so i won't have him for a while.
caelan: uhh i have other work, are you sure there's no other time?
sakari: i have a brand deal post due today. i'll pay you double your rate, name your price.
caelan: my normal rate is fine, send the location i'll be there at 2 to set up.
sakari: thank you, i appreciate it.
sakari: Loft Studios at 5th and Main, studio 7. see you soon.

i sat around for a second before i saw the time... 1248!! i did not have that much time. i packed my camera bags making sure i had extra batteries and lenses. i then showered and got dressed. i noticed in the back of my mind that i was putting a bit more effort than usual into my appearance. i ignored it and continued getting ready. i left the house at 139pm. not ideal but i made it work. once i arrived at the loft stufios, i had to be buzzed in. i pressed the button for studio 7.

"hello? it's caelan, i'm here for Sakari."
"come on up." i went up the stairs and turned down the hallway to studio 7.
"hey caelan, its good to see you. whatever extra equipment you may need just let me know." sakari said. i nodded and looked around the studio. i started to unload my camera bags.

"do you want anything to drink?" sakari asked.
"no thanks. i'll be set up in about 10 minutes, so if you have a first outfit you want to put on now would be the time." i replied. sakari laughed a bit.
"you extremely professional, i respect it. i'll go change." sakari said. by time i finished setting up sakari was dressed. i pulled down the lilac backdrop, it was so light purple it was almost white.
"do you need your mark or?" i asked.
"nah i got it." sakari said. i snapped a couple candids before asking her to pose. like i said, she was a natural.

"how many shots do you need?"
"how many you have?"
"27."
"oh shit that's more than enough. let me go change again." sakari went behind a folding shade, only her head and below her ankles being visible.
"so how old are you?"
"22." i replied looking through the pictures. i didnt know why this was getting personal, this was a job. she came out from behind the screen dressed. i started shooting again focusing on the details of her outfit. the process repeating three more times. as soon as we were done i started to pack up.
"you don't model?" sakari asked. i shook my head no. as soon as i was packed up i was about to head out.

"so i'm gonna edit them, just little stuff and i'll send them to you tonight. i'll send the best of each outfit to you so that you can do your post."
"thank you caelan, i really do appreciate it. can i book you again? like i said i won't have my regular photographer because he with his wife and baby."
"yea but go through my booking site."
"uhh nah..." sakari said with a laugh. "it will kind of be like today. like i said i'll pay you double your rate but at most it'll be a three day notice."
"well i have other clients so..."

"i understand that but this includes opportunities to travel and network with other clients and photographers. more artists and media specialists. think about it and let me know. i believe you can be doing more than prom pictures and baby showers. i'll apple pay you right now though." sakari said. my eyebrows furrowed at her words. "i believe you can be doing more" was i not doing enough? i always thought that i was doing enough for ME. did it matter that she thought i wasn't doing enough?
"caelan. caelan!"
"huh what? yes?"
"do you have all your things?"
"yes i do. thanks for hiring me... see you later." i said heading towards the door. sakari's eyes had a strange look in them. i ignored it and head downstairs and out the building.

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋

"quien es?? es icypear??? no mi digaaaa, ay dios mío es icypear mi favorita persona!" - yall probably.