#great photography backpacks

[wanderlustphotosblog]

Top 10 Travel-Friendly Backpacks for Photographers

Looking for the best travel-friendly backpacks for photographers? Check out this top 10 list for safe and comfortable transportation of your camera gear while you travel and explore.

This top 10 travel-friendly backpacks for photographers post was provided as a guest post by Claire Wilson. In today’s fast-paced travel photography, where amazing moments unfold in the blink of an eye, and you need precision and quality, carrying the appropriate equipment is a must. Traveling as a photographer, be it a professional or an amateur photographer, a backpack matters a lot because it…

[breathe-rainbow]

[frankiecatphotography]

Bandit Backpack

[mercurygguk]

head over skates · jjk ; part iv.

··· SUMMARY; jeon jungkook is the captain of the hockey team and one of the biggest fuckboys on campus. you happen to have known him for as long as you can remember but he is not who he used to be and you simply can’t stand it.

so what happens when you’re suddenly stuck doing a project with him for three weeks?

SERIES MASTERLIST · # TAG · MOOD BOARDS · PLAYLIST

PAIRING; hockey player!jungkook x f. reader

GENRE; fwb au, childhood friends to enemies to lovers au, college au

WORDCOUNT; 1,098

RATING; 18+

WARNINGS; swearing, mentions of sex, jk being nice and getting shit for it lol

a/n; part 4 and ohmygodddd the angst is coming y'all !! i hope you enjoy reading this one – lmk what you think and tysm for reading <3

It’s a nice day today.

The sun is shining, it’s getting warmer due to spring, there’s not a single hint of a breeze in the air, and everyone seems to be in a great mood. It’s amazing what the changing seasons do to people and their mood – yourself included.

You’re working on the project for your photography class while sitting on your jacket on the grass quad on campus. You’ve almost finished the introduction and made sure to note down the plans for the project as well as set up the whole layout. The need to be organized has taken over but you always see it as a good thing; it keeps you focused and it makes school work seem less overwhelming.

It’s peaceful here on the quad, the faint sound of other students talking and laughing fills the atmosphere around you. There’s even a guy playing the guitar not too far away from you.

It’s nice, you think to yourself as a small smile spreads across your lips.

Until it isn’t anymore.

The evil spawn, also known as Jeon Jungkook, suddenly appears in front of you and blocks the sun as he grins at you, looking cheerful and happy for some reason you don’t care to know about.

Your smile has now turned into a scowl as you stare at him, ignoring the fact that he’s once again holding two americanos in his hands, “is this gonna be a thing now?”

Jungkook nods instantly, not noticing or simply just ignoring the glare you shoot at him.

“Yeah, it’s a tradition now, ____ – I bring iced Americano and you bring your moody attitude and then we work on the project together,” he says, his grin now a smirk that you suddenly feel the urge to slap off his face.

God, why is he so persistent on doing this project with you? Why can’t he just leave you to do it on your own? Why can’t he go do what he usually does – being a fuckboy and play hockey – instead of bothering you with his presence?

You can’t help but scoff and roll your eyes at his words, choosing to ignore the comment he so casually dropped about you being ‘moody’.

“I can get my own iced americano, thank you very much,” you pointedly say.

“Oh, really? Where is it?” He asks, looking around on the grass surrounding you, “did you chug it?”

His quick retort circuits your brain as you’re left gaping at him. You then shake your head as if to clear your head and ask another question.

You’re not quite sure why you haven’t told him to leave yet…

“So what? Are you stalking me now?”

Jungkook snorts as you quirk an eyebrow at him in question, shooting you a look of amusement as he glances around at all the people surrounding you and him.

“____, you’re literally on the campus quad. Anyone with eyes in their head could find you here.”

You blink at him for a second, causing Jungkook to flash you a knowing smirk and offer you one of the beverages he so kindly brought along once again. You decide to ignore his smart retort and take the iced americano he’s holding out, instantly taking a sip and withholding the moan of satisfaction that was threatening to escape just now.

Jungkook huffs out a chuckle to himself as he sits down next to you and slips off his backpack, pulling out his laptop. You stare at him in bewilderment as if he has three heads when he sits down, wondering how he’s taking your hostility as an invite to sit down with you.

“Jungkook, what are you doing here?” You can’t help but ask, confused as to why he’s sitting here next to you for the second time within just two days.

“To work on the project?”

There’s a look of confusion on his face as he looks at you, eyebrows pulled together in question.

“No, seriously – I told you, I’m doing this project by myself. What are you really doing here?”

Jungkook’s face twists in slight annoyance at your determination to work on the project by yourself, “you’re not the only one who cares about their grades, you know?”

He doesn’t care about his grades – there’s just no way that a stereotypical jock like him could care about anything but frat parties, getting laid and his sport. Old Jungkook might’ve cared but this Jungkook right here? He hasn’t given a single fuck about anything but hockey and his image since he became the popular and hot hockey player.

“Are you saying that me doing the project on my own will give us a bad grade? If anything, you working with me on the project will make it even worse!”

The tone of your voice has turned defensive as you cross your arms over your chest and stare at him. Jungkook scoffs, a hint of amusement within the sound. If he’s offended by your words, he doesn’t show it. Why would he be? He doesn’t care what anyone thinks.

“Excuse me, I have a 94 in this class right now!”

You fall silent.

A score of 94%.

You can’t help but let out a laugh, wondering how he managed to score a 94 in photography when all he ever does with his spare time is hooking up with girls around campus or spending it in the hockey arena with his teammates. 

“And how did you manage to do that? Did you flirt with Mrs. Kim or something?” You huff out a mocking chuckle.

Just for a split second, you swear you see a flicker of hurt flash across his eyes before it’s replaced by his usual smirk.

“And if I did?” He taunts.

Your eyes roll before you have a chance to stop them from doing so, causing Jungkook’s smirk to turn into an almost devilish grin.

“Wow, ____, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”

His words have you scowling at him – something you seem to do a lot when he’s anywhere near you. You then grab the iced coffee and take another sip, turning your attention back to your laptop screen, leaving Jungkook to sit next to you and work on the project in silence. You don’t say another word to him as you share the document with him so he can partake in the process.

His words affected you more than you wish they did because it was once the truth but if there’s anything you’ll never be again, it’s being jealous of something Jeon Jungkook does.

[pennylanefics]

New Job - Jeremy Swayman

a/n: hello! this is my first time writing for hockey, so please be aware :) i am a baseball girlie through and through but thanks to tiktok i now have a new obsession and new crushes, which means new motivation to write :D

summary: refer to this request

word count: ~2.6k

A new city, a new team, and a new opportunity. It was all so exciting, but that also came with stepping out of your comfort zone.

With your new position as a photographer for the Boston Bruins, you were being introduced to everyone on the team, every manager, every coach, a ton of people. However, you were a very shy person, preferring to keep to yourself most of the time; it’s why photography was perfect for you.

But it was all part of the job, to get to know the people you are photographing and allow them to trust you and feel comfortable around you, enough for them to smile for the camera and not ignore you. And you would be absolutely crazy if you turned this offer down, sports photography is your dream, and to be able to live it every day was wonderful.

This whole process was a regular occurrence for you, as you had bounced around a few teams, so it was nothing out of the ordinary, but things felt different this time around. When it was time to finally meet the team before practice one day, you sat near the entrance where players come in, with the other photographer who was “training” you, in a sense, and showing you around the arena and such.

Everyone was very nice and friendly, asking where you came from, how long you’ve been doing this, getting to know you a little bit better, it was great. But when Jeremy Swayman walked in, everything lit up. He was on his own, a black backpack on his back, a beanie covering his hair, but he had a huge smile on his face.

“Hello, hello!!” He begins to walk you and Cindy, the other photographer by your side. “You must be new.” He stops in front of you and reaches his hand out.

“I’m (Y/N), I’m the new additional photographer for the team,” you introduce yourself, shaking his hand. Both of you pause as your hands meet, taking notice of how warm and soft his skin is, gazing into his eyes as you do.

“I’m Jeremy, it’s nice to meet you. So you’ll be the one following us around with a phone and asking us questions as we walk into practice?” He teases, nudging your arm gently, feeling comfortable doing so.

“Uh, no, not exactly,” you chuckle, looking down at your camera. “I’ll be the one up in the rafters taking aeiral shots and be on the sidelines during games,.” His eyes widen in surprise as you describe part of your duties.

“Are you serious? That’s sick.” Since no one else was coming in right now, you took a moment to show him some of your popular photos with other teams, one of which being a shot from above after the Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes, sending them to the Stanley Cup, confetti falling all around the rink, the team crowding together to celebrate.

“Wait, I saw this photo! The NHL posted it in like a photo dump they did of that week’s games. This is yours?”

“Yeah, all mine,” your face heats up a little at how excited he is. There was no denying it, Jeremy is a very handsome man, and you had to admit, when you got into photographing hockey, he was one of the first players that you had a small crush on.

“Well, you’re incredibly talented,” he compliments, sending you a wink while beginning to walk away. “See you around, (Y/N)!” He threw up a piece sign and was off to the locker room to get ready for practice.

“Jeremy’s the sunshine of the team, literally,” Cindy finally says, the last few players finally coming through the doors, both of you pausing to snap some candids.

“He is?”

“He always has a smile on his face and is almost always in a good mood. So if you need cheering up, he’s the one to go to.”

“Isn’t that unprofessional, though?”

“Not here. I’ve been with this team for years, they do things a little differently. They enjoy getting to know the media and those that work around them, becoming work friends and such. But if that’s uncomfortable for you, feel free to tell them, or me. I’ll put a stop to it.”

“No, no, it’s alright. It’s nice that they treat photographers and others not within the actual team like human beings,” a chuckle escapes you, deciding that keeping your mouth shut regarding how a team you previously worked for outside of the NHL was like.

Your first game went quite well, the Bruins ended up winning against the Colorado Avalanche, giving you the perfect opportunity to capture the iconic goalie hug between Jeremy and Linus. With your camera lined up, Jeremy comes into view and skates right to Linus, you snap photo after photo, not taking your finger off the shutter button.

After they skate off the ice, you smile to yourself, knowing you got some good ones. Finding Cindy in all the chaos of fans cheering and trying to leave, she guides you down the tunnel and back to the makeshift office that’s usually set up for the media.

She goes through all the steps of how to upload the photos for the editors, and even though all of it was pretty similar to other teams, it was nice having a refresher and getting to know their way of doing things. She describes the process of what is expected after games, setting everything up that you would need, and making sure you had everything and were ready to go for their next game in a couple days.

As time goes by, you start to get the hang of things with your new team. Everything was going smoother than you expected, you were quickly finding your place here, and it was all working out so well.

One night, after a rather tough loss to the Leafs, you sat in the media room, scrolling through the photos you took throughout the game, exhaustion setting in, the long day finally catching up with you. Suddenly, a soft knock sounds, your body turning around on instinct to find the source.

There stands Jeremy, a smile on his face, clean and dressed in his post-game clothes.

“How’d the photos come out?” 

He made a small habit of doing this. On his way out of the stadium after games, he would make a stop by your office, saying hi and asking if he could see some photos. You would always tell him that the raw photos aren’t going to be the best and there would be a ton to look through every time, but he didn’t care.

He claims to enjoy your company and the peace and quiet of the office after such intense games. But you were your normal self, not very talkative, doing your job as you would if he was not beside you, and oftentimes forgetting that he was even there.

“So, what’s your postgame routine? What do you like to do once you get home?” Jeremy asks as you pack your things up, carefully placing your camera in its protective bag. After shutting your laptop down, you slide it into the case, and then the case into your backpack.

“I sometimes get food on the way home, or I head straight home, shower, get ready for bed, and  then read or scroll on social media, depending on what I’m in the mood for,” you explain softly, gathering all of your things, wanting to head home.

“What kind of books do you like?” He was wanting to make conversation, and you didn’t have the heart to tell him you were far too burnt out from running around the arena, especially since you’ve been here since early in the morning.

“Mainly romance and fantasy,” you grin. Jeremy doesn’t seem deterred by your short response, but he can tell, just by your body language, that you’d like to get going.

“That’s a nice way to escape the world after days like this. Well, I’ll see you around, have a nice night,” he smiles and waves at you as he exits the room, leaving you on your own.

That’s how things continued for every game. You ended up telling Cindy one day, and she couldn’t help but laugh; since you were with the media team, you got to room together at hotels for away games. The team was in Seattle to play the Kraken, and since it was a late game, you didn’t need to be at the arena until closer to four.

That’s how the two of you ended up sharing experiences you’ve had with the team and specific players, and Cindy lands on none other than the brunette goalie.

“Sway has actually told me that he’s been sitting with you while you browse through the photos after games,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows in a teasing manner. Your face heats up at her statement, and you hide your face in your hands.

“He, uh, he does. I told him it’s nothing special, but he insists it’s a nice way to decompress.”

“He told me that you’re quiet,” she says. You freeze and stare at her. Immediately, her eyes widen and she feels embarrassed. “Oh! No, no, I didn’t mean to make it sound like he said it in a bad way. But he…okay, don’t tell him I told you this, but he thinks it’s sweet. I promise. And, it is pretty cute.”

“What is?” You wonder. Your heart was racing with all of this, you didn’t think Jeremy thought of you in that way, but here you were.

“You know, the sunshine, golden retriever boyfriend and the black cat girlfriend. You’re grumpy, he’s sunshine.”

“I’m not grumpy,” you defend, crossing your arms. “Just…quiet.”

“Exactly. Jer really enjoys being with you, from what he’s told me. And he said you even let him edit some photos?” You chuckle softly and look down at your hands that relaxed in your lap.

“I let him edit some of him and Linus for fun. I didn’t send them off to the actual editors or social media team, I promise, it was a little-”

“I think you should,” she cuts you off, her eyes lighting up. “That would be such a neat idea, if we let the players edit photos of themselves and send them to the admins for their socials!” She starts going on and on about the idea and how it would be such a fun concept, if the players even want to participate.

“We’ll have to ask either during arrivals or on the plane tomorrow if they’d be up for it.”

She continues on, but your mind was on Jeremy, he thought you were charming and sweet, and that’s all you cared about.

After the game ends in another loss, right on time, Jeremy steps into your little makeshift office, and you were more than prepared for him this time.

“Am I allowed to see these shots tonight? Or should I wait until they’re posted in an article?” He wonders. You chuckle quietly and shake your head. He had mentioned to you the last time that he reads articles here and there just for the off chance that your photos are included. And you couldn’t ignore the flutter in your heart when he told you this.

“I got a pretty good one of you making a save in the first period,” you say, turning your laptop towards him to show him. His left leg was stretched out just as the puck makes contact with the padding, blocking it and shoving it away.

“Shit, who knew I’d look so good making saves,” he jokes, running a hand over his slightly damp hair, having showered already.

You laugh with him and turn the laptop back, remembering what you and Cindy talked about earlier in the day.

“I think I already know your answer for this, but Cindy and I were talking and she thinks it would be fun to get you and the guys to maybe edit some photos, like you did, but they would actually be posted. With credits for the editing, of course,” you tease. Just like Cindy, his eyes light up in amazement.

“Hell yes!” He immediately responds, scooting closer to you to look at any more photos he could edit. “Can I do like five? Because one was not enough, I wanna do more.” You can’t help but smile at his eagerness, allowing him to scroll through some of the better photos you’ve taken the past few games.

“You can do as many as you’d like but I can’t promise they’d all get posted. If you want to ask the guys if they’d be interested, I’ll have one person come in here after every game and edit, and then we’ll have a collection in a few weeks to post.”

“Uh, I think it would be a good idea, but…” he starts, but pauses his train of thought, his hand coming up to tug at his lip as he silently decides if he should continue.

“But…what?” You push, hoping he would just speak his mind.

“I like this being our thing,” he murmurs, shy, almost. He doesn’t meet your eyes, and this is a different side of Jeremy you haven’t seen before.

“What?” You are very lost with what he’s trying to say, but you give him time to explain himself.

“I like having this time with you, after games. It’s become a routine for me, something I look forward to, and I really love being in your presence, especially after tough games that end in losses. It’s like you reading fantasy books, it takes you out of reality, and for a time, I can forget that I took part in a loss for my team and take my mind away from it.”

“By looking at photos of said game?” You counteract. But Jeremy sees your point. How can he be taken away from a game his team lost when he’s actively looking at photos of them losing from the entire night?

“By…being around you,” he whispers, looking up at you. Your cheeks felt like they were on fire at this point. Was he being serious? “Spending time with you, everything else disappears. And I know that sounds cheesy and we don’t fully know each other aside from talking about your work and such, but, if you are up for it, I’d like to take you out on a real date.”

Now you were beyond confused, but thoroughly surprised in a good way. And by your reaction, or lack thereof, he must have assumed you weren’t interested, because he immediately deflects.

“Or, if you prefer we keep things professional, that’s totally okay. I understand you work for the team and it would complicate things, but-”

“I’d love to go on a date with you, Sway,” you reply, a small smile stretching on your face. He slowly grins and leans closer to you.

“Really?” He asks in disbelief.

“Yeah. I think you’re a very wonderful guy and I’d love to get to know you outside of this…informal and professional setting, let’s put it that way,” you laugh, turning towards him to let him know you were serious.

“Good. Because I think you’re very cute and I need more than these after-game meetings,” he replies, a bright smile on his face as well.

“So are you going to be upset if I ask the other guys to come in here and do the same, to edit photos?” You wonder, your voice dripping with a teasing tone. Jeremy laughs softly and leans over and kisses your cheek.

“As long as none of the meetings end the way this one did tonight, I’ll be alright.”

[luminouslywriting]

As a recent convert to the ladies who Brady crew, I love the idea of Brady wanting to learn more about his girl's interests. She loves Pilates? He's trying a class. She has a favorite author? He's checking out one of their books. She likes plants? Brady's always wanted a cactus! He would just be so cute and eager to share. 😊

Ahh this is darling so I just had to go on a slight rabbit hole for you Nonny! Because you're so right and he's such a supportive guy! Cut for length :) And keep sending me stuff, this is so much fun! Some light spice mentions below the cut!

-John Brady is above all things, a supportive man—and when it comes to you, he just adores you. Worships the ground that you walk on, thinks that you're prettier than starlight and more important to him than the sun is to the life of earth.

-That being said, if you have a hobby or an interest, he is running with it at full-force and attempting to make it a bonding experience.

-You want to get into art? Babe, he is finding some local art classes and trying his hand at it. Now I don't think he's all that great at drawing....but painting? He absolutely is great at it! I imagine he's really into painting landscapes and finds a lot of comfort and peace in it!

-This maybe leads to some more precarious moments between the two of you....paint fights that turn into messy sex is absolutely on the table haha

-You want to get into hiking or rock climbing? GREAT! He loves being outside and in nature and fitness is pretty important to him! So he's gonna be your hiking buddy for sure! -He absolutely would carry your water for you and make sure that HE has the backpack because he wants you to just have a good time and be able to enjoy nature.

-Rock climbing might be a little more worrisome to him but he loves getting to spend time with you and he really enjoys watching the way that you concentrate so fully on something. It's definitely a turn on for him.

-Oh you like photography? He might be a little bashful, but he's absolutely your muse and he's going to get in on the action

-This definitely means there are a few risqué photos of you that only his eyes have ever seen haha

-Yoga? HOT YOGA

-You want to get into sports? Fantastic! He definitely did a few things in high school and he's a decent enough athlete that he can pull off an average performance in some of the sports he's not as well-acquainted with

-Definitely takes advantage of trying to show you how to golf, or how to hold a tennis racket or baseball bat though haha

-Archery? I'M THINKING OF THE SCENE WHERE MIA AND NICHOLAS FROM PRINCESS DIARIES 2 PRACTICE ARCHERY

-I had to include the gif haha

-You want to get into baking or cooking? He's going to have the time of his life making food with you and it's the most wholesome domestic thing

-Definitely gets a little heated in the kitchen if you know what I mean

-You're into gardening? Great! He loves gardens and wants to make sure you have your favorite flowers or your favorite plants!! And he always surprises you with new plants!

-You're into reading or writing? He's going to read whatever books you like after you read them, or he's going to suggest to you some of his favorites.

-And if you're a writer then he's going to read everything you write and hypes you up! He's also going to be honest about his opinions and tell you what he thinks could be better (in the best and most constructive way)

-You like dancing? BABY, he will take you dancing every weekend and has the time of his life when he does!

-Board games is a hobby? He gets so competitive when it comes to Scrabble, it's not even funny

-You play a different instrument than him or you like to sing? AMAZING!! He's going to ask you to teach him about your instrument and that might get a little heated haha.

-Would absolutely harmonize your favorite songs with you because I think he has a great voice!

-You're into collecting things? Be it baseball cards, butterflies, coins, stamps, whatever it is—he's going to get in on it and try to find you the ones you're missing!

-An academic?? He adores that about you and will try to read up and learn about your favorite field of study, be it history, science, or whatever it is!

-Anywho....I could go on forever and ever, but these are just a few general things that I think he'd be like when it comes to your interest and hobbies

[sirfrogsworth]

I think a good test of whether or not you understand lighting is to see if you can get a similar result from cheap lights as you would with proper studio gear.

I brought two $35 flat panel LED lights instead of proper luggage on my trip to Orlando. I literally wore shorts under my pants to save room in my backpack for lighting gear.

And Katrina had these inexpensive Chinese soft box kits from a company called "MountDog." Which makes you wonder what they were actually trying to translate into English.

The MountDogs were fine for what they were, but they had harsh hot spots due to their diffusion material not being diffusion-y enough. But I anticipated this and ordered a $15 roll of tracing paper ahead of the trip—which is a wonderful inexpensive diffusion material.

We had to put two layers of tracing paper on the front of the lights with chip clips and I had to simulate my background lighting technique in Photoshop (not enough room to do it IRL), but I think I passed the test.

I remember when I bought my first photography umbrella and having no clue what I was doing. I just experimented with trial and error until I ended up with a result that looked okay. Though I had no idea why it looked okay. I just stumbled my way to a happy accident. But after years of study and practice, I actually understand the behavior of light now. I can see a lighting scheme in my head and then reproduce it in real life. It's a great feeling when you gain that kind of confidence in something.

I definitely would have preferred a nice beauty dish and a light from a brand that doesn't make me think of humping doggos, but it's nice to know I can problem solve my way to a good result.

This was actually a photoshoot of Katrina but I snuck in a few shots. She was my first subject in a photographic art project I am starting. I'm actually really excited about it and I was so happy she could be my first victim. I can't give any other details yet, but I'm chuffed to be taking photos again.

[seabeck]

FAQ + About (for mobile)

About me: My name is Milli (she/her), 25yrs. I love taking photos of nature and my Subaru. I’m a huge nerd about mushrooms, plants, and skulls. I’ve been hiking ever since I was a little kid and at this point I feel at home in the woods.

I have a flock of chickens, a boyfriend, a dog, and waaay too many house plants

Did you take all the photos on this blog?

Yep, every photo posted here was taken by yours truly unless otherwise noted (very rare).

What camera/lenses do you use? 

My crop sensor/work kit is:

Nikon D7100

10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR

Dolica ZX600B103 Tripod

My full frame kit is:

Nikon D850

Sigma 150-600mm f5.6-6.3 

50mm f/1.8 G

60mm f/2.8 ED Macro

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR G

17-35mm f2.8 

20mm 1.8 ED sold

Sigma 150-500mm f5.6-6.3  sold

Kenko extension tubes

Raynox 250

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB (works for macro + everything else)

Filters and other gear:

Hoya circular polarizers + Stop down/up kit

Nikon camera backpack (discontinued)/TARION Camera Backpack

Instax Mini 90

Other cameras I’ve owned:

D50

D200

D3000

D7000

Here’s my lens wish list, some are on there for fun and some I actually want.

What camera gear would you recommend for a beginner?

Before you worry too much about getting the best gear, make sure you learn how to use it first. You could go out and buy the fanciest camera and lenses and still not take good photos because you don’t know how to use your camera or how to “see”. There’s also a saying, “you marry your lenses and date your bodies”. Invest in good lenses, preferably full frame compatible ones in case you ever decide to upgrade to full frame, and get a cheaper body to start. With that out of the way…

If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend getting a refurbished or used camera from the D7100+ line. They’ve come down in price as of late and are pretty solid cameras. Just make sure to check the shutter count.

I’d skip anything from the D3000 & D5000 lines. They’re not bad cameras but they do not have built in autofocus meaning they rely on the lens itself having autofocus. This isn’t horrible but it does limit what lenses you can use (and some of the lenses that won’t autofocus with those cameras are good AND cheap) and that can be confusing for a beginner.

As for a lens, a 50mm f/1.8, or 35mm f/1.8 is a great lens. Both lenses are inexpensive, have good quality glass, and can used for nearly everything. The 18-55mm lens that comes with cameras isn’t bad either. 

I don’t shoot Canon/Sony/whatever else so I can’t give any advice there sorry!

How did you learn to take photos?

LOTS of practice, I first picked up a camera back in 2013. In high school and college I took photography classes but ultimately I didn’t really learn much from them, they started at too basic of a level.

I did learn a lot about photography from taking art classes however. They taught me framing, how to use shadows/light, and movement in a photo (where does your eye travel when you view an image/art piece). My mom is also a professional photojournalist so I picked up some knowledge from her and my grandfather who’s also a published photographer.

How can I take better photos?

Again, lots of practice. Learn what every setting and button on your camera does, try different shooting modes, take the same photo at several different apertures and shutter speeds to see what changes. You can learn a lot from reading articles too but the best way to learn, imo, is by doing. Don’t worry about getting the best gear and the best camera, learn how to take photos first.

Study other photographers photos, and even paintings, and see what you like. Pay attention to directional lines and where your eye travels. Learn how to use Photoshop/Lightroom (just pirate it). Take photos in different weather, lighting, and times of day. 

What programs do you use to edit? What presets/filters do you use?

I use Lightroom and Photoshop Classic along with custom presets that I’ve made for different situations (fog, snow, etc) to process most of my images and then I make minor tweaks. A lot of my presets started as VSCO presets and then I kept the things I liked and changed the things I didn’t.

What is your job?

I’m a real estate photographer specializing in short term rentals. I love it.

Are you related to Eddie Vedder?

Yep, we’re very distantly related. Something like 7th cousins twice removed but I’ve never met him.

Can you add a photo to your print shop?

Sure! Just tell me the name of the photo (or link it if possible, I reuse a lot of names) you want added and I’ll get it up there.

May I use one of your photos?

I’m 100% ok with people using my photos as a reference for drawing/painting, I’d even love to see the result. For anything else, just shoot me an ask beforehand and I’ll let you know. Please do not repost my photos on Tumblr or elsewhere without my permission.

[verdemoun]

I know that the time warp is mostly just VDL gang but hypothetically if it wasn’t how do you think characters like Hamish and Albert Mason would act in present time? They are my absolute favorite side mission things and I already finished them :[

Albert Mason would struggle so much god bless him but man could barely survive 1899 let alone trying to cross a street in any major city in modern era.

Arthur just has to pick him up by the scruff of his shirt to stop the poor guy getting hit by a car 90% of the time. albert mason needs a monkey backpack for his own safety moreso than sean does.

it's so fun imagining albert interacting with the rest of the VDLs. lenny would help teach him about photoshop and photo editing and after the initial moral dilemma of 'am i doctoring photos to suit my own goals? :c' albert would love photoshop. cackles maniacally as he removes his thumb from photos.

he would have multiple phones just because he liked the cameras on them differently. honestly he would just have a shelf of cameras. side point when people time warp they have everything that was on their persons at the time so he would still have his original camera but the struggle to get prints for an 1880s camera would force him to convert to modern technology. his favorite would be disposable film cameras even if the guilt over the environmental impact would keep him awake at night.

albert would also get along with kieran super well because he has such great vibes and they could infodump on one another. you know when two people with wildly different hyperfixations both just listen to one another talk? that's kieran and albert.

they adore sitting in the backyard as a little window of flourishing nature in the suburbia. arthur is still supervising nervously in case either one of them finds a way to get themselves killed but kieran is merrily tending to his vegetable patch while albert is taking photos of hummingbirds and butterflies

ALBERT WOULD GET SO INTO ENTOMOLOGY AND MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY HE WOULD BE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT SAVING THE BEES. he wanted to save the environment in 1880 imagine him learning about how much diversity there was in insects. this would have only started because there was a spider in his place and he was too scared of it and squeamish to kill it.

he would be a freelance photographer who would still hate pomp. hates taking wedding photos, any kind of formal event, even pet photography would bother him because he's used to real, wild animals not overgroomed dogs that barely look like dogs

but the second other creators asked him to take photos he would be so excited he would really struggle to ask a fair price for his services.

if he had a gun and knew how to use it he would shoot influencers on sight but he loves cosplayers and those hyper-realistic fantasy posable art dolls. he can be caught at any convention very much wondering how much to charge people because he's just so honored to be able to take photos of their creations like artists supporting artists he doesn't want to take their money but he's hella tired of instant noodles too

his true passion would be trying to photograph cryptids he would have an x-files i want to believe tshirt and arthur would go on expeditions to find mothman with him

phew one down lost my mind a little there I ALSO JUST FINISHED HAMISH'S QUESTS I LOVE HIM

he adjusts the fastest purely based on levels of 'do i look like i give a fuck'. oh, we're in the future now? wild.

getting a modern day prosthetic after walking around with a slab of wood for decades would be so mind boggling. let hamish sinclair get a running blade and after a realistic learning period he would love running and getting to enjoy the outdoors and hiking trails with far more independence than 1899 could afford an amputee

he would still share stories about the civil war making it clear he was talking about the civil war and people would just roll with it because what are you meant to do when an otherwise super chill and friendly veteran seems delusional. he has such a captivating way of telling stories it's frankly worth it

he haunts local fishing spots complaining about folks these days and their fancy high tech gear and no one knows how to make their own lure anymore but they all love him

he has the most hideous souped up all terrain all weather fwd mobility scooter he also named buell and he absolutely should not be allowed to drive it because he never received lessons and just decided to figure it out himself at the expense of every pedestrian in his way but he would love being able to go shopping by himself and not needing to rely on people

isaac calls him grandpa but always calls him hamish to his face because hamish would hate being called grandpa but hamish does 110% believe the kids are alright. he lets isaac tie a rope to the back of his scooter and hoons around with the kid on a skateboard.

pulling up to the matthews house blaring the shrill horn of his scooter 'get in loser we're gon' hunting'

he would still live on his own in a prefab cabin arthur very illegally helped him build on public land by the water in his own house building chapter. the fact it is still standing by the time john gets there is a miracle and they practically have to rebuild it from scratch

hamish is blissfully aware/pretending to be blissfully unaware of the absolute glare hosea gives him because arthur will always complain and whine when hosea wants to go fishing with him but if hamish asks arthur's skipping out the door with his fishing rod

no one is allowed to hate on hamish. as much as hosea is bitterly jealous of how well hamish and arthur get along because 'that's my son' hosea, hamish, javier and kieran would all meet up and go fishing on the pier together sharing tips, bait, handmade lures and cook fish on an open fire on the shore

when charles gets there arthur is as nervous about charles meeting hamish as a kid introducing his partner to his parents for the first time. they would get along so well but it wouldn't seem like it. they go hunting together and arthur is so anxious because charles and hamish have pretty much only said hello to each other and are otherwise silent the entire trip but asking each privately later they absolutely adored the other's company and can't wait to see each other again.

[theamityelf]

Do you think you could do some cute little Komazumi drabble, seeing as both their birthdays are coming up in a week?

(I'll do my best! 😅)

...

Nagito carefully followed a recipe. He had managed to mix up a batter that did not have any of the wrong ingredients, and he had the foresight to start early enough that, when the stove caught fire, he still had time to relocate the cake to a different oven.

The cake came out kind of...flatter than he'd expected? But he covered it in icing and tried to draw flowers on it with a piping tube. Honestly, he was pretty disgusted by the look of his own work, mainly because he went to school with such amazing artists and bakers and...

But, Mahiru liked it when he did his best to cook something. She said that knowing he cared enough to put in the effort was even better than having Teruteru effortlessly whip up a culinary masterpiece, which...he was just going to have to accept as truth, because Mahiru didn't lie.

They were celebrating both of their birthdays on the Saturday in-between them. The plan was to meet at their favorite spot on Hope's Peak's campus, to exchange gifts and just generally spend time together. He was bringing the cake he'd made and the keys to the new photography studio he was renting for her– which of course couldn't compare to Hope's Peak's accommodations, but she could use it when Hope's Peak wasn't available, like over holiday breaks, and the place came highly rated, and-

Nagito did his best to tidy his hair before making his way to their spot with the cake.

He'd thought he was early, but Mahiru had already spread a blanket on the grass and was waiting on it. Her eyes brightened immediately at the sight of him, which warmed his heart. He really didn't think he deserved such excitement.

Her camera flashed, as he approached, capturing every step of him sitting down on the blanket. Then she lowered it, with a slightly sheepish smile.

"You kept me waiting," she chided. "And you baked a cake?!"

"I, uh, did my best."

"It looks great! Here, I...made you this." Blushing profusely, she handed over a bento with nori and rice and whipped cream and canned corn.

He smiled, his eyes prickling at the fond memory of her disgusted reaction when they'd discussed his preference for whipped cream with nori. "You know me so well," he marveled.

"And you," she said, eyeing the keys in his hand, "had better not say you got me a car."

"Ah, no! I didn't. Even I'm not that frivolous."

"Thank goodness."

"It's just a photography studio. And it's rented, not bought."

"You're kidding!"

"If you don't like it, I can rent a different one."

"That is not what I'm reacting to, and you know it!"

He laughed, smugly handing her the key.

"Hmph! I knew you would pull something like this," she said, without edge. "That's why I feel no regrets for getting you a second thing, too!"

That wiped the smug look off his face. "Oh, but there's no need-"

"Too late! I made it, so you have to accept it." Having stolen back the right to be smug, she reached into her backpack and pulled out a framed collage.

Nagito's heart soared at the sight. For the most part, the pictures weren't of them. There was the odd selfie of both of them sprinkled in, but there was also the desks they'd pushed together for the group project, the horizon they'd stared at when the class went to the beach, the lost hamster they found for Gundham. Little pieces of times they'd laughed together.

"As always," Nagito said, when he found his voice, "you win."

"As always," she agreed. She took a bite of her cake, and thankfully she didn't look grossed out, but she did ask, "Hmm...How much almond extract did you use for the batter?"

He immediately got up. "I can just go bake you another one-"

"Nononono! It's good! Sit down!"

...

(How was that? I don't write a lot of Komazumi on purpose; usually it just kind of happens as a consequence of those two characters being in a situation.)

[julietstjohn]

Here I am pushing forward my Photographer Rooster agenda.

This is part 1 of ?

I am a little Hangster/Sereshaw biased so I hope you don’t mind.

—

Bradley loves going on these “photography strolls”, as he calls them. Wandering around old suburbs outside town, or pacing along the beachside near his little bungalow, bathing in the golden hour, with his dad’s Leica M6 strapped around his neck.

Everyone knows it.

If he is not answering his phone, nine times out of ten he is somewhere with his camera shoved up his face, or holed up into his studio editing images while blasting ABBA’s greatest hits.

All the Daggers, at some point or another, have joined him.

And they did absolutely hate it.

Bradley would spent hours pacing around the same spot, or remaining so far behind that everyone started to call him “Slow Ride”.

Except for Jake. Well he would still call Bradley “Slow Ride” like the others do, but he actually didn’t mind tagging along with photographer-Rooster, jumping in his shoots and making the worst faces possible.

It was nice, it shouted his thoughts away for a while. He liked the slow peace of the strolls, the hazy light of the late afternoon. Or the way Bradley squeezed his eyebrows together while focusing on catching the perfect shot, or the little “yes!” he whisper-shouted every time he successfully framed the perfect moment. Or the way he would proudly shove his Fujifilm in Jake’s face, stars in his eyes, showing him a picture he was particularly satisfied of.

So when Rooster asked the Daggers group chat if anyone wanted to keep him company on a stroll that Sunday, Hangman was the only one who agreed. Instantly.

He was a little disappointed in the others, Bradley had spent days talking their ears off about how he just got a new Portra 400 film in the mail and couldn’t wait to load it. He was so excited, already planning where to go and everything… how could they let him down like that? So he offered.

—

So at 5:00 AM on Sunday morning, Hangman was pulling his Jeep in Bradley’s driveway cursing at himself and the fellow pilot.

Rooster decided that he wanted to catch the sunrise light, and went ballistic planning a brief trekking tour somewhere not too far halfway up the Californian trails. Departure time: 5 AM sharp.

A crime. But again, Jake offered.

“Bagman” greeted him Rooster opening the passenger’s door. He was sporting a long sleeve denim shirt on top of his usual white undershirt, dog tags in plain sight. His Leica was already strapped securely across his chest, while one of his Fujis was sitting comfortably in his hands. His small backpack at his feet.

He was a damn sight.

Hangman had eyes okay, and Bradley was a damn fine man. But he was also a great pilot, a unsurprisingly amazing teacher, and a really impressive photographer.

Jake was starting to have it bad.

Over time, he has learned to recognize all of Bradley’s cameras. He owned four: two mirrorless — a Fujifilm X-T3 and a Fujifilm X-Pro2 —, a compact Fujifilm X100f, and his dad’s Leica M6. A lot of Fujis, yes, the perks of being stationed for a while in Japan: full access to cameras at cheaper prices.

Jake’s favorite one was the X100f, it was beautiful and looked less intimidating than the others, almost easy to use even for someone like him that didn’t know shit about photography. It was also the one that Rooster took everywhere. And it was exactly the X100f that Bradley was grasping nervously but still with gentleness.

“Bradshaw” responded Hangman starting the Jeep “remember me not to indulge anymore your photography extravaganza”.

“Whatever Hangman, I know you secretly love it” laughed Bradley tapping the right address into Maps.

They drove in comfortable silence for about fifteen minutes, when Jake decided to ask Bradley about the cameras.

“So what’s with the X100f? I thought you wanted to shoot film? With the Leica?” in his peripheral view he saw Bradley widening his eyes almost in disbelief. Did he say something wrong? Did he insulted his cameras in some way?

“I…brought the Fuji as a backup, in case I wanted to shoot more casually” answered Rooster once regained his composure “but if you want to, I was thinking you could’ve tried taking a couple of shoot with it? I’ll show you how” proposed almost sheepishly the older pilot.

Now it was Hangman’s turn to wide his eyes in disbelief. What? “Are you seriously trusting me with it?” asked the younger stopping at a red light and turning completely to Bradley.

He couldn’t believe it. Rooster was willingly sharing with him his most treasured passion, that thing that deeply linked him to his long gone dad. Bradley was willingly putting in Jake’s hands one of his most valuable possession. Bradley was willingly showing Jake his world, teaching him how to read his heart.

“I mean, I trust you enough to be my wingman, so why not?”

Damn. It would be a hell of a day for Jake’s heart. And it was just barely after 6:00 AM.

—

That’s it for now.

Let me know what you think about it.

If someone want to write something too about Photographer Rooster please tag me, I would love to read it.

(Before I forget, English is not my main language so be kind)

[brickcentral]

🤩 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: @mumubrix Hello everyone! It's time to direct the spotlight toward our community members, and today we will get to know better @mumubrix!

"Hi my name is Angel and I’ve been learning photography since January of 2021. Mumubrix is my social media name. Mumu is a Filipino (Tagalog) word for GHOST which is one of my favorite subjects.

I would say that my style is leaning more towards incorporating emotions to my photos. Different kinds of emotions. I also like to add mist, rain, water as much as I can. My favorite subject are animals and spooky minifigs though I am confident to say that I am versatile with my photography. It all depends on my mood.I have a journal where I write my ideas, because I can't draw, and have been building more recently. Building bricks have been such a stress reliever and is a great mental challenge for me. It is great to just build, break it apart and rebuild something else. I get a lot of new ideas from daily experiences, interesting conversations with strangers and just sheer imagination.I also enjoy harsh lights and shadows. I love the shadows, it's art in itself. Being able to learn photography and manipulating light is magic!

This is my basic gear. I cannot live without a tripod, I have the very basic tripod you can find from Amazon and the pocket size for low angle photos. I mainly use this lamp for main light and use a flash and a pocket mist for added "effects". I use a Canon EOS M50 mirrorless camera with a TT artisan macro lens. Everything here stays in my backpack except the tripod and the table lamp. If I want to make something float, I use the instant, the wire and the clamp to hold it, I also use the clamp to hold a piece of cardboard for bouncing the lights. I use the soldering hands if I need more floating pieces or if it’s a but windy outside. I have 2 more led lights that aren’t in this photo but I mainly use it if I take photos indoors.

My #1 challenge is my lack of knowledge about photography, light,compositions. All I have is my story and that's all I needed because I found this great community where people help and teach each other. I was using my phone to take photos before and I really thought they were great but thankfully, the constructive criticisms are there to steer me back to the correct path. Not knowing what looks good to begin with was the first challenge I had to break.

The #2 is my gear. I was learning through tips and tricks from Brickcentral and videos from Four Bricks Tall but there are just some things that a phone camera can't do like achieving that good Depth of field, catching those beautiful misty light and shadows without it looking flat. Or just being able to focus on one subject without having to blur everything in the background using an editing software. That's when I knew I had to upgrade and I'm so happy I did.

And #3 is my fear of getting ignored by the algorithm. I have always been someone to question rules and limitations and that makes me tend to experiment quite a lot. I enjoy creating photos that are not mainstream like Happy Happy photos or character photos. I enjoy creating mysterious ones or emotional ones where real people can relate. I enjoy self-expression. And yet social platforms made me wonder some time ago if I'm doing the right thing, or that maybe I should follow what everyone else is doing so people can like my photos more. In other words, I became a "photo people pleaser". I got burnt out after a month and stopped taking photos. Then I realized that my photography makes me happy, and it should make me happy. Not the other way around.

My goal is to help anyone who is wiling to learn about photography. I have been blessed to be taught so much by this community and would like to return it to the world. I believe that art is innate and it is in everything and that you just have to tap in the right kind of art, the right people to give you good direction and the patience to learn.

For the community: Many thanks for all the patience and the tips, tricks and advice that the mods and everyone else share. Remember that you don't need a lot of things to start, just the willingness to learn and the realization that you can do it too. You just have to keep on practicing, go out and take photos, just go and do it and ask for feedback. You need feedback."

Thank you for accepting our invitation and let the community knows you better!

If you want some insights on the exclusive picture and for a better view of the others, head to our blog at https://brickentral.net/.

- @theaphol, Community Outreach Manager

[wallcrawld]

MUSE'S INVENTORY. [ original meme from @treasurechestrpmemes​. ]

rules: list what your muse carries in their pockets or bags in their everyday life. ( optional: explain their significance .) repost, don’t reblog.

POCKETS.

mets keychain — having grown up going to baseball games every year with his uncle ben, pete is a lifelong mets fan. he keeps all of his keys on a mets keychain which may or may not have a spider-man charm on it as well

earbuds — peter still has the earbuds with a cord attached, he likes the security of having them actually be attached to something as he struggles to trust bluetooth ones to stay in his big ears

gum wrappers/straw wrappers/assorted trash - as an official member of the online group 'new yorkers against littering', peter usually has some kind of small piece of trash stuffed into his pockets that he told himself he'd throw away when he saw a trash can and then promptly forgot about

student i.d. — for empire state university ( ESU ). it's used to get into labs/buildings after hours

wallet — thin leather brown wallet. he keeps an old photo of him, may, and ben in it. never enough cash in it. he has an "official spider-man fan club member" card hidden deep within it

daily bugle key fob — programmed it himself. after getting tired of having to get someone let him into the upstairs offices of the building every single time he wanted to drop photos off ( because jonah refused to give him one as he "wasn't a full-time employee" ), peter made one. he got some grief for it but it became pretty evident real quick that it was saving everyone a lot of hassle

bobby pins — with great power comes great responsibility and sometimes, a great need to get through a locked door without breaking it down. he's picked up the skill of how to lock pick after years of watching thieves and with a little bit of advice from none other than black cat. these have been a point of contention in his romantic relationships when discovered as, traditionally, there doesn't appear to be a reason for him to need them. he's used the explanation that they work great to unscrew the panels of his camera when he's without any real tools, which is true, just not the full truth

spider-tracers — a must-have for patrol. small electronic tracers in the shape of a spider that peter can use to track objects, people, or anything else

BAG.

peter has a backpack problem and by that i mean that he can not hold onto a backpack for very long. he goes through them frequently as they often get dropped and left in various places around the city, nowhere to be found when he goes back for them. he does, however, tend to go for the same style. it's almost always a medium-sized dusty red backpack and every time, without fail, it ends up scratched and a little busted. he keeps little pins and stickers on it, some pertaining to his interests ( science puns + star wars references ) while others are for causes that he supports. if he's on patrol and not wearing his backpack, he'll usually make himself one out of webbing.

camera — originally this is a canon ftb which is a 35mm film camera ! peter loves the look of film and the amount of control that comes with it but while it's great for photography in a slow, controlled environment, it doesn't quite get the job done when it comes to selling action shots of spidey. after saving up for months, he ends up splurging on a used nikon d500 which he cleans up so that it's in perfect condition. it sets his bank account back enough that he's pretty much on a "rice and beans only" diet for a hot minute but it's totally worth it

backup web shooters — if there's anything he's learned in his time hero-ing, it's that gear fails and breaks, usually when you need it most. he keeps an older, spare set of web shooters in his backpack at all times

spidey suit — if he's not wearing it, he's still got it with him. it's rare that peter goes anywhere without the spider-man suit as it's always when he least expects it that he needs it most

change of clothes — this one is only if he's actively on patrol. he'll stuff a change of clothes into his bag in the event that he needs to de-spidey quickly for any reason, usually this is just the clothes he was wearing over the suit before he changed

physics textbook + science journals — reading material ! peter's been subscribed to the american science journal for as long as he can remember, he's always got the latest issue on him. he keeps a textbook or two on him for uni work, forever trying to find the time to cram his homework into his schedule

steam deck — yet another item in the line of purchases that put him on a rice and beans only diet, peter eventually upgrades his psp to a steam deck which he'll play on patrol, in between crimes

handheld police scanner — can't fight crime if you don't know where the crime's at ! his phone is also programmed with an app that works in the same way, but it's always good to have a backup

snacks — a constantly rotating supply of chips, treats, and goodies for on the go. his diet is relatively terrible but if he wants to feel healthy he'll reach for the trail mix. sometimes he carries around canned food to donate or give away to displaced people in need of it.

tagged: @cybersbyte THANK YOU !! tagging: @proditeur, @vicioushope, @lapinecide, @aercnaut, @masteredlegacy, @magizat, @kryptonfuture, @crowshoots, @jadeslayed, and you !!

[talltoontales]

{|O|} Model Friend {|O|}

Prompt: "Hate me all you want, but there's not a chance in Hell I'm letting you do this alone."

Prompt By: @promptlyprompting

Started Writing: 04/13/2024

[Heads Up: Bad Language]

|| || || || ||

“Hate me all you want, but there’s not a chance in hell I’m letting you do this alone,” says the nerdy June as he stands on the front porch of his mortal enemy, resident mean girl, Abigail. With the added weight of his overstuffed backpack, he barges past the pajama-clad Abigail and into her home. “Now, where can I put my—" Before June walks any farther, Abigail grabs him by the backpack and throws him outside onto the lawn.

“I don’t know how you found out where I live, how you got into my neighborhood to begin with, or why you think I need your help,” says Abigail, “but let me make this as clear as possible for you. Fuck. Off!” Abigail slams the door behind her as she walks back inside.

“Fine, whatever,” says June. “Guess I’ll just head home, mess around on the computer a bit, maybe even send out a massive group message with some photos my sister showed me!” The front door swings open, and Abigail stares daggers at June.

“She wouldn’t,” says Abigail.

“You’re right. I broke into her computer. It was super easy,” says June, “and let me just say, you are far from camera shy.” Abigail takes a deep breath while pulling her phone from her pocket.

“Well, what can I say?” says Abigail. “Your sister has an amazing eye for photography. My favorite has to be from your 21st birthday. I bet Mom and Dad would love to see that.” June’s eyes twitch while Abigail waves her phone around. “Ready to go?”

“Not until I fix your mess, Gabbi,” says June. Abigail's face turns bright red before aggressively unlocking her phone with one hand. June quickly unlocks his. The two scroll through their phones while also keeping an eye on one another. They move a series of photos into their messaging apps and hover over the “send” button.

“Walk away, June,” says Abigail.

“Not a chance,” says June. “You fucked up, and now I’m stuck dealing with the fallout. So, either I fix your mess, or we’re both suffering.” The area’s dead quiet as Abigail and June stare each other down. A bead of sweat slides down June’s face while Abigail struggles not to bite her lower lip.

“Here’s the deal,” says Abigail.

“Figured you’d see it my way,” June interrupts. Abigail jerks her finger closer to her phone, and June does the same.

“Don’t tempt me,” barks Abigail. “Here’s the deal: phones stay at the front door until this is over and done with, and you stay in the kitchen until you leave.”

“As long as you stay out of my way,” says June.

//////////

The two continue to stare each other down as June walks inside, and together, they leave their phones on a small table beside the door. June looks around, stunned by Abigail’s house. Expensive art lines the walls, exotic furniture, and human marble statues as pillars.

“Jeez, you got a golden toilet too?” mocks June.

“Yeah,” says Abigail, “and I wipe my ass with more money in a day than your parents—” Abigail winces, cutting herself off. “Just shut up.” The two walk through an archway into a restaurant-style kitchen.

“Alright,” says June. He lobs his backpack onto the counter. The latch breaks, and cooking ingredients, Tupperware containers, and utensils flood out. “You allergic to any foods?”

“No,” answers Abigail.

“Great,” says June. “Then get out.”

“I thought you were going to help me?” asks Abigail.

“I am,” says June, “by keeping you out of my way while I cook. Just focus on looking pretty or whatever, and I’ll take care of the rest. Probably should start by taking a shower. You smell guilt and sadness.

“Excuse me?!” asks Abigail.

“You’re excused,” says June as he makes a shooing motion with his hands. Abigail aggressively storms out of the kitchen while June chuckles to himself as he pulls a stain-covered apron from his backpack.

\\\\\\\\\\

Deep in the cooking process, June hears the *clack* of footsteps heading toward the kitchen. He looks up to see Abigail in a slim red dress with matching heels, her hair tied back into an elegantly curled ponytail, and a pearl necklace hanging just above her chest. June stares at Abigail, flabbergasted.

“What?” asks Abigail.

“What the hell’s all that?!” asks June, waving a sauce-covered spoon at June.

“My outfit,” answers Abigail.

“I’m sorry, I must’ve missed the Gucci logo on my way in,” says June. “Go change!"

“Oh, what? Now you're an expert on fashion?” asks Abigail. “You ask for pretty, you get pretty!”

“Well, that may work on planet fashionista,” says June, “but here on Earth, most of the population doesn’t have a walk-in closet that could act like a master bedroom.”

“Well then, what do you—" says Abigail as she steps toward June.

“Ah ah ah,” June interrupts. “Clothes like those don’t belong in a kitchen. Go back and try again.” Abigail flips June off and heads back to her room.

//////////

June throws a wrapped tin pan in the oven and sets a timer. Flinging off his crab mittens, he then goes into the nearby fridge and pulls out a large bottle of water with a glistening gold label. June shrugs as he starts drinking straight from the bottle.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” yells Abigail. June peaks behind the fridge to see Abigail in a baggie, black and white stripped sweater, a knee-length red circle skirt, white leggings, and matching red boots and beret.

“Pourquoi bonjor, madame. Vous voyez, pour cuisner, j’ai besoin de cette chose appelee “feu”… says June.

In English: "Why hello, ma'am. You see, to cook, I need this thing called "fire"..."

“Get out of the…wait, you speak French?” asks Abigail.

“Nope,” answers June as he hip-checks the fridge door close. “Now go dress like you actually live in this country.”

“Is that my Nile River Water!?” asks Abigail.

“You. Change. Or no food. Go!” orders June.

\\\\\\\\\\

Abigail returns, still in the sweater but now with skinny jeans and red sneakers, to an empty kitchen save for a foldable plastic basket full of Tupperware containers on the counter, her phone on top, and a note attached...

---------------------------------------------------- "Be honest & don’t fuck it up, or I’ll burn both our worlds down." ----------------------------------------------------

Abigail scoffs as she checks her phone, takes the basket, and leaves.

//////////

Abigail walks up a massive grassy hill overlooking several buildings. At the top of the hill, a woman sits on a bench facing the setting sun. She’s a lanky woman wearing an army green hoodie, brown overalls, and dirty boots. Abigail hides the basket behind her back, takes a deep breath, and walks toward the woman.

“Dana?” asks Abigail. The woman shouts a high-pitched “Eep!” as she jumps in her seat. Dana quickly wipes her face as she stands up to face Abigail. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” says Dana. I was just…in my own world again.” Abigail’s shoulders slump as she frowns at the comment. She also notices dark bags under Dana’s eyes. Feeling Abigail’s gaze on her, Dana looks back out toward the orange sky, pulling a small digital camera from her pocket. “I can *sniff* really see why you wanted to shoot here. The sun setting over the town is gonna make a great backdrop.”

Dana walks further from Abigail as she starts taking pictures of the sunset. Abigail looks down at the basket in her hand and then back at Dana. She then puts the basket on the ground next to the bench. Abigail hugs Dana from behind, causing Dana’s camera to slip through her hands.

“You are the best photographer I’ve ever worked with,” says Abigail, “you’re patient, dedicated, and beyond creative. Your view of the world, even at its worst, is so vibrant and hopeful.”

“Gabbi, it’s—" says Dana, trying to escape Abigail’s grip without crying and failing on both fronts.

“You’re unbearably kind,” Abigail continues, “and gentle and sweet. You go out of your way to make people feel comfortable and safe. The world is lucky to have someone like you in it.” Dana tries shaking Abigail off, but Abigail digs her feet into the ground and tightens her grip. “I wish I could take it all back! I wish I didn’t know how to hurt you! I wish you were lucky enough to have never met me!”

“Well, I don’t!” says Dana. She manages to turn around within Abigail’s grasp and hugs her. Abigail tries to escape but can’t. “You’re my best friend, and I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything, even now. So, shut up and let me hug you!” After another few seconds of trying to escape, Abigail relents and returns the hug while quietly crying into Dana’s hoodie.

“Are you ready to talk now?” asks Dana. She feels Abigail nod “yes” against her, and the two separate. “Gabbi, you knew about my feelings for you and used them purely to hurt me, and…I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive you for that. But I was coming into this with the idea you would give some “I’m sorry you felt that way” style apology. This—” Dana motions to Abigail. “I don’t know how to feel about this.” Abigail takes Dana’s hands into her own.

“Dana, from the bottom of my heart,” says Abigail, “I am sorry for everything I’ve done to you, and I’m sorry that it took so long for me to apologize. You don’t have to forgive me, not today, not ever. I was awful to you, and you deserve better.”

“But I want to forgive you. I want to still be your friend,” says Dana, gripping Abigail’s hands before pulling free. I just…need some time to figure out how to do that.” Abigail looks down at her feet until she’s gently hugged again by Dana. “But helps to know that I matter this much to you.” Abigail hugs back as the two are silhouetted by the setting sun.

\\\\\\\\\\

Dana walks into her dorm room, where June is lying on the couch watching TV.

“Hey, how’d the picnic go?” asked June.

“Better than I thought it would,” answers Dana. “Turns out Gabbi needed this as much as I did.”

“Guess you really can buy a conscience,” says June. Dana walks over to June and hugs him.

“Seriously, thanks for everything,” says Dana, “I know you’re not Abigail’s biggest fan.”

“Anything to keep you from mopping up the place,” says June. “Maybe now people will actually take my advice beforehand.” Dana rolls her eyes as she walks to her room, stopping in the doorway.

“I gotta say,” says Dana, “the chicken was really dry, though. Any advice for that?” June silently scowls at the TV. “I thought so.”

. . . . . Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story! If you have any COMMENTS, CRITIQUES, or CRITICISMS, please don't be afraid to let me hear 'em (as long as they're CONSTRUCTION (or COMICAL)). Also, if you have some time, check out my blog for more stories like this. Stay safe, drink plenty of water, and be kind to yourself and others. ToonMan, AWAY!

[adititarachand]

Big vs. Small: Why Size Matters in Product Photos

Ever wonder why online clothes always seem to fit differently than expected? It might be the photos! Great product pics show not just what something looks like, but also how big it is.

Why Size Matters

No Surprises: Clear photos prevent you from getting a tiny hat instead of a stylish wide-brimmed one.

Imagine it in Use: Seeing a backpack next to a water bottle shows how much it holds. Planning a trip? Photos with a suitcase next to a phone let you compare sizes.

Tell a Story: A miniature car next to giant keys hints at fun adventures. Showcasing a phone case with a phone inside lets people picture using it.

Simple Tips for Sizing Up Your Photos:

Show it with Stuff: Put your product next to everyday objects like pens or mugs for easy size comparison.

More Than One View: Take pictures from different angles to give a better idea of the full size.

Models Help Too: Use models wearing clothes or holding items to show real-world size.

By showing scale, your photos become way more helpful. People will know exactly what they're getting, leading to happier customers and fewer returns!

For product photography visit https://www.brandfinity.in/

[hunting-songs]

YOUR MUSES HOBBIES. reblog & bold whichever applies to your muse ! fishing | camping | sewing | singing | dancing | drawing | painting | baking | cooking | making music | gardening | mixology | playing sports | beekeeping | knitting | chess | video games | working out | doing yoga | playing an instrument | collecting things | hiking | parkour | kite flying | making bread | origami | wood carving | trivia | board games | jigsaw puzzles | juggling | swimming | creative writing | journaling | scrapbooking | thrifting | doing makeup | working on cars | cosplaying | wikipedia editing | genealogy | book club | table tennis | calligraphy | meteorology | astronomy | larping | geocaching | photography | reading | litter picking | scrolling through social media | watching movies / shows | witchcraft | pottery | lego building | ghost hunting | graffiti | poker | people watching | birdwatching .

Drawing: Senritsus drawingskills usully focus on technical drawings for her instrument building /restore work. Occaisonally she will draw flowers like her mother did in her herb-study-books. Camping+Hiking: Traveling is part fo Senritsus work, but she actually has a great love and enjoyment of grabbing her backpack and going hiking. For one it is part of her work, when she is payed to seek out distant groups far away fom bigger cities for documenting taditional songs or finding old instruments, but she likes the literal freedom of just going wherever she wants in those parts of her work. After she had been cursed, Senritsu had developted a great distaste for cities and their permanent noises and her love for just sleeping in a sleepingback while watching the stars and listening to the insects had grown proportionally. However, considering her backpain those nights outside are a lot of rougher on her than they used to be. Not that this would stop Senritsu (ones own health is usually not that important for Hunters. Its a occupational disease) but she might return from a trip bruised all over but also very happy.

Reading: Due to Senritsus never especially well worked with dyslexia she does not like reading. However, she is curious, she is eager to learn and she loves to learn new things fitting to her special interests. So while she would not read a book, she will at any time possible listen to a audiobook. Musicians bipgraphys, History on dances and certaine instruments, Travel-logs- Whenever she does not need to actively listen to someone/something, Senritsu will pluck in her headphones and "read" an audiobook.

Watching movies / show: Her keen hearing makes it impossible for Senritsu to indulge or get lost in series or movies. If the audioquality is bad, she will literally cringe at every sound and if the audioquality is too good, than she will actually hear the filmteam in the background of every scene that makes it impossible to actually attentive follow the plot of fall for the illusion. Naturally she will sit down with friends and loved ones to watch movies, but in that manner she will enjoy beeing with her friends more than the actual series or the movie.

Tagged By: A little bird! Tagging: @skarletchains @bewitchingbaker @gyofukuki @uzumakiuser @jxgi @thaneirstaer @rake-rake @distortedkilling @swxpped @muddsludge @curseisms @zealctry @saiakv @nephytale @huntcrpcdia ...and YOU!