"That's a good pose, Yeliz! Alright, steady... Steady..."
The camera flashed.
"Good job! Two more shots..."
The camera flashed twice this time. I closed my eyes for a bit so my vision wouldn't get distorted by the blinding lights from the camera. I saw the photographer smiling widely at me when I opened my eyes.
"Good work, Yeliz. We're done with this set. You can change now for the last set and then we're good to go."
I smiled at him and went down the platform. Lumapit ako sa kanya. I wanted to look at the shots, but I really wanted to rest my eyes more, even for a bit. It has been more than two hours since we started this photo shoot for a purse from a local brand. It was a good thing that this was a studio photo shoot. I didn't think I would last long if we were outside.
"This will be the last set, right?" I asked. "Since I will be wearing a school uniform, is changing my makeup into a natural-looking one, okay? I must look like a student."
The photographer chuckled.
"You are a student, sweetheart... And you have an innocent face. We needed to put full makeup on you on the first two sets to make you look mature to match the theme. Well, I guess it's right to change your makeup this time." He glanced at the owner of the brand. "What do you think?"
She was looking at the screen monitor, probably already checking the shots we took. Saglit lang s'yang nag-angat ng tingin at ngumiti.
"If that's what you think is the best. I trust you, Miss Aslanova. You're the expert here."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Mabilis akong umiling. I even waved my hands frantically to dismiss what she said.
"Oh, my gosh. No, I'm not. I'm just a model. I just have to do what's best and look good in the camera."
"What do you mean you're just a model? You're the main star today!" The photographer looked offended for my sake. Mukhang hindi talaga sumasang-ayon sa sinabi ko kung maka-deny.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"The main star here is the purse."
"Do you know that you're my favorite model?" Parang hindi man lang narinig ng photographer ang sinabi ko. "You're one of the youngest models, but you act like a professional."
"Well..." I tucked my hair behind my ears. "I've been in this industry for four years already. Of course, I learned all the dos and don'ts by heart."
I started as a teen model. I was at a business party with Dad at the time when a talent scout approached me, handed me his business card, and invited me to be their model. I declined, but he insisted that I take his business card in case I changed my mind later. So, I decided to accept his business card out of politeness.
I wasn't planning to become a model. I knew that Dad wouldn't let me anyway because of his overprotectiveness. It was already a miracle that he took me with him to that business party. Though his men were all around the area, watching the venue, keeping an eye on me in case there was any danger.
But that talent scout was so persistent. He found the school where I was going and even waited for my class to end every freaking day just to talk to me. He actually creeped me out at first. Ang kulit-kulit n'ya kasi. I almost asked my bodyguards to do something about him. But there was something that he said that piqued my curiosity.
"Just watch one of our shoots! You'll be able to see how models work." That was his eighth day waiting outside my school. "Just watch. You have nothing to lose. Who knows, you might actually gain something when you watch."
