A love of photography

Alex was like any other 19 year old student, spending what little money he had on drink and snack food. He was of an average height, slim with messy blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. He had always had look finding girls or rather they found him, but recently Alex found his attention straying away from girls and focusing on other boy’s bodies more than the normal straight man would.
Living in the centre of New York did offer a wide range of jobs but Alex still found it hard to find anything. Finally he struck gold with a job opportunity in a film studio which handled things from shampoo ad’s to model shoots. He had never had any experience in films of any kind, after all he was studying maths. Unsure what the job entailed he turned up bright an early on Saturday morning wearing a casual black T and dark blue jeans.

‘Alex I presume?’ a hurried voice came from behind him as Alex entered the side door to the building.
‘Err yes, are you Mr Higgins?’ 
‘Yes, yes please do keep up I have a lot to do so you only have my attention for a matter of minutes’

Alex and Mr Higgins rushed down a winding corridor passing rooms filled with stage props and lighting equipment to emerge in an enormous room where what looked like a stage was being constructed in the centre.
‘Right your job will be to assist that woman over there, her name is Claire Miller. Claire is the chief photographer of the catalogue shoots that will be taking place over the next month.’
‘What is it I am actually doing for her…sir?’
‘Don’t bore me with your questions boy, go talk to her and she will give you your instructions’ 

Alex walked over to Claire who was a short, brown haired woman in her early 30’s who had 3 cameras swinging from her neck and one in her hand.
‘Hi I’m Alex, I’m here for the assistant job’
‘Oh hey…Jimmy send this off to be developed’ she through one of the cameras from around her neck to the man stood nearest. ‘Sorry about that, I’m Claire’.
‘Not to sound rude but what exactly am I supposed to do for you, is it just fetching coffees and holding cameras?’
‘Well that depends…do you want to fetch coffees and hold cameras or do you want to learn something new?'

To his relief she gave him a reassuring smile and handed him a wad of papers. He flicked through the first few pages and read, tripod 7 located in room 113. Looking down the page he saw that it was a list of equipment and there locations, followed by a map of the building which showed the labelled rooms. 

‘Alex, this is your bible…for the first week or so you will need to check on here where everything is. I only have one rule and that is speed, in this business I need things instantly if not before. Handle that and we shall become the best of friends, now get me 4 roles of X2 film and I want them in 5 minutes’. She gave him a huge grin, turned and walked away.
The time soon came round to 5 o’clock which meant home time for most but only tea break for some. Claire walked Alex to the exit, discussing his progress so far and even some things to look up in the university library.

Sunday morning arrived with a chilling wind and a curtain of rain that drenched anyone and anything that stood outside. Alex ran from his apartment onto the sidewalk and hailed a cab, luckily someone was just getting out of one a little way down the street. He was practically climbed into the front seat with anticipation, this had to be the first job that he had had that he actually looked forward to going to. The cab pulled up by the side entrance when a number of expensive cars drove by and parked by the door onto the studio. The combination of weather and distant made it hard to make out who came out of the cars but from what he could see there were 4 figures being escorted into the building by a number of men holding umbrellas. Throwing the money onto the front seat, Alex ran into the building and squelched down the corridor to the coffee room, hoping to find Claire there so he wouldn’t have to endure Mr Higgins complaining about the trail of muddy footprints in the corridor.

‘Morning Claire, have you seen the weather outside, I nearly had to swim to the side door’
‘Ha-ha I came prepared’ she wiggled her feet showing off some bright pink wellies. ‘right down to business, we have some models coming in today who will be spending pretty much most of the time around the studio so I will introduce you to them when they arrive’.
‘I think they have arrived, I mean I saw some expensive cars and people being brought in with umbrellas’

Claire rolled her eyes ‘yes that would be them, I hope their not that type of models’.
‘Err that type of models??’ Alex looked around seeing everyone sighing into their morning coffees.
‘You find in this business that there are 3 types of models...the spoilt models who don’t need the money but do modelling because they are bored...then there’s the models who think that they are perfect and demand the best of everything, finally you have the best type of models who are humble and modest or as we like to call them…the holy grail of models.’
‘Have you any idea what these models are like?’
‘Nope but I’ve got a feeling we are about to find out’

At that moment Mr Higgins strolled in followed by a tall, slim woman with platinum blonde hair wearing an impressive white suit.
‘This is Anita Calise, she is a representative for Decker’s modelling agency and will be looking after the models whilst they are in the studio. I trust you will make sure she gets anything she needs’ and with out so much of a smile from the women, both her and Mr Higgins left the room.
‘Does this mean we curtsey every time we approach her’ said a small women in the corner as she practised a curtsey, everyone laughed and joined in.

***

Morning passed with out any contact with the models and only a few errands from Anita much too many peoples relief. The atmosphere in the studio was different from earlier, everyone was fully awake and carrying props and wheeling lights around. In the centre where what had seemed like an empty stage yesterday, a beautiful garden scene had been created with an apple tree on the left and what looked like a tree stump covered in moss and flowers beneath it.

Alex was intrigued to what possible reason a fake garden would be created and indoors no less. Then to his surprise, he got the first glimpse of 2 of the models, not wearing designer clothes like he would have expected but wearing barely anything apart from a few leaves and flowers. Alex walked over to Claire who was talking to another photographer.
‘Why are they wearing flowers exactly, I thought they were fashion models?’
Claire looked at him and smiled.
‘Not all fashion is Gucci and Prada. Some fashion includes perfumes, moisturisers and hair products. Take this shoot for instance…what do you think they are modelling?’
‘Well I’m guessing it’s not baby bio so I’m going to go with perfume’

The other photographer looked at Alex impressed. ‘Not bad Claire, see you have still got a way with the young nippers’ and with that he walked towards the models and started chatting to them.
‘So how did you know it was perfume?’
‘I saw them chasing the people in the studio earlier trying to get them to smell their wrists.’
‘Aaahhh so you’re not as clever as I thought then.’ They both laughed and made their way to the 2 models on the stage.
As Alex got closer he realised just how beautiful the 2 female models were. Each of them had flawless skin and beautiful slim figures but for some reason he didn’t feel an attraction to the girls like he would have done in the past. However, the girls on the other hand felt a bit more strongly towards Alex than he had expected. The instant Claire introduced him each of the girls looked him up and down and gave a devilish smile.

‘So until we get started girls I will leave you in my assistant’s capable hands.’ She winked at Alex and left.
‘Right…err…can I get any of you anything to drink?’
‘That depends on what you have to offer…doesn’t it’ replied the black haired girl as she rested he hand on Alex’s shoulder as she got off the stage.
‘Don’t mind her she has no social boundaries, I’m Jess.’
‘I’m Kate and I do have boundaries, they are just hard to reach that’s all’.
‘Err ok, anyone for a drink then?’
‘I’ll have a beer if you have one to hand’ 
‘No she won’t, 2 waters please Alex, that would be great’
Alex shuffled away from the 2 girls not quite knowing what had happened but knowing he had to find some water.

It was the first shoot of the catalogue so things got off to a slow start. After the first frame was shot the girls returned to the dressing rooms and most people including Alex and Claire headed to the coffee room for a much needed caffeine boost.

‘What did u think of your first shoot then? Pretty lucky that your first shoot was nearly naked girls I guess’ she patted him on the back, spilling a little coffee on the floor.
‘It was ok, Jess seemed nice enough but Kate kind of scared me a little’ he handed her a towel to mop up the coffee.
‘Ha-ha yes I picked up on that vibe, I’d say those seductive poses weren’t only for the photo shoot’
‘No no I’d never go for a girl…a girl like that, like her I mean.’ He buried his face in his coffee mug.
‘Oh right, I see’

There was something about her tone that Alex couldn’t quite figure out, it was as though she knew something that Alex didn’t. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it however as the second half of the shoot was beginning and he had to some how get hold of a 5 foot light and bring it to the set. He checked his bible for the light and found it in room 7a next to the changing rooms. He hurried along the corridors, dodging angry people waving plants and came to sudden halt as he nearly ran into the back of a man wearing a dressing gown. The man turned round and Alex saw that it wasn’t just a man it was the most stunning man he had ever seen in his life. He had average length brown hair that swept across his forehead and a defined jaw line that cud only mean that he was one of the models. 
‘Oh…err…I’m sorry I err need a light’
He couldn’t believe how stupid he had sounded, here he was looking into the big brown eyes of a god and the only thing he could say is I need a light.
‘Sorry I don’t smoke, it’s a nasty habit you know’
‘I meant a stage light, I was just thinking out loud…sorry’ he started to feel hot and could sense his face was going red.
‘Don’t worry about it, but I’m afraid I can’t help you with the light’
‘Yes well no you wouldn’t because your not…the…light…guy’
‘I’m guessing that would be you?’
‘Ah yes, I’m going to go now and look for the light…err…bye’
‘Good luck’

He turned away and joined the groups of fussing makeup artists and then was gone from Alex’s sight. What had happened, it was all a blur. Why had he got so tongue tied and why did his face go all red, it was only a guy after all. He ran into the storage room labelled 7a and attempted to drag the 5 foot light onto a nearby trolley.
‘Oooo cutting it close there Alex, only had 10 seconds left’ said Claire tapping her watch.
‘Yeh sorry, I ran into one of the models and well basically made a fool of my self for a minute or so.’
‘Well that’s what models are here to do, make us feel inferior. At least you have the light now so wheel it round to the left hand side over there’ she pointed to where Jimmy was standing waving to him.
The stage was just about ready now and as usual everyone was waiting for the models to arrive on set. At that moment the doors from the changing rooms opened and out strode Anita closely followed by 2 men wearing dressing gowns. Alex immediately noticed the second man to be the gorgeous guy he almost walked into. 

He walked away from Jimmy and sat down by the drinks table, still in clear view of the stage. The 2 models made their way to the side of the stage where the first man took off his robe to reveal a light brown toned body. Alex was a little less surprised now to see that the man had only a few leaves covering his crotch compared to a full outfit. For some reason Alex found himself checking his watch constantly, almost like he was urging time to go faster but he didn’t quite know why. The first model sat on the tree stump, whilst Claire ran around taking photos from all angles and calling out instructions. Finally the first frame was over and the second model took to the stage. Alex got up to get a better view as the female models had come out to watch and blocked his view. The man took off his robe and revealed a stunning golden brown physique. His body had no flaws in it at all from his perfectly toned stomach to his beautifully plump ass. Alex felt a familiar the hotness that he had experienced when he made a fool of him self in front of the model. He got onto the stage and positioned himself by the apple tree, reaching up to the apples showing his big arms.

‘Hang on Mike I think you leaves are slipping’ there was a quiet laugh amongst the other photographers.
Claire climbed on stage and started rearranging the leaves surrounding Mike’s crotch. Alex suddenly found himself making his way closer to the stage trying to get a better look. Thoughts started running through his head, he imagined himself running his hands down Mike’s smooth body, those deep brown eyes and soft pink lips, leaning in and kissing….he snapped out off it and shock his head. He then realised that it wasn’t only his mind that had wondered, there was a reasonable sized bulge now showing in his trousers. Quickly he pulled his shirt down further and walked back to the drinks table.

‘Alex get me some safety pins please...Alex…ALEX!’
‘Yeh sorry, got some’ he hurried over to the stage and handed them to Claire.
‘Could you just hold that bit, the glues broke and I only have 2 hands I’m afraid’
‘Which…which bit is that?’ he cleared his throat and took hold of the 2 leaves Claire pointed to.
He glanced up into Mike’s face to see him smiling down at him, Alex’s heart melted and he felt the tightening in his trousers again. Quickly he pinned the 2 leaves together and got off the stage, trying his hardest not to make his bulge visible.

The shoot ended and both Mike and the first model left the studio. Claire walked over to Alex and sat down beside him.
‘Make a coffee would you Alex, my hands are shot. Right that’s the end of that shoot then, we’ve made good time really, we can get the stage sorted for the next shoot for tomorrow.’
‘What’s the next shoot going to be?’ he handed her a coffee.
‘Not sure yet, I will be briefed tonight and we will have to get started on making it tomorrow!’ 
‘We…I’m at uni tomorrow remember and I’ve got about 20 equations to do for Wednesday so I won’t be back until Thursday.’
‘Ahh right, well I’m going to have to persuade Amber to help me then.’

‘Who’s Amber?’
‘She’s just another student who helps out in makeup…not jealous are we’ she pinched Alex’s cheek, ’Shit’. Coffee spilt onto some papers on the desk.
‘You know coffee works better if it goes in your mouth, think I’m going to have to get you a bib.’ 
‘Oh aren’t we the little comedian this afternoon, maybe you should save up your comic skills for when you next talk to Mike.’ She gave him a little smirk.
‘And what’s that supposed to mean exactly?’ he wasn’t sure what she was getting at.
‘Nothing nothing I just thought I saw a little spark between you and him before…when you had your hands on his crotch!’
‘What…you…you made me pin it, there wasn’t a spark, why would you think that, I was just following instructions!’ he could feel his voice getting higher and higher, why was he so quick to make excuses.
‘Ok, ok calm down I was only having a joke with you’ she got up and ruffled his hair.’ Well you know what that say about male models don’t you…’ and with that she walked away smiling.