Written With Hearts

Written With Hearts - Chapter Twenty

Yate.....

When we arrive at Rick Delaney's, an established and popular photographer whose pictures are loved by many authors, I'm actually feeling a little nervous. This is to be my first shoot with him, and after us meeting at a previous signing, he seemed really keen to work with me.

He is wanting new photographs with new models. The authors have a voracious appetite for pictures that are suitable as covers for their books, and Rick knows exactly what they like. They absolutely love his work. He's admired and highly respected in this game, and he comes across as a top bloke, as well. Working with Rick is definitely a high point for me.

"Yate, it's good to see you again, buddy!" Rick is quick to greet me with an enthusiastic handshake and the broadest of smiles, as we are making our way towards his house via the gravelled drive.

"You, too." I return his broad smile with an even broader one. "This is my girlfriend, Abby." I quickly introduce them both.

Rick moves from me, quick to welcome her with his green eyes widening with interest. "Abby, so lovely to meet you." He politely, and much more subtly, shakes her hand.

"You, too." She brightly smiles at him, nervously glancing across at me. Abby is familiar with Rick's work, too. She has friends who have used his work as covers, so she's pretty much in awe of meeting him.

I slip my hand in hers, turning my attention back to Rick. "You have a nice place," I tell him, with my impressed eyes taking in the imposing late Victorian house; slowly making their way to the majestic looking oak tree that proudly stands beside it.

Rick smiles, thanking me with a slow nod of his head. "Thanks, I've been here for over nine years now. Follow me, my studio is at the back of the house." He leads the way, confidently striding in front of us. "I'll get us all a drink, and you can meet Zara. She's a fairly new model, too. I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to see what you two are like in front of the camera. I have a feeling that you're going to look great together in a shot." Fuck! I didn't know he wanted to do some couple shots, as well! Fuck! My eyes flick across to Abby, who says nothing but her expression looks awkwardly tight. Meanwhile, Rick seems completely oblivious to my slight dilemma, chattering away without a care in the world. "I'll still be wanting to photograph just you as well, Yate . . . I just want to see what magic we can create with Zara," he casually adds, presenting both Abby and me with a wide smile just over his shoulder.

I think this is an epic fail on my part. An innocently done epic fail, but an epic fail nevertheless. I wanted today to be about Abby seeing what I do; now she has to watch me pose with another woman. Fuck! I squeeze her hand tighter, and she looks at me with that same tight and pained smile. I wish I could say something but can't, because we are right behind Rick. Instead, I throw her one of my 'forgive me' smiles. I'm fucking relieved when she smiles back with one of her relaxed and warm ones.

"Here it is." Rick opens the door, stepping inside to his large studio.

It's spacious with clinically white bare walls. A windowless photographer's haven with clusters of umbrella lights mounted on tripods at the far end of the room.

There are also different sized platforms sitting against the wall in another corner of the room; all black in colour.

My eyes leisurely acquaint themselves with the studio, even noticing the three metal-framed trusses that hang above us. I am much more savvy about the equipment being used now. When I first began doing this, the only thing that I truly recognised, were the ladders that are often beside the lighting tripods. I used to wonder what on earth does a photographer need ladders for? My answer came when I saw the photographer stepping up one to adjust their lights and to hang a muslin backdrop from one of the trusses.