The Photographer (Now Published as an E-Book & Paperback!)

Chapter 1 Preview

"Raine!" Rafael Fraser, or Raf to most, hollered as he tinkered with his favorite Nikon DSLR camera, checking to see if he had enough battery to last during his scheduled shoot that day or if he needed to take out his other camera, just in case.

"What's up?!" Raine, his little sister as well as production assistant, hollered back from somewhere in the stockroom out back. They were in Raf's studio downtown. "I can't find your sunbounce, by the way! Where did you put it after our last shoot? You sure you didn't leave it at our last location? Also, why do you need it? Aren't we just doing studio shots today?"

"So many questions," he muttered to himself, "I need another SD card," he answered back, loudly this time towards his sister, still not looking up even as he heard her walking back towards his little table where he had his laptop set up. "And I want that sunbounce just in case I want to do some outdoors. You do know that I love shooting with natural light instead of utilizing these studio lights. They kinda look unnatural for me. Though I know that most fashion magazines prefer that and shoot studio."

"Then why shoot outdoors, still? If you know that magazines want high fashion shots taken at the studio. And why would you even think of doing outdoor when we are so close to the warehouse district?"

"Because shooting outdoors with those warehouses as my backdrop would make my photos edgier and more street."
He heard Raine mumble which he simply ignored, used to how she would always give side comments to every little thing he does every now and then.

"Do you have my 50mm? I might do some low lighting later depending on how the model would look like. Maybe the client would like to have some ala-Calvin Klein shots in there."

"Yes, Raf," Raine answered with a slight exasperation in her voice. "All your lenses are here. Don't you worry your little head. I'm a very efficient assistant-slash-slave, after all."
He walked towards one of the umbrellas and checked to see whether the transmitters were reacting properly to his camera clicks. "Raine - go get me a 9V battery. I think this one is almost dead. Client is almost here, right? I gotta make sure we are good to go once they get here."

He heard Raine sigh and stand up, walking towards his office beside the stockroom. "Yes, they might be almost here. The talent manager actually just called a couple of minutes ago. He said they might be a little late due to traffic. You know it's almost rush hour so traffic is most likely building up downtown."

"Tsk."

If there was one thing that Raf totally abhors - it was tardiness. But then again - he was hired for this shoot and he didn't want to make an immediate assumption towards this talent since Downtown Los Angeles traffic was really bad especially at this time in the afternoon. Plus, this shoot was something he never thought he would be able to do - shoot a model for a well-known high fashion magazine; so of course, he was grateful for the opportunity. He was usually hired to shoot for musicians and rock bands. Sometimes for behind-the-scenes of music videos or even commercials. But never for anything related to fashion.

This could be the big break that he was waiting for - to get into the fashion industry. The EIC of the magazine that hired him liked his work since it was edgy and out of the box and she wanted to try him out for a fun and different fashion layout for the mag. He wasn't shooting for the cover yet - he would eventually get there but he was tasked to shoot a model that the mag would dress up for their inside pages.

Baby steps, Raf. Baby steps.

"Raine, what's the name of the model I'm shooting today, do you know?"

"Oh! Uhm, I think it's Mi—"

"Hi! Sorry we're late! Traffic was horrible! Goodness, we didn't expect it to be that traffic coming from Burbank at this hour! We thought we would still get here on time!"

Raine immediately stood up with a smile on her face as she went and greeted what they both assumed would be the talent manager, if his boisterous and loud voice was any indication. Behind him were the stylists they hired, as well as the magazine's reps who brought the clothes they would use for the layouts they planned for the day.

"Hi! It's all right," Raine replied cheerfully, ushering the newcomers to the back of the studio where they set up chairs and tables as well as dressing lights for their preps, make-up etc. "We know it's super traffic during this time. You still actually have some time. We're not set to shoot anyway until, roughly half an hour from now - so we still have time to prepare and all. I'll take you to where you can set up for hair and make-up. Can I offer you guys, drinks? Small snacks, maybe? We have an array of those here at the back. You can help yourselves to it."

When Raine passed by Raf, she elbowed him lightly and muttered from the corner of her lips, "You might want to close that jaw and greet the newcomers. These are our clients, after all. Have some professionalism. Jeez, Raf."

Raf remained immobile, however, as he looked on at the entrance of the studio where the supposed model he was to shoot for that day, stood, shifting from one foot to another. He wasn't able to take his eyes off her, his jaw still dropped. Raine shook her head and continued on towards the back where she was supposed to get some of the lighting gels that she knew they would need for that shoot.

"Goodness, Raf," was what she mumbled before passing him entirely.

The model had on a simple white v-neck shirt and skinny jeans as well as white Converse sneakers. She also had a yellow ball cap on, her face devoid of make-up, her eyes glued to the floor as she fidgeted, as if she felt like she didn't belong there. Even though her face already graced many magazines as well as billboards all throughout the country that she actually had every right to demand whatever it was that she wanted. If she would just choose to do so.

She was also that one girl, that sole girl, who broke Raf's heart many years ago - back when they were still in highschool. She was his best friend, who he thought was his soulmate and better half and one that he wanted to be with for life. But when he told her that he loved her as more than a friend should - she turned him down.

And he never saw her again after that.

Until recently, a year ago, in fact, when she started to grace the pages of different fashion and women's magazines, becoming the face of many endorsements as well - her face a well-known one as she was mostly the featured model along several billboards on the metro.
Their eyes met when she looked up suddenly just as he whispered his only nickname for her.

"Mel..."