Work Text:
It was quite a chilly day in California. Summer had just begun, and I still needed to wear my sweatshirts and hoodies which was something I wasn't looking forward to.
The small studio I had just opened up was nearly a twenty-minute walk from my house, and that was if I put a pep in my step.
Having to deal with my surgery and using most of my savings on it, it had left me broke. I was living in a surprisingly nice, one-bedroom, one bath, studio apartment. Living off ramen and cereal with a little Yorkie, that had her daily dog food.
With my parents living in Korea to take care of family, they didn't exactly know about any surgery or me having to quit dancing because of it. They thought I was this rich choreographer or dancer, but I was just a struggling artist. I had never disappointed them in my life, and getting 'kicked out' of Julliard wasn't my great achievement. God knows how they'll react to my life right now.
With a tailbone injury, you had not to move around or sit down for an extended period, which I consistently did. I had to sleep on my stomach, which I hate, and had to sit on a donut-type cushion. And ice my butt every once in two hours which was a pain to do all by myself.
Since it was hard living alone while I was healing, my friend, well girlfriend at the time, Jihyo, moved in for about two and a half months. It usually took about twelve weeks, but she wanted to make sure I was okay doing things by myself without help.
-
Once reaching the studio, I quickly set up the four main backdrops: gray, white, black, and blue.
After everything was set-up, I checked the time which read 2:48. I had about ten minutes until the next client came, which I believe her name was Nayeon Im. I looked over her information one more time to pass the time.
Client Information:
• Nayeon Im
• freshly 24
• up and coming singer
• never married, once engaged
• no children
• trying to become a model of sorts
that was all written in her get to know me paper I give to all my clients.
Also stated-
things that make them laugh: someone else laughing.
things that make them smile: compliments, making someone else smile.
things that make them cringe: bad jokes.
These were great tactics to use on the models. Sometimes they are quite shy throughout the whole shoot, so doing any of these things can make their mood better or get more comfortable around me. Though I am shy myself, I try to not be around the clients.
I had adjusted the camera on each backdrop. Having my Canon EOS 5D on the white backdrop because it captured the model better and the Canon EOS 80D on the black backdrop for the same reason. I don't usually use the blue or gray backdrop, but if I do then I would move the camera.
Nayeon had come days before to get a dress fitting, so it didn't waste time today while I did her makeup and hair.
Not to talk about my injury again but... my injury from dance caused me a few setbacks in life. I had it all planned, go to Julliard, get famous, get rich, but that all got ruined. Before breaking my tailbone, I had many offers from artists to be their choreographer or background dancer, but that went down the drain.
Luckily, I always had a passion for photography and was interested in cosmetics. Learning quick tutorials for makeup while I was healing helped me get better.
My dance teacher, Momo, was very sad that I was taken out of Julliard, so she hooked me up with a job. I began to photograph for dance and then I was offered to take pictures of the sports teams and so on. So from that, I got a lot of money to open up my own photography studio with doing hair on the side in 'Sana's Salon.'
------
Getting out of the bathroom I hear loud banging on the entrance door, "Is anyone in there? Hellooo?"
I figure that it's the client, Nayeon, so I unlock the door. When I open, she has her head down, packing her bag, and she's yelling, "I swear I thought nobody was fucking in there. I was ready to curse-" picking up her head, she stops yelling. She looks kind of stunned to see me.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to yell-"
"Yeah. I was kinda using the bathroom-"
"Yeah, my bad. I was kind of just mad at myself for being late, so I took it out on the door. I remembered that you said that you liked it when people are punctual and on-time because otherwise, you leave. I did leave the house before, but nobody accepted the UBER, so I had to call a LYFT, and then the UBER was saying how it accepted it, so it must've lagged. And I felt bad because the LYFT and UBER arrived at the same time so I had to choose which one to cancel-" She rambled.
"Woah, Woah- it's okay, I wasn't going to leave, I just say that to scare people."
"Well shit you scared me"
I open the door wider, letting her in. "You can put your hoodie on the hook and your bag on the desk."
----
"You look great" I give her a thumbs up. She still looked nervous for some reason, and she's not comfortable. "What made you get into singing?"
"I- um- used to sing all the time when I was little. Then my mother signed me for vocal lessons at the age of ten to further my abilities." "There were times when I would sing for my grandmother because that was the 'only thing that could make her happy' or 'cure her of sadness." She smiled gently.
"From sadness?"
"Yes. She was diagnosed with cancer when I was fourteen, so I would regularly go to the hospital after school or on the weekends. Funny story: she was practically the one who helped a producer find me. Every Friday, I would sing for the hospital so everyone could hear my 'heavenly voice' as my grandmother would say. And the producer just so happened to be there and was intrigued. That resulted in me recording multiple songs for him and eventually being found by a label-"
"Wait. So what happened with the label?" I asked since she suddenly stopped talking.
"Uhhhh- my grandmother passed away, and I had no energy to sing again." She frowned. "But I did continue to sing for the hospital every other Friday, so there's that."
"Oh. I'm sorry." This is why I need to stop pressing people.
"No, it's fine."
The air was tense. I was not sure how to break it. A couple of minutes had passed, and the atmosphere was still tight. I did not mean to make her uncomfortable
"So! Are you single?"
"Huh? Yes, of course, I am! Why?"
"Not sure. Just wanted to ask"
"Are you?"
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well. I don't know. I haven't had a girlfriend for like five years, and the only reason that ended was because of of.. my incompetence. During high school, I was the perfect girlfriend; I always there but then college came around. I began to drift off because of all my classes and responsibilities. Then I broke my tail bone in my second year of college, and she was basically forced to live with me, and we got closer, but after, I kind of like... cut her off. Like, I just hate being taken care of. I've been raised to be independent, so me, having to depend on her to literally take me places and all other things was just so exhausting. She said she loved to care for me, but I realized I could not go my whole life of someone taking care of me, especially someone as empathetic as her." I look up from the camera. I could not pin her facial expression, which made me anxious. "I know, I know. I'm a bad person. But at least I cut her off till it got too long-term." I added, trying to make light to the situation.
"Wow. You're the complete opposite of me," she smiled. "I broke up with someone who wouldn't take care of me. At times I do like to dominate others, but most of the time, I need someone just to hold me. Honestly, this is what happens when two bottoms are in a relationship. Wait- sorry that was inappropriate, my bad." She blushes from embarrassment while I burst out in laughter. I hunch over because that was my exact logic with me except with 'tops.'
"Wow! Anyways," she says, trying to lead the conversation in a different direction, "What made you get into photography ?" She asks.
"I've always loved taking pictures-"
"You are so pretty," she smiled, showing the faintest dimples on her cheeks, "Has anyone ever taken a picture of you?"
"Yes, a long time ago when I did dance, but ever since I broke my tailbone I haven't been able to move as I used to"
"That sucks," she pondered for a moment, looking deep in thought. "How about I take a few pictures of you?"
My eyes practically bulged out of my sockets, I hated getting my picture taken. Quite ironic how I love to take pictures but don't like getting them done of me. "I would choose not to, I'd rather do my job, and that's it."
She was quiet for a moment, looking deep in thought once again. "Is it because you don't like your outfit? There's a whole rack if you want to change," She persuaded. I shook my head no.
"As I said, you are way too beautiful to have no pictures of yourself. I truly believe you were crafted by the gods and destined to be perfect. So right now, you are letting the gods handcrafted perfection go to waste. I insist on taking a picture of you on at least two of the backdrops. I may not know how to take a picture of you professionally, but I know how to press a button, so please." She pleaded she poke out her lip, slightly squinting her eyes.
My lips curled slightly up into a smile. She looks very adorable like her face like that, without her noticing I take a picture. "Since you insist so much." I gave in.
Okay, great. Let me just move the camera to the gray backdrop and you can go get changed into whatever you look.
Obviously having an eye for poses that looked great, I do the best one.
"Wait- you need this on." She turns me around and moves my braid to the front to put a black choker around my neck.
"Oh my god! You look so good. That's such a model type pose, you sure you don't like getting your picture taken?"
"Yes, Nayeon."
"Now what are some things that make you smile or laugh?"
Just at that statement, I smiled. She was basically using the same questions that I had printed for her, which is quite comical if you think about it. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I have such a drastic change in my sense of humor; one day, I'll find dogs swimming very funny the next day I don't."
"To be honest I wasn't listening to a thing you were saying because you are so DAMN gorgeous. Your beauty just takes all my attention, Jeongyeon." I giggle and blush. I just knew my face was beet red.
"Thank you."
"Now give me a great big smile." I automatically look down and smile with my finger under my chin. Once Nayeon comes back from the screen, she looks at me with such admiration in her eyes.
"I don't know how you are so beautiful like I'm genuinely shocked on how someone's smile can light up a room or just effortlessly be so beautiful,"
"I'll take a couple more, and then this shoot can be over." I nod my head.
This is the most beautiful I've ever felt in my life. I once tried to do modeling when I was sixteen, but my parents told me I was too ugly, and I should just stick to dancing. I'm not sure if they know that no matter what my face looks like I would always be upfront in dance because I was never in the back. If Nayeon is truly genuine about me being 'gorgeous, beautiful, or pretty,' then I might have another shot in modeling.
"I'm really so speechless, right now. You look so good!"
For the umpteenth time, I blush and smile. I have never gotten this amount of compliments and praise before. She has me feeling good.
"It'll take about two days for me to make any minor edits, I promise I'm not photoshopping or anything like that. I'll just fix the lighting and minor details like that,"
"It's fine. I totally trust your judgment on whatever you do to them."
"So I'll send you the money later today from account, is that okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine."
"I had a great time! Thank you so much for doing this. It could really start my career, and if I get famous, I'll shout you out," she smiles, taking her hoodie from the rack.
"Thanks in advance." I open the door.
She looks at her phone to see that the UBER was here. "Alright, that's her. See you next time."
"Byeeee" I shouted.
"Call me." She yelled before getting in the UBER. I smiled gently, giving her a thumbs up.
... I never did.