Here’s a short story I’ve been working on today that I can hopefully finish before the end of the week:

Shooters Pt. 1

There’s just something about photography that only photographers get. Yea sure the newest phones boost the ability to take professional pictures, but until you’ve tried capturing the sun glistening from water drops sliding down the petals of lilies, while simultaneously trying not to disturb the natural setting, you haven’t captured anything yet.  Ok in my defense my freshman final shouldn’t be set as the bar for photography but there’s a point to my ramble. You need more than a phone to really get the perfect shot. You need to blend, you have to disappear. It was this factor that lead me to today’s events. A lot had changed in my life since soaking my socks in ponds scattered throughout the forest of Seattle. College came and went and so did girlfriends, my cat, and the fashion forwardness of hipsters (which let’s be honest probably should’ve never been considered fashion). I was still standing though, well currently sitting. I slid my circle glasses (remnants of my hipster days) up to the top of my head, pushing my sandy brown cut back slightly. Picking up my camera I started my session. Today’s events included doing before and after pics of a swanky engagement party. Not exactly soul reveling work, I know, but I gotta pay the bills.

“Benji don’t forget the bar,” my monotone assistant Nova reminded me as she set up. I nodded. I don’t speak much, probably the only reason Nova still has a job. Also probably the reason I can’t keep a girlfriend. Not that Nova’s a horrible assistant. She just doesn’t care. About anything really, but she doesn’t bother me, so we work. I stood up from the table I’d been capturing and turned to get the bar. These people were really going all out. A fully stocked, top shelf, free bar. I mean champagne, bourbons, vodka, every whiskey you could think of. I lifted my camera back to my face and just as I snapped my picture a figure stood up from behind the bar. “Aww man, I wasn’t ready,” a mouth underneath a scruffy beard emitted. Lowering my camera I stared in wonder. Weren’t me and Nova the only two people in here? “I’m sorry I didn’t think anyone else was here,” I offered extending my hand, “I’m Benji.” “Noah,” the beard retorted smiling, I think. “Noah this is Nova,” I said as Nova walked by offering only a head nod in his direction. “Can I see the picture?” Noah asked not even acknowledging Nova. My fingers holding my camera flittered. I don’t normally let people view my work before it’s finished. I wasn’t even sure he was in the picture to begin with. Where had he come from? I lifted my lens to review the previous picture.

 Just then Noah hopped over the bar smoothly and was standing at my shoulder. “Sorry my guy, I barely got you”, I told him as he stood uncomfortably close trying to also see my cameras feedback. It was true, it looked as if he’d been about to stand up right however he’d peaked over the bar before fully extending. The photo had only captured the top of Noah’s head down the tip of his nose. Couldn’t even make out the enormous beard on his face. Just his piercing brown eyes throwing daggers through my camera. “Oh in that case delete it,” was Noah’s seemingly gleeful response. “Sure will,” I answered him dropping the lens to my side again, inching away as I did so. He was too close for comfort. But as I tried my best to shimmy slowly away from the barkeep, he somehow was still too close. “No, now,” he said resolutely. I turned to look at him only to find those piercing brown eyes already staring at me. “Well, I kind of have a process” I started to explain because it was true. I don’t like to delete photos from any event until I’ve had time to review them. Some of my most awesome pictures were accidents I was able to edit into masterpieces. “and right now I have to finish doing my before job BEFORE it turns into the after” I decided to say. No need in getting distracted, I already had to stay for the entire 4 hour event, soon others would be showing up. Noah grabbed my right wrist firmly and grabbed the camera with his other hand. Just as my heart rate started to sky rocket Nova re-entered from wherever she’d disappeared to. Noah let me go and hopped back over the bar. “No worries,” he said back turned to me. He lifted a case of champagne from the floor onto his shoulder. “I’ll get it later,” he finished, walking into the kitchen behind the bar. “What the actual fuck,” I said aloud. Nova looked up from her phone blankly. Her silent blinks asked nothing, they more so told me to calm down and shut up. Her indifference kept me from explaining why I was making expletive filled statements loudly. I looked down at my camera, she looked back down at her phone.