#holding a hand lens up to a phone camera is not the best way to take close-up photos. but it's better than digital zoom.

[cantankerouscatfish]

you adorable little bastards. get off my senecio.

[dreamauri]

♪ — 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗬𝗢𝗨 charles leclerc x girlfriend! sim racer! reader (fluff) “. . . what is it like when when a Ferrari driver and a sim racer who are ┊both equally chaotic are engaged?”

( general master list | more of charles leclerc ) ( requests | taglist )

Turning on the camera, Charles looked at the lens with his lips pursed. "Just so you know, I'm being forced to do this." He sighed starting to share his screen. "I lost a bet and I'm being held at gunpoint."

"This is not gunpoint, don't be ridiculous." You scolded spraying him with the water pistol. "AMOUR!!. YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T!" Charles scrunched his face making you laugh. You were laughing loudly, holding his face gently from his chin as you wiped his face dry with a napkin.

A person would expect him to be playing F1 like he always did, but no. Infront of him was the loading screen to a famous role-playing game known as Genshin impact.

This was indeed Charles' first time playing because he had only heard of the game two minutes ago while you logged on your cousins account for your fiance. "We're- I think-" each time he tried to talk your run the napkin over his mouth making him start the sentence over again, your body was shaking as you held in your giggle.

"I think- Amour!" You fell on your side laughing your ass off. He took the water pistol spraying you a couple of time. "Do you surrender?" "I do! I do!" He sprayed you two more times for good measure.

"I'm going to be playing Jenshin-" "Genshin." You corrected. "Genshin Impact. I've never played it before so, let's see where this goes. My fiance will be joining me. Chéri, chat says hi." "Salut!" You greeted sitting up, pulling Charles' chair back and taking a seat on his lap.

The man quickly pulled you close to his chest, scooting back closer to his monitor. "Whar are you going to play on?" "On my phone, so I can have the best seat in town."

Charles wiggled his eyebrows to the camera smugly before kissing your cheek. "Let me give you the ghist. You lost your twin Sibling and your mission to find her, so you go through the countries in this world in hopes of finding the God of each in hopes for them to help you." You quickly explain, unlocking the phone and pressing a key on Charles keyboard.

"Where the fuck are you-" you looked at his screen confused once you joined his game. "You're the expert here, am I drowning?!"

"Oh yeah." You hummed nodding as you watched Bennett drown. "That's a shame, I really liked him. Anyways."

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Sigh." Charles walked into the camera frame with his banana suit on. "Your taking too long!" He called for you, folding his arms waiting. "This is embarrassing." you mumbled. "This is revenge." He replied pulling you into the frame with him. You were wearing a strawberry suit, similar to his banana one.

"Do the dance." He nudged you looking at the camera with a blank expression. You sighed putting your hands on your hips as you started doing some silly dance. "I'm a strawberry, red and sweet. I'm always here if you want a treat. But if it's hot you can put me in a blender, add a banana and it's gonna be splendid." You sang jumping on beat to face different directions.

Charles was holding in his laugh as he watched you on the monitor. "My girlfriend ladies and gentlemen." "Your fiancé." You corrected him, nudging your hip with his. "My fiancé!" He chuckled pausing between words to nudge you back.

That's how Charles' streams consisted of after meeting you. You two quickly became friends until he asked you on a date. And soon after asked to be your boyfriend. It wasn't much longer till he proposed which you accepted, a decision that made two racers stream stupid content on twitch together.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"CHARLIEEEEE!! GET OUT OF THE WAY." you shouted even though you were sitting on the Sim right behind him. Deciding to stream for the weekend, you invited some in real life racers, including your fiance.

"LANDO, THINK FAST." You were driving in the opposite direction, trying to take out drivers with the speed of 250km/h. "Holy shit." You could hear the McLaren driver laugh as he dodged you. "YOUR NEXT MAX, WATCH OUT ALBON." The two boys quickly did a U-Turn, running away from you.

"HAVE MERCY." Alex shouted trying to escape you, wheezing so much he could barely see. You couldn't hold your laugh or smile in as you hunted down the driver.

Charles on the other side, or as you liked to call him, Charlie ( you kept saying the wrong name on purpose to piss him off and it stuck ) was watching you with a wide smile on his face. His heart fluttered with each laugh he heard and goosebumps spread over his skin as he heard your giggles.

He was marrying the right person, he knew that. The way you made him feel, it was just right.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Charlieeee. I'm home." You knocked on the door waiting for him. You'd forgotten your keys in your drawer and had texted the boy inside to unlock the door. Which he did not. "Man, let me in." You sighed locking harder. You frowned for a good two impatient seconds before hopping on discord, entering the voice chat.

"Charlie!! Open the door, mother fuc-" "AAAAHHHHHHHH." "WHO WAS THAT?!" "MOMM!!" You heard a thud come from inside the apartment, hearing Charles fall off his chair. You were once more laughing your ass of, falling on the floor as you held your stomach. Your laugh echoed through the apartment and Charles couldn't help but chuckle from on the floor.

"You scared me, amour." He accused as he opened the door laughing. "I texted you." You defended, laughs falling from your lips on end as your significant other pulled you into a warm hug. "Welcome home."

[lovingseventeen]

is seventeen good at taking your picture? *ੈ✩‧₊˚

a/n: this is kinda random but wholesome lol 

seungcheol:

✿ “ah, you’re pretty”

✿ it just sort of comes out, really. he was taking a couple pictures but he puts your phone down for a second just to look at you

✿ he giggles when you start blushing (the pictures end up being the kind thats a little blurry bc you moved when he got you blushy, but its still aesthetically pleasing)

jeonghan: 

✿ he tries to prank you by showing you that he actually took a (very cute and giggly) selfie while you were posing (this selfie becomes your lock screen eventually)

✿ when he sees you scoff he does his specific “hahaha” laugh (y’all know what i mean) 

✿ but just as you’re about to smack his arm he swipes left and he actually took a couple good pictures 

joshua: 

✿ i feel like he’s the kind to be pretty diligent with taking your picture 

✿ will direct how you pose (if you want him to help) to get the best possible picture 

✿ “mm maybe turn your chin this way just a little bit” he goes, even so far as to demonstrate with his own face

jun: 

✿ he really tries his best and they’re not totally bad 

✿ occasionally just crops your foot out weirdly or it’s not lined up the best 

✿ it may take another one or two tries but you’ll get there 

✿ will comment when you post that 1) you look pretty and 2) he took the picture (he’s proud)

hoshi: 

✿ takes a million pictures of you in rapid fashion and each of them are about 2% different from each other 

✿ may be a little bit hit or miss 

✿ will encourage a horanghae hand at some point 

✿ but even though he’s taking pictures kinda fast he will be patient and take more if you want him to 

wonwoo: 

✿ i feel like he’d take pictures of you from two angles at most and ngl, they ain’t bad 

✿ like somehow, he didn’t put that much thought into them but they’re pretty good???

woozi: 

✿ he may not take too many pictures but he puts a lot of care into the 7 he does take

✿ says little words under his breath, maybe quirks his head as he’s figuring out how to hold your phone

✿ “hmm maybe this isn’t right” *head tilt* “is it?”

dk: 

✿ may be a little bit overdramatic with the lunging to “make you look taller” 

✿ but best boy energy and he’s enthusiastic to help you !!

✿ will probably get a cute candid picture of you laughing over his antics

mingyu: 

✿ he’s probably taller than you but he will squat and/or break his back to get that good angle 

✿ also has a pretty artistic eye so i could assume that he’d get an interesting picture 

✿ he also did mention bringing his camera with him everywhere (in that one interview) so he’d probably be the kind of boyfriend that would take your picture without you knowing 

✿ honestly use his height and some funky lens to your advantage to get something editorial 

minghao: 

✿ another artsy boy hehe 

✿ very flexible will most definitely get pictures of you from so many angles 

✿ moves around you enough so you barey have to adjust 

✿ i feel like he’d help you filter your pictures too 

seungkwan: 

✿ who am i kidding, seungkwan will go to every extreme to get the perfect picture 

✿ ofc he knows all of your best angles 

✿ you may want to stop taking pictures but he will inSiSt he can do better 

✿ you think the pictures are fine already (he really did do so good) but he’s pointing to tell you to go back to pose 

vernon:

✿ the energy may not be through the roof but he’s still putting an effort trust

✿ if he doesn’t get what you want at first all you gotta do is demonstrate what you want

✿ really, just make him stand in your place and take a quick example

✿ “so i want you to take it like this, so you see this in the background too”

✿ “ah okay i see” he nods

✿ funniest part is the practice photo and he’s just standing in it like 🧍

dino: 

✿ also tries pretty hard

✿ he’s about to show you what he has so far before he grabs your phone back before you even see he screen

✿ “wait let me try again!”

✿ he gets excited when he feels like the pictures turned out well

✿ sneakily sends a couple photos to his own phone 🫶🏽

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Special Interest 2

Warnings: non/dubcon, age gap, creep behaviour, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: Cole Turner, short!reader

Part of the Bookstore AU

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

You find a seat at the cafe with your vanilla chai latte. You place the paper bag with the wire handles on the table and pull out your phone. You love this cafe, it’s like a little home away from home. A much-needed escape from your parents.

You love your mom and dad but they can be a bit much. You’re barely into your twenties and they’re already talking about big things. Like a husband and grandbabies. Hullo, you’re a young entrepreneur, you’ve got a business to run.

Your mother’s text greets you. She wants to know when you’ll be home. You hate to leave her on read so you send ‘dunno’ and flick away the chat. A few items sold! Score. You put some stuff on clearance and knocked a few bucks off. May as well just get rid of it.

As you reach for your tea, you sense something. Like a shift in the earth. There’s a disturbance in the force. Be calm, Jedi.

You peek up over your phone and meet two sparkling eyes. Oh clam shells, it can’t be. It’s that guy from the bookstore. Again! Charles? You can’t remember, you want to forget as quickly as you can. 

You slide the bag in front of you and slouch down, trying to hide behind it. Too late. He’s coming closer. He looks down at you as you try to ignore him, thumbing through old emails to look busy.

He sits one table away. Nice. Very subtle. Or maybe you’re being paranoid. Either way, this coincidence seems less than serendipitous.

You do your best to form a bubble around yourself. You take out the book you bought and flip through the patterns. Those sunflowers are adorable. You could do one for your mom. Oh, what about little bees to go with the flowers? 

There’s a scuff on the ground but you don’t look over. You lower the book slightly, pretending to read the description of tulip as you peek from the corner of your eye. This guy is the definition of manspreading. You shouldn’t care so much but you can see his boot as he has his knees open like a Madonna music video.

You raise your eyebrows as you argue with yourself. You should just go home. Your mom will be happy to see you. Well, happy to have help with dinner. The biggest reason, you’ll be less annoyed.

You sigh and tuck your phone into your purse. You get up and pull on your jacket,sliding the books back in the bag as you swipe up your latte. You sidle around the table and that man clears his throat. Keep your eyes on the prize; escape.

Even if you’re overthinking it, he’s ruined your day. He tainted the haven of the bookstore then infested the cafe. You sip your drink as you pass by the windows of the cafe, refusing to look inside. You hear the door as you brush by the next facade, a hobby shop with dice and cards. Still, you keep your sights ahead of you.

You reach into your pocket and close your hand around your earbud case. You hear footsteps, some ways back, but near enough to track. He wouldn’t follow you… You think better of putting them in and pull out your phone instead, holding it out before you as you pretend to check a notification.

You swipe your thumb up and drag the camera open. You try to angle it so you can see over your shoulder through the front lens. Whoever it is, you can’t see them without being too obvious. Damn.

You drop your phone and black the screen. You move to the other side of the sidewalk as you come to fourway light. You turn, hands in your pocket, and stare at the light across from you, waiting for it to change. Casually, you take the opportunity to glance to your side. You see a blur disappear into the insurance broker but nothing else.

Maybe you are getting in your head.

🧶

You get a strange request on your Etsy. Several purchases with a message from the buyer. You check as you sit in the kitchen, laptop open as you try to wake up. Your mother grumbles as she cradles her own mug and mulls over the day ahead of her. She works from home too but she doesn’t consider your work a real job.

You lean your chin in your hand and squint. You’re stomach squirms as you make sure you understand the message. You feel a shadow looming above the screen and you look up at your mother as she gives you a goofy face.

“Doing calculus?” She teases as you sit back and rub the tension from your forehead.

“N-no, I just… I got a big order but the customer wants to do a pick-up,” you grab your coffee and take a sip, hoping to find sanity somewhere in the brew.

“A pick-up. Here?”

“Well, no, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t get it, they paid the shipping.”

“Maybe they want the money back.”

“They didn’t mention it but yeah,” you stare at their name.

Most people have their first and last displayed but this one is just Farmer’s Delight. They said they're local but live out in the country so the mail often gets lost. How odd. Sounds like a boomer.

“I mean, you could do a public meetup? Customer is always right.”

“Mom, this isn’t the 90s anymore. The customer is wrong,” you huff. 

“How big is the order?” She wonders, “I mean, your little crafts are so cute but it can’t be that much work.”

“That’s not the issue,” you sniff and take another deep gulp. You go back to their order and teethe your lip. “It’s over three hundred dollars.”

“Holy moly,” your mother gasps, “little crafts my tush!”

“Mom,” you warn her, “I’ll just tell them delivery is the only option.”

Your mother is quiet. She slurps her coffee, bringing your ire to dart at her over the top of your screen. You hate that noise.

“I’ll go with you, honey,” she offers, “how about… you can meet at a Starbucks or something? That’s what they say these days, meet in public.”

“Is that what they say? And who are you trying to meet up with?”

“No one… I’m in this trade and sell group for Royal Doulton figures and the ladies there, I would only meet them with mace in my purse.”

You chortle. Your mom can be silly even when she’s nagging you. You’re just happy it’s not her usual spiel.

“Who knows, hon, this could be your meet-cute,” she spoils your moment of gratitude. You sigh and roll your eyes.

“You don’t even know if it’s a guy.”

“Ugh, okay, crush my dreams,” she pouts, “I’m just saying… sounds like a big spender.”

[dollwrites]

𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 — 𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨

𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ∣ smut ( minors dni ), fem!secretary!reader, phone sex ( kind of ), mentions of nonconsensual filming during sex, this fic is FULL of dubcon, masturbation ( him ), orgasm control, cumming without being touched, all characters featured are aged 18+

𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 ∣ please reblog && leave feedback. not proofread so there’s probably mistakes. thanks for reading < 3

your phone was vibrating in your clutch again. you try your best to force yourself to ignore it, and instead focus on the way your date smiled at you. he was so kind, and you were already feeling guilty for so many interruptions.

“Quite a diligent worker, aren’t you?” he felt awkward, you knew that by how he avoided your eyes, and instead looked at your buzzing bag on the tabletop beside a hardly touched glass of champagne. “Or, is it just a pain in the ass boss?”

you force a giggle, placing a hand over the clutch. “Pain in the ass boss.” you knew it was figurative, but you were also thinking about how much literal pain Ainosuke Shindo has put you through thus far. a single typo in an email could leave you stumbling out of his office with the stinging imprint of his massive palm on your tender ass, and had many times.

thinking about his hands now, you felt a warmth rise in your cheeks. you couldn’t imagine those long, cruel fingers without remembering how they felt teasing your gag reflex when he shoved them down your throat as he bent you over his desk. how they pinched and prodded at your most sensitive regions, and how they cut through the air to strike your cheek when you talked back to him. he could be so damned strict, especially with you.

and that’s why, in this moment, you knew you had to answer yet another call. “Two minutes, tops.” you promise your date, who looks a bit disappointed.

“Again?”

“Sorry…”

“Not your fault,” he huffs, “it’s just… it’s eight PM on Saturday night. Shouldn’t you, I don’t know, just turn the thing off?” you frown, fingers tapping on the bag as you pull it closer. “Whatever he needs can wait until Monday when you’re back in the office.” he rests his hand over top of yours, trying to convince you with a gentle stroke of his thumb against your knuckles. however, you knew Ainosuke Shindo. he’d be monstrous if you ignored his calls.

“It’s not that kind of job.” you reply, and excuse yourself, pulling both your hand and the vibrating clutch from under his, and you hold it close to your chest. “I’ll be quick, two more minutes and then I’m yours.”

your date sighs, but nods, leaning back and tracing the rim of his glass with his finger, boredly. “Two minutes,” he repeats. “Hurry back.”

you felt like a real dirtbag as you saw his expression deaden, but you turn and hurry to the ladies’ room, unzipping the bag and ripping your phone from it.

fuck Ainosuke.

your ire was hot by the time you hit the green button on your screen, and inhale to let him have it. consequences be damned, you were pissed that he had ruined your night.

“This is extremely inappropriate, Mr. Shindo—“

“Do you remember the sound you made when I first slipped my cock into you?”

all that nerve melted as your eyes widened, staring at yourself in the mirror. “H— huh—“

“I’ve been recalling it,” he answers, simply, “watching the first time I fucked you again tonight.” you knew he kept videos, the man had— on many occasion— whipped out his phone while you slobbered and struggled to suck him, and pulled your hair back so you were forced to stare up into the lens. he’d instructed you to ‘smile for the camera’ when you were trembling and leaking cum on his desk, fucked out of your mind. and you had no doubt in your mind that his office was infested with cameras that you didn’t know about. “Can you hear it?”

you could.

beyond his voice, you could hear the muffled whimpering. he was watching you on what you assumed to be his desktop, and you were mewling and begging him to be gentle because he was big and you were nervous. you could hear the ferocious slap of his skin against yours, and the way he grunted to punctuate the pounding. it was so loud, you worried that the other women milling around the sinks where you stood would hear, and you clasped the phone tighter, shying away in hopes to muffle it. “Y—yes sir…”

“You were so shrill,” he murmurs, and you can hear the subtle slur in his words as if he were biting down on his lip and attempting to talk at the same time, “every time I shoved another inch inside, you only screamed louder. But you were so wet, you were dribbling pussy juice down your thighs.”

“Mr. Shindo…” your voice trails off to a soft murmur, and you clench your thighs together. you didn’t want to hear this. it was bad enough that you had to remember how gracious your body had been to be violated by your boss for the first time.

“Drooling all over my desk, making a mess of yourself. I’m watching you right now, and I can count the thoughts disintegrating as I fuck them out of your little airhead, those hopeful eyes of yours going glassy and fuckdrunk.” Ainosuke moans, and you can hear the rustle of his suit— he must be palming his crotch with his free hand. “My cock is hard.”

the pooling in your gut intensifies with his confession, your sex throbbing as she wakes, and you tuck your knees together to keep them from buckling. “I— I— I have to go, I’m not— I’m out—“

“Is your pussy not wet?”

it was.

you sealed your lips, lest the question coax a moan from them.

“It is, isn’t it? What’s wrong, are you ruining your little panties thinking about me? You can hear yourself getting ruined, and you just know I’ve got my big cock in my hand, and you can’t help yourself, your thighs are getting sticky, hm? Your guts are all bunched up?”

you shift on your heels, glancing as the final woman leaves the restroom, and you’re finally alone, before you breathe out a weak, “Yes, sir.”

“Those knees getting shaky? Hm?”

“Y—yes, sir…”

“Soft, little clit swelling, begging to be played with.”

it was as if he were making it so, and you lean against the metal hand dryer and tilt your head back against the wall, allowing your eyes to close. you didn’t want to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and see what you were doing— getting off with your boss while your date waited for your return. but your date was long forgotten as your free hand grasps haplessly at your core through your dress. “Y—yes—“ it’s breathy, when your fingers swim against the soft fabric to press hard to your button.

“Don’t touch, just listen.”

blinking, your hand stops moving, fingers grasping your skirt instead, and you bite down hard on your bottom lip. you could hear him spit, you assume into his own hand, because moments after, the slick smacking started. quick paced, in tandem with your squealing emanating from the speakers on his end. he was jacking off to the same rhythm he fucked you. “This is your fault,” he groaned, and you slithered haplessly against the wall. his voice was so husky, so leveled with lust oozing into your ear, “You should be here, right now. On your knees, worshiping this fucking cock.”

you hated that you wanted to be.

“I want your little pussy to throb, to clench on air, while you listen to me fuck my hand. I want you to wish you could play with your needy cunt because the sound of me moaning for you is driving you insane.”

“F—fuck,” you utter, soft, as your rub your thighs together, “M—Mr. Shindo… p—please…”

“Please what?”

“Can I— can I— touch…”

what were you saying? you most certainly should not have been as desperate as you were to fondle yourself, but he was right. the culprit was the sounds he made. the ragged breathing, and the mewling, expertly paired with your digital twin screaming that he was breaking you, had your eyes rolling back behind your lids. your head smeared against the wall, your core clamped down on nothing. you wanted to strum your cunt, you wanted to cum.

“Not even with your pinky finger.” he answered, blunt and definitive. you stifle a frustrated whimper when his pace picked up. he was stroking fast, the side of his fist kissing his base with loud, sickening slaps. “Suffer.”

“Suffer for doing this to me.”

you whined, gripping the phone tighter.

“Suffer for making me so fucking hard and expecting me to handle it myself.”

Ainosuke was growling through clenched teeth now, and you knew he was close. just knowledge that he was on the brink intensified the bubbling in your lower belly, and your hips buck forward, humping the air, desperate to grind on something— anything would do, but his lap was ideal.

“Suffer for acting like such a slut. Whimpering and needy on the phone with your boss while that poor bastard sits out there and waits. Your entree’s ice cold, your zero thinks you ditched him,and you’re begging me to let you fingerfuck yourself.”

he knew where you were?

that shouldn’t have been surprising, but you were still taken aback.

so, was this all calculated? a scheme hatched in order to ruin the first date you’d been able to go on since starting work as his secretary?

“P—please, Mr. Shindo!”

“Shut up, I’m cumming.” he barks, and you clamp your tiers together, eager to hear the sounds of him unraveling. the rapid-fire jerking, the hitched breath, and the loud moans seal your fate, and you tremble, too. hips rocking with nothing there to intensify the orgasm he’d built on words alone, you release a strangled moan and stomp your feet, melting halfway down the wall as you give into the partial climax.

“Are you still with me?”

it must’ve been moments after, because Ainosuke’s voice was mostly level, and your breathing was slowly but surely going back to normal.

“That little orgasm didn’t turn your brain off yet, did it?”

“I—I’m here…”

“Good enough,” he purred, “there’s a car waiting outside for you.”

you blink, trying to focus on his words and gather your bearings. “To take me home?”

Ainosuke chuckles, and it’s a wicked, unnerving laugh. “Absolutely not. I came all over my hand, and you’re going to get your little ass to the office so you can clean the mess you had me make. I want you suck it off of my fingers and my cock when you get here.”

you were already nodding, stumbling to push the door to the restroom open, and when you do, your date is standing there. he takes one look at you— your eyes slightly hazy and your balance not quite right, and you wonder if he can smell your arousal through your soaked panties. he opens his mouth to speak, eyebrows furrowed in concern, but you blurt out before he can.

“I have to go.” thighs shaking just behind the fluttering of your skirt as you careen around him, you add, “My boss called me into the office.”

[pebbleswritessometimes]

“I’ve Missed You”

Larissa Weems x reader

AN: I’ve never written smut before, I’m so sorry this might be shit. Larissa please step on me thanks!

Summary: Larissa’s been busy with work and hasn’t paid much mine to Y/N. Y/N takes things into her own hands. Gets punished by mommy Larissa mhm mhm

Angst/comfort/that whore shit

18+ MINORS GO AWAY

I: mommy kink, self-pleasure, strap-on, super hot tall lady we all know and love

It seemed like you rarely ever got to see your girlfriend anymore. She either had meetings all day or the minute she got back to your shared apartment, she called it a night. You knew she didn’t mean to make you feel any negative type of way, but it still hurt. You craved her touch. In every way, you missed having her close to you. You’ve felt neglected in past relationships before, and even though this time you knew it wasn’t intentional, you couldn’t help the bit of anger and feeling of betrayal building up.

You did the best you could to try and grab her attention. Everything from making her favorite meals, writing little notes to put in her bag, and little lingering touches. It would all pull her back to reality for just a moment, as she flashed a loving smile and told you how thankful she was for you. You swore that you’d do your best to do everything you could to help her out while work at Nevermore was being a pain. Holding on to the warmth you felt each time she’d look at you hurt the longer you dwelled on it. You figured, if there was anything that would really grab her attention, it was you. Just you. So, you set up your phone and with nothing more than a thin blanket to drape across your form, you got into position. Sitting on your heels with one hand holding the fabric in place at your shoulder, and the other on your lower stomach, you took the first photo. Flipping yourself on your back, you looked away from the camera and took another. You were nervous, but eventually bit the bullet and hit send. You bit your lip anticipating your girlfriends response.

Larissa was sat at the round table, nearing the end of the meeting, when her phone buzzed in her blazer pocket. She had to admit she was terribly bored, the man the academy was meeting with today went on and on about things that didn’t relate to their discussions in the slightest. She felt herself smile a bit as she discreetly peeked at who the messages were from. She figured it was a little encouragement message that you occasionally sent. Nearly choking on air, she clenched her jaw as a deep blush overtook her features. “Principal Weems, are you quite alright?” The old man who sat across from her must’ve noticed the sudden change in her expression. “Oh, yes of course! My apologies, I just felt a bit ill there for a moment,” she lied. Although, she was definitely feeling something. “Well, what’d you say we wrap up this meeting for today? I’m to go meet my wife for dinner,” he suggested and Larissa couldn’t have exited that room any faster. Rushing to her office, she went to gather her things.

You could see she had seen the messages, and yet, you received no response. Getting a little frustrated, you thought surely, there was more you could do to tease her.

“Oh, lovely,” was all that you said before you strolled over the the drawer where you two kept your toys. Grabbing your favorite for when you’re alone, and the new strap that you two have yet to try, you pressed record and climbed back onto the bed. You tossed the blanket to the side and began to slowly trace your body with your hand, while the other made its way to your core. Getting yourself worked up, you could feel your arousal beginning to stain the sheets beneath you. You grab your toy, make sure it’s in perfect view, and guide it towards yourself. Gently sliding yourself down, you’re able to quickly find your desired pace. Making it a point to look directly into the lens every so often. You throw your head back as you lean on your hands for stability. “Fuck,” was all you could get out, along with little whines mixed with your slight panting. Your moans grew louder as you picked up speed on the toy. Squeezing your eyes shut, you moaned, finally reaching your high. Slowing down, you muttered words under your breath in between your gasps.

You gave yourself a moment to gather yourself before you sent the video. Deciding to push her just a bit more before you ended the recording, you tied the new strap to the pillow you pulled out in front of you. “It’d just be such a shame if you weren’t here to use this on me for the first time, sweetheart,” you feigned sympathy and innocently looked at the camera. “I’m getting impatient. You know I don’t like to wait,” you put on a sweet smile as you crept closer to the phone, “Hurry up, mommy.”

Just as Larissa stuffed all her essentials into her purse, her phone vibrated again. She held her breath when she saw it was another message from you. “Oh…fuck,” she whined as she watched as you fucked yourself on the toy she knew was your favorite. The ache began to grow as she raced back to the apartment. Fiddling with her keys, “come on, I don’t have time for this,” she thought as she struggled to unlock the door. Finally, the door to the apartment flew open and was shut, and locked just as quickly. Throwing off her shoes and blazer, she slid down the hall.

Coming to a halt as she reached the bedroom door, she could hear your small moans. “My sweet girl, you know very well you aren’t allowed to touch yourself without Mommy,” she spoke with confidence but you could tell by her expression your plan was working. “Sending me those pictures…while I was in a very important meeting. That doesn’t sound like something Mommy’s good girl would do, hm?” you swallowed, excited but worried for what she had in store for you. She grabbed your hand as to stop you from bringing yourself anymore relief.

Removing what was left of her clothing, she ordered you to your knees. You relished in her attention. You didn’t want to ruin the moment, but you couldn’t help the words that slipped from your mouth. “I’ve missed you, Rissa. Very much,” you felt silly confessing it in such a vulnerable position. You didn’t notice the tears welling in your eyes, but she did. It hit her. You did this because you missed her. You’ve felt neglected, something she promised to never make you feel. You could feel the guilt radiating from her expression. “Oh, Sweetheart. I’ve made you feel unimportant, haven’t I?” Her voiced cracked. “You didn’t mean to, Larissa. Really, it’s okay! I know you’ve been busy with-“ your words were cut off by her bending down and kissing you. She pulled you up, not bothering to break contact. Apologizing in between each kiss, she pushed you back onto the bed.

She held your face as she kissed you, later moving to roam her free hand over your body. Both panting, she lowered herself to your core. “You are so-“ she kissed your inner thighs, “important to me,” she moaned as she tasted your arousal. It didn’t take long for her to bring you to where you wanted to be. Pushing her fingers in and out of you, as she focused her mouth on your clit. You covered your mouth as you came, being cautious of any body who may be near in the halls. A deep chuckle came from your girlfriend, “No no, Mommy wants to hear you baby,” she smirked as she pulled away and walked to where you had left the unused strap.

You groaned as you realized what she was about to do, you couldn’t wait. Unstrapping it from the pillow and wrapping the fabric around her thighs that were shining with her own arousal, she stalked back over to you. She pulled your legs towards her. You yelped as she smacked your cunt, “Mommy’s gonna take care of you, sweetheart. But, you did break some of our rules,” her gaze darkened as she took in your form. Staring at her with half-lidded eyes, you whined, licking your lips. “You’re going to take what I give you, understand?” Receiving a frantic nod from you, she positioned herself. “So impatient,” she chuckled. Both of you moaned at the sensation of the strap bottoming out. “Mommy, please-“ you gasped as she pushed all the way once more, and stilled. “Please what?” Pulling your thigh up to hers to gain better access. “Fuck me…please. Oh..shit,” you could barely form words as she began thrusting her hips into you at a relentless pace. Kissing you, again, she told you to flip around. Now on your knees, she gripped your chin with one hand and pulled you back towards her with every snap of her hips, with the other.

Her breath warm on your neck, “I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” she continues thrusting her hips, “I promise, oh.. fuc- I promise I’ll make more time for you,” she managed to get the words out and you could tell she was nearing her climax, just as you were. “Fuck- Rissa I’m gonna- Can I? Please,” you begged. “With me, sweetheart, okay?”

You each came as waves of pleasure rushed over you.

As you both laid in bed, she held you tightly within her arms. “I love you, Y/N. You are my everything,” she promised. “I love you,” you smiled. You knew she was the one. Right, then, and there. You loved this woman. And, it was safe to say you were pretty pleased with how your plan went.

@littledollll again, hope this is okay! I’ve never written smut before 👀😬 you didn’t ask for angst Ike sorry I have no clue what happened there lmao

[a-valourous-choice]

To Rebuild A Home - Chapter One

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Warnings: death mention, food mention, anxiety and negative thoughts. Edited by: @winterwynd

Also available on Ao3 here.

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“Okay, let me get one more for your grandparents. Big smile!”

Patton was awarded another cheesy grin as he took another photo of Thomas. “Darn.” He cursed under his breath when a pop up announced that the memory card was full and would not allow any more pictures unless he deleted a couple.

Patton had even broken out the proper camera for the occasion, much better than the blurry phone. 

He really had to upload the images to a computer or get them printed. It was something he had been putting off for quite some time though, as he knew the camera contained some of the last ever snapshots of his wife.

“Oh well,” Patton said, returning the lens cap. “We got a lot of great photos!” 

He was just sad that he hadn’t been able to get any of Virgil and Thomas together before Virgil had bolted out the front door.

“I wanna see, please and thank you!” Thomas insisted, making a grab for the camera but Patton held it just out of reach.

“Later kiddo,” he chuckled. “It’s time to go into class now.” 

Even though Patton was the one who said it, the words still cut through him like a knife. His youngest child, his smallest baby, was about to start kindergarten.

He could feel the tears coming on. 

“Actually.. Thomas, are you sure you want to go to school this year?” Patton said. He had no issues holding Thomas back if it meant he got to have more time with him.

Miss López, Thomas’s teacher, wandered over at that moment, seeming to be no stranger to the nervous parent. “Don’t worry Mr. Sanders,” she said. ‘Thomas and I are sure to have a great time, aren’t we?” she smiled at Thomas who nodded. 

“Yeah!” Thomas said.

“It is time for him to head inside and join the other children now though,” Miss López told Patton gently. 

“Okay.” Patton took a deep breath, the other tearful parents walking past were not helping. “Have a wonderful day, Thomas.” He bent down to hug his son. “I’ll be back to-”

“Bye, Daddy!” Thomas said and ran into his classroom.

Oh. Well, okay then. 

Miss López giggled behind her hand. “Don’t take offense, Mr. Sanders,” she said. “I think adults have a much harder time adjusting than the children do.” 

“It sure seems that way,” Patton said, straightening up. “I guess I’ll see you this afternoon Miss López.”

“Please call me Vanessa.” 

“Okay, Vanessa,” Patton said. “Have a nice day.”

With my son…while I wallow in my sadness… 

“You, too.”

Patton thought about those two words as he trudged back to his car. How was he supposed to have a pleasant day when his youngest son didn’t seem to care for his absence, and his eldest barely acknowledged his existence?

Truthfully though, it wasn’t Thomas he was concerned about. Patton knew that Thomas had just been excited to start school and he was sure that he still loved his dad, but Virgil on the other hand…

Patton could remember Virgil’s first day of kindergarten - how unlike Thomas he had been; a tiny ball of nerves clinging to his dad’s legs that had needed to be coaxed into the fray by his teacher. 

Virgil had once relied so heavily on his dad for protection and comfort, but nowadays it felt as though they barely spoke to one another. It wasn’t for lack of effort on Patton’s part though, it was just that every attempt he made was met with contempt and resistance. 

Patton slid into his car, wondering what he could do to repair the damage between himself and Virgil.

He sat idly for a while before coming to the conclusion that he should go visit his parents. With both kids in school, Patton had no desire to be alone today; besides, his folks were clever people, maybe they’d have a solution to his problem. 

-----------

“You have no idea how wonderful it is to have you home.” Patton’s father Ethan said as he handed over a cup of coffee. Patton definitely had some notion; one of the best things about moving back into his hometown was getting to reconnect with his family again. 

“I missed you guys, too.” Patton said, and Ethan lightly patted his son’s cheek. 

Harmony, Patton’s mother, was flipping through the photos on Patton’s camera with a wide smile on her face. “Thomas is so adorable,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to print these for you?” “No,” Patton said. “I’ll get around to it, eventually.” 

“Alright, dear.” Harmony sighed. “Such a shame you couldn’t get Virgil in any of them, but I suppose he’s going through his teenage rebellion stage, isn’t he?” Patton took a small sip of his coffee. “If you want to call it that,” he said. “I think it was because of me that he didn’t want his picture taken though.” If Thomas had asked then it would have been a different story; Virgil did just about anything Thomas requested of him. 

“What do you mean?” Ethan asked. 

“He’s just so angry at me,” Patton said. “I know he didn’t want us to move but I didn’t think he’d hate me for it. I thought he’d at least be excited to live closer to you both.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you,” Harmony said soothingly. “You know what teens can be like.” 

“This is different.” Patton was no stranger to Virgil’s teenage mood swings, but this animosity Virgil currently had towards his dad was something new entirely. 

“Well,” Ethan began carefully. “He has been through something traumatic, more so than any of us could even begin to understand. Perhaps he is just struggling with those emotions and is unfairly lashing out at you.” 

“Maybe.” Patton said, unconvinced. 

“Have you thought about a therapist?” Harmony suggested. 

Patton would be lying if he said that he hadn’t considered it, but he just couldn’t see Virgil bonding with a total stranger. “I don’t know,” he said. “He doesn’t really trust anyone these days, I don’t know if a therapist could get through to him.”

“It’s worth a shot.” Ethan said. “Tell you what, your mother and I will look around, see if we can find anybody we think is suitable and we’ll let you know, okay?”

“You don’t have to-”

“Patton, let us help.” Harmony said firmly. “You’re dealing with a lot too - navigating your own grief while getting the boys through theirs, you have to remember that you’re not alone in this.”

“In any case a therapist would be good for all three of you,” Ethan added. 

Patton felt his shoulders sag - whether with relief or defeat, he wasn’t sure. “Okay,” he said. “Thank you.”  As a parent himself, Patton was well aware that it was Harmony and Ethan’s duty to assist whenever they could, but he still sincerely appreciated it. 

“No need for that,” Harmony said. “It’s what we’re here for.”

“There was something else I wanted to discuss with you,” Ethan said after a short pause. “Have you figured out what you’re planning to do for work?”

Patton exhaled slowly. That was a tough question. 

Patton and his wife had previously owned a store together but after…. everything that had happened, he had sold it; the money he had received for it had been enough to buy his new house, but it also meant that he was without an ongoing source of income. 

“I was thinking of going back to school.” Patton admitted. “Even though I know it isn’t possible, with the boys and needing some money in between.” 

“School?” Harmony echoed. “As in veterinary school?”

Patton shrugged shyly. It was a pipe dream, of course, but ever since he was a child he had dreamed of being a veterinarian; unfortunately, becoming a father at a young age had forced him to drop out - and now that he was a single father those plans were to be put on hold perhaps indefinitely.

He’d never blame Virgil or Thomas, he loved his sons more than anything in the entire world, but sometimes he wished that he could be both; a great dad and a successful veterinarian.

However, he wasn’t sure he could be either these days. 

Forcing himself out of his tangled web of a brain, Patton noticed his mother and father staring at each other with unreadable expressions on their faces. “Are you okay?” Patton said. 

Harmony gave a small nod and Ethan shuffled forward, placing his hand over Patton’s. “Is that what you truly want?” 

“I’d love it.” 

“It would take a long time,” Ethan said, “and many sacrifices and effort on your part.”

Patton was unsure of what was happening, hadn’t he just said that he couldn’t afford to do it? “I know.”

“As long as you’re aware of that,” Ethan squeezed Patton’s hand comfortingly before letting go. “Then your mother and I will help you.”

It took some time for the words to fully sink in. Patton stared wordlessly at his father before he managed to blurt out, “what are you saying?”

“Look, I need some extra hands at the cafe,” Ethan said. “If you and Virgil work for me then Harmony and I will pay for you to go back to school and finish your degree - this way you can take time off whenever you need to and still pay the bills.” 

“I’d also be happy to babysit Thomas whenever you need someone.” Harmony chimed in. 

Patton felt tears stinging the corner of his eyes. Gosh, he loved them. 

Patton had been Ethan and Harmony’s miracle; the only child they’d been able to conceive after years of trying, and due to that, he had always had an extremely close bond with his parents… but he was quite sure that he had never felt as grateful for them as he did in this moment.

“I can’t ask you to do that,” he said.

“You’re not asking,” Harmony replied. “We’re telling you.” 

“But I-”

“Patton,” Ethan interjected kindly. “I know what it feels like to be passionate about something, almost like an itch you can’t scratch until you go after it.”

Patton knew that Ethan was telling the truth; his father’s biggest love had always been cooking. Ethan had worked as a chef for a long time - even opening a cafe in his later years - so it was possible that he knew better than anyone what Patton was feeling.

“You would be doing us a favor.” Harmony insisted. “Ethan would be able to be with me more often.”

“That’s a good point.” Ethan said, stroking his chin. “I have seen the way Herbert looks at you during bingo, if I’m at work too much then he might make his move and steal you away.”

Harmony snorted.

Patton watched them through watery eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything.” Ethan smiled. “We just want to see you and our grandchildren happy again, that’s our biggest concern.”

Patton agreed with that. 

Fixing his family was of the utmost importance to Patton and he had always thought that it had to start with Virgil…but maybe he had gotten it all wrong. 

Maybe the best way Patton could repair their little trio was to start with mending himself.

----- Taglist: (please message me if you wish to be taken off/added on) @violets-gay-thoughts @warcats-cat @firefox2215 @shapa-likes-art @oatmeal-stans-the-trash-rat

[plethora-of-words]

Camera Roll

My favorite photos are all with you. I try and blame it on the other aspects that factor into taking the perfect picture. 'The light hit the lens at the ideal angle' or 'the camera was held in a flattering position' or 'the phone had better quality than the rest.' The excuses are endless and desperate- a bone thrown to an impatient dog, or a fishing rod thrust fruitlessly into deep water. They are merely a last ditch attempt to continuously deny the painful, stark, obvious truth- it was with you that I felt the most like myself. There is a noticeable pattern to the photos- my arms are almost always wrapped around your waist, as if I'm fighting to hold onto you for as long as possible. There was something about the way my head perfectly slotted into the crook of your neck, the way your hands would settle comfortably on top of mine, and the way holding you sent a trail of warmth throughout my entire body until I felt like I was on fire. The way that the first time I felt that feeling, I felt like I had hit the jackpot in life, like I was luckier than any man who had ever won the lottery- for how could those cold green slips of paper triumph over the absolute blinding joy of your hand carressing mine? My smile is always the size of a half moon on a clear night. It's not the kind of smile that is rehearsed in the mirror before picture day, or falsely plastered on for the perfect instagram story. It's the kind of smile born from you playfully hitting my arm before the shutter clicks, or from you whispering a book reference in my ear right before I stare at the camera. It's the kind of smile that is built over months of your affectionate glances and thoughtful gifts and typo-ridden love letters, all just so I would wear that smile for a few extra minutes. My eyes are always bright with sheer delight. Despite the constant sleep deprivation school brings and the eye bags underneath my eyelids, there's an unmistakable joy. It's that of a child when they're presented with an ice cream cone, or their favorite toy; a small gesture enough to light up their entire world, even if only for a day. You knew the way to hold the phone so that it always captured my best side, and I was always blinded by the shock of the fact that there was someone in my life who had that ability. Someone in my life who had the ability to identify my insecurities and twist them into something I hardly noticed, all with the way you skillfully positioned the camera.   As my finger continues to flit through the camera roll, it becomes more and more glaringly evident that you seeped an unknown magic into all of my pictures, solely by standing behind the lens. I think it will forever be an enormous tradgedy that we weren't everlasting. Alas, you had the midas touch in my life, while somebody else had it in yours.

[himbos-hotline]

Name: The things we used to share Prompt: @wrestleprompts [prompt week five: A reluctant trip to the zoo to make their partner happy] Word count: 1329 words Rating: General Audiences Ship: "Hangman" Adam Page/Kenny Omega Characters: Kenny Omega, "Hangman" Adam Page, Mentions of various zoo staff. Triggers: Mentions of Hangmans dead horse, like a line of smut at the end. It's not graphic. Authors note: I thought I'd write the little zoo date from my big sibling's fic 'Voicemail is full, glass is half empty' A short cute little Curly Boyfriends fic where Hangman gets a stuffed horse and falls in love. Kenny is just focused on the animals. Tag list: @ithunderstorm @itsnoosetome @malewifemoxley @kass-the-kitten @melancholycowboy @josiewrites @basil-the-evil-cowboy @ss-trashboat @ambroseasylum @wrestlezaynia @banannabethchase @bellicosebunny @mrsmatt @racerchix21 and @anairbri and @mistress-omega-majesty

Reblogs are appreciated as always. Read on AO3 [Comments and Kudos highly recommended]

Adam makes jokes and Kenny laughs. Adam feels like he’ll never feel sad again. Kenny keeps holding his hand, only letting go when a zoo keeper allows him to hold a koala. He watches Kenny’s face smoothe out; happiness winning over every little ache or pain he must be feeling. Kenny grins brighter through the lens of Adam’s phone camera and he tucks it into the top pocket of his jacket, holding Kenny; bright and carefree and happy in his heart. 

It’s a small zoo tucked down a sidestreet in the middle of nowhere. Adam really has no idea how Kenny found it, yet alone purchased tickets which at least look somewhat real when Kenny thrusts them into the middle of Adam’s sleep-blurred eyeline. “Cmon Adam lets go!” Excitement borders his voice perfectly, tugging on his smile until it lays just under his eyes making them shine under the rising sun. Adam presses his face deeper into his pillows, squinting an eye open when Kenny presses the tickets into the curve of his nose. “Cmonnnnn!” Kenny whines, sounding so much like a child Adam’s half expecting him to tug at his wrist. 

“Five more minutes, it ain’t even open yet Kenny” Adam mumbles against the soft pillowcases, squirming deeper under the blankets. He keeps his eyes half-lidded, watching Kenny as he pouts, picking at the embroidered roses on Adam’s old blanket. “Fine.” He rolls over, staring up at his boyfriend. It’s the first time Adam has noticed that Kenny’s half dressed; a jacket hanging off his shoulders and one sock. He chuckles, using his feet to kick the blankets away. 

He barely has time to shower or get morning coffee before Kenny whisks him out the door, hand resting on the small of his back. Adam blinks through half-damp curls as Kenny rambles through the animals they have, hands flailing in front of him. There’s so much joy flooding his voice that it sucks the last wisps of tiredness from the marrow of Adam's bones. When Kenny smiles, bouncing on his toes in line, Adam’s sure he’s never going to feel tiredness again. The man in the ticket booth scans their tickets, smiling politely when Adam nods and trails behind Kenny, pushing air-dried curls out his face. 

“Okay so they have penguins  that way-” Kenny has the zoo map practically plastered to his face, using his fingers to dictate what he’s talking about. Adam lingers behind, trying to read the small print over Kenny’s shoulder without his glasses. He feels a tap at his hand and maybe it's a reflex, his fingers close around Kenny’s. “Or…”  He’s holding the map at arms length now, digging his nails into the thin paper as he shifts his other hand until his palm presses against Adam’s. Adam feels like he could soar. 

“Or?” He prompts, pretending that he isn’t staring at Kenny’s hand against hsi, knuckles looped together like Kenny’s trying to hold Adam close. Like Adam is something that Kenny wants to keep secure. 

“We’ll just go that way.” Kenny folds the map the best he can. It ends up becoming a half-folded half-crumpled; lump of paper that Kenny manages to stuff in the back pocket of his shorts. They meander through the people-lined pathways, stopping to gaze into paddocks and enclosures, they run their fingers across the backs of string ways and feed elephants. 

Adam makes jokes and Kenny laughs. Adam feels like he’ll never feel sad again. Kenny keeps holding his hand, only letting go when a zoo keeper allows him to hold a koala. He watches Kenny’s face smoothe out; happiness winning over every little ache or pain he must be feeling. Kenny grins brighter through the lens of Adam’s phone camera and he tucks it into the top pocket of his jacket, holding Kenny; bright and carefree and happy in his heart. 

They're in the butterfly house when Adam gets chosen. A Monarch butterfly settles on the tip of his nose; wings twitching slowly in the warm air. He stares at it, mouth turned into a surprised smile and Adam almost has to make sure that he’s breathing. Kenny twists slowly at his side, blue eyes wide. “It chose you..” He whispers and Adam, returned to a stunned silence, taps once at his wrist. The butterfly flutters off moments later and Adam turns his green eyes upward towards the canopy of trees and flowers. 

“Goodbye lil friend.” He whispers, cheeks flushing an aggressive red when Kenny brushes his lips against his stubble covered cheek. “We should uh..” He whispers, trying to keep his heart trapped in the cage of his ribs when all it wants to do is flutter away, higher than the tops of the green trees and into space. Adam’s sure his heart could kiss the stars with how light Kenny makes it feel. 

Cool spring air hits their clammy faces and Adam stares out over the horizon, eyes picking up the perfect mixture of reds and yellows from the sunset. Kenny lays his head on his shoulder, swinging their joined hands slightly. “We should go to the gift shop. Then home.” 

Home. The two of them. Kenny thinks he’s home. 

“Home. Yeah.” Adam whispers, unable to stop the smile that tugs at his lips. It creases the corner of his eyes and Kenny tugs at his hand. They wander together, Kenny stopping to watch a snake crawl back into the bushes and a tiger pace by the entrance to its home; the heavy metallic smell of blood in the air.  Adam buys cotton candy from a small vendor by the aquarium, easily swayed by the turtle shaped container and Kenny rocking on his feet at his side. Adam would buy the entire zoo if Kenny looked at him with those soft eyes again. He would buy Kenny the world for the carefree glow radiating off his face. 

They share cotton candy like children; licking the pink floss off their lips, letting the sugar dilate their pupils until the artificial lights of the gift store stab at their eyes, making them chuckle. Adam strolls through the aisles, nose wrinkling at the prices. Everything feels too expensive for what it was, what it is. There’s a wall of soft toys and he spots Kenny easily out of the mass of children, begging and screaming at their parents. He looks so different in his faded shorts and crumpled shirt, mismatched hair dragged back into a fraying half-ponytail. The sunset gathers on the bridge of his shoulders and Adam swears he spots a halo hanging around the crown of Kenny’s head; he looks glorious, cherubin and angelic. 

“Adam look!” Kenny’s voice, soft and kind, snaps Adam out of his thoughts. He blinks a few times, head tilting as Kenny pushes something into the middle of his chest. “He looks like Hunter Horse Hemsley. You should have him” Adam’s confused at first, why is Kenny bringing up his dead horse? There's the ever so familiar prickle of pain that creeps under his eyes. He looks down, cups Kenny’s wrist and sighs. 

“He does..” He whispers, cupping the stuffed horse between his hands. He stares at it and it stares back. “I can’t, kenny they're so expensive-” He shakes his head, slow and sad and Kenny gets a look on his face. 

“But he’ll be all alone.” He whispers, nodding over to the empty place on the shelf. Adam follows his eyeline, gripping the stuffed horse closer. “Will it make your heart hurt less?” 

Adam blinks, uses his knuckles to scrub the feeling of tears away from his eyes. It’s been a great day. Adam’s not going to ruin it now with childish tears brought on by mourning and tiredness. Kenny’s head is tilted to the side and Adam glances between him and the horse. He runs his fingers across its brown mane, strokes a finger down the white stripe on its nose. 

He stares at Kenny, searching his eyes. “Yes.” 

Kenny buys Adam the horse. They go home and Adam smiles, settling the horse snugly in between his pillows. Kenny smiles at him, reaching over the bed to kiss at his temple. 

The smile that Kenny gives him is better than any feeling in the world. He takes his hand. 

Kenny doesn’t pull away. Even as he buries himself deeply into Adam. He links their fingers and presses soothing kisses across his bottom lip. 

Adam feels full. Adam feels happy. 

[memorycard83]

Digital photography & me

The way I feel about digital photography has changed a lot throughout the years. At first I thought photography was blurry backgrounds, sharp images, no imperfections, and that everything had to be perfect. I feel like a lot of the time I had good ideas that I did not like because of the fact it looked nothing like the others photography I have seen before on the internet.

It took awhile to figure out what style I wanted to pursue with photography. From 2013-2015 I had already liked my style of just using my phone and content with the focal length the phone camera had to offer, it was a cheap samsung phone I never figured out the name of. I never really liked iphones so I didn't get the chance to see if using those would've enhanced my photography in any way.

During those times of using a phone for photography, I personally had a lot of fun just taking random images and figuring out how to compose shots for my eye before understanding what exactly is composition and how to make photos look better for everyone and not just me. Those images from 2013-2015 still hold up to this day in my honest opinion now that people appreciate low-quality photos from a camera or a digicam.

After being able to get my hands on a digital camera thanks to a good friend of mine named Jordan, I started to realize there was a lot to learn with photography instead of just pointing and shooting likeI would on my phone. The camera was a Canon 60D mark ii with a stock lens. Jordan thought it was about time I took my photography to the next level and I felt the same way with how I was basically making a photo journal with my instagram.

It was a lot to figure out because photography was no longer a simple point and shoot type of game, though there is ways to make it a point and shoot type of game by switching the camera to program mode. It wasn't really that difficult to learn but for the most part I spent a lot of time just messing with one setting at a time and that was ISO which I would love to explain, but right now is really not the time to explain how cameras operate.

Although I had little to no clue what I was doing with the camera at first, a lot of people really liked the photos I took at that time. However, there was just something about the images that I didn't like, but now that I'm older and I guess more experienced, I know what exactly could've made the photos more appealing for me. Even then I do love seeing how I approached photography back when I didn't know much. It was a lot of just "I like what I'm looking at, let me take a picture of it".

I wasn't too much of a fan of how people online approached photography for some reason. Well, not for some reason, it all felt like it was the same recipe. A lot of it took place in PS or LR (photoshop/lightroom). Though now I realize there are definitely photos that need photoshop or lightroom, especially if those photos were to appear on websites or advertisements. At the same time, I don't think I was following the right people showing me the type of photography I wanted to pursue. Had I followed the right people I probably would've perfected my style. Despite the fact my photos were for the most part unedited and raw, I liked a lot of them even though I can understand how it isn't something that most people would consider "digital photography".

It wasn't until sometime in 2018 I decided to try a new camera, a mirrorless camera, the Panasonic G9. This camera had to be the best beginner friendly camera ever that actually helped me learn a lot about photography just by using the camera. At this point I had stopped using my phone for photography and only the Panasonic G9.

Throughout 2018 I was taking a lot of pictures of just about everything I could see and bought/read some books about photography, but not digital photography, film photography. I had also began to watch a lot movies, I didn't really see a lot of movies growing up especially slow pace artsy movies. A lot of the influence for my photography in 2018 would be from the movies I saw around that time.

As time went on I began to realize something about cameras I hadn't bothered to look up before, it had to do with camera sensors and that all cameras are equipped with different sensors, 1/4 inch sensors, M4/3 sensors, APSC sensors, Full frame sensors, and Medium format sensors. There's a lot of them but those are the ones most camera users are pretty familiar with. I had learned that the Panasonic G9 was equipped with a M4/3 sensor and because of that, it made some images not look anything close to cameras with a Full frame sensor. The Canon 60D mark ii was equipped with a APSC sensor, which by any means was not bad. It started to make sense why a lot of pictures didn't bring me the satisfaction I was looking for in photography.

In 2019 I finally got my hands on Full frame sensor, the Sony a7rii. I had watched a lot of youtube videos explaining the key differences in images between the sensor sizes of a Full frame camera and a M4/3 camera, as well as APSC. A lot of the time I believed what people online would say about M4/3 and APSC which is they are not good enough for photography or video because the sensor is not as big as the Full frame. The dynamic range of the smaller sensors weren't as good as the Full frame sensor and the images from smaller sensors do not deliver a 3D pop that Full frame sensors can create.

Through 2019 to 2020 I used the Panasonic G9 and the Sony A7rii, realizing small things that make one sensor better than the other. In my experiences I realized it's pretty complex trying to explain why you might want to use this or that camera because it had a bigger or smaller sensor. I began to realize it wasn't necessarily the sensors fault, anymore but the millimeter of the lens equipped with the sensor, though I do think the sensor can be a problem too, but thats is a whole different topic that isn't worth getting into which relates to "crop factor". What people don't talk about with crop factor is how some lenses can benefit from a smaller sensor.

During 2021 I had wanted to take a break from photography for good because I didn't have much desire to keep taking pictures compared to earlier years, whether it was with a phone or real camera that would weight me down as I casually go on my photowalks. Not only that I had stopped watching movies as often as I used to back in 2018-2020. I had made something on my own in my own terms but it was never completed because it was all suppose to be done between the hours of 2am-5am where the streets were empty and quiet. I had started working morning shifts and so I quickly gave up on the idea. Not only that, nothing was really written out, just winging it and embracing slow pace artsy movies that have little to no plot.

It wasn't until the end of 2021 where I met my friend Giselle who was very much into movies, but had watched way more movies than me since they had been watching they were a child. It spoke to me meeting someone else passionate in the desire to create something or having a plot in their mind. So after a few months I had bought a new camera, the Panasonic Lumix S1H. It was basically the best affordable cinema camera with really good lowlight capabilities and video codec, making it to be perhaps the best camera I'll probably ever own and the last camera I'll ever purchase.

As time went on and going into 2022, I started to realize photography was going in a new direction and I was focused on videos not because of reels or tiktok but because I wanted to create whatever I could with the camera I had just bought which also turned out being able to take great images. Ended up using the Lumix S1H for filming my friends performing music which ended up being a great idea because I realized I also have a style with filming people perform music, or just have a desire to simply film people performing music.

Around that time I also started to look into compact cameras, I had previously purchased one back in December of 2021, the Pentax optio 230. I had only purchase this camera because I really wanted a camera with a CCD sensor, even if that sensor was going to be old and 1/4 inch sensor. I liked the camera too because it uses double A batteries and I have some that are rechargeable so it all works out. The only thing missing was having a cardreader for the camera, it uses old compactflash cards that aren't really that easy to find adapters for.

It wasn't until 2023 where I decided to buy a compactflash card reader for the camera and it was pretty awkward timing because everyone is really into digicams now. Which is good and bad, bad because the prices of those cameras are now going too high. Good because this means I can go back to shooting pictures with a camera I can carry all the time and everywhere. Nobody cares about composition that much, what settings are used, or what lens etc. It's almost like going back to using my phone basically. It's a not the greatest camera or fastest camera but I love how it looks and operates.

This year I'm planning on taking pictures everyday and just stay keeping myself creating or just doing something I love. I don't care much about photography like I used to and I don't really care about what gear people use anymore because I used a lot of em and I've realized I know what works for me, and it's not a 3000 dollar camera with expensive lenses.

[jacqui-velazquez]

IC TASK 003 : TIME CAPSULE

when: early november where: jacqui’s dorm room

Jacqui sat down, light washing over them as they adjusted the lamp and their phone, trying to get an ideal set up to record this video. They were feeling contemplative - had been in a weird mood for the past few days, if they were being honest, and finally decided to record a submission for the time capsule. Perhaps getting some thoughts of their chest would help. Sure - they were a little high. But it’s not like anyone would be able to tell on the video. And even if they could - no one was watching it for fifty years. What were they going to do about it?

On a side bar - if getting stoned wasn’t legal in 2072, Jacqui seriously hoped Earth went the way of self destruction.

Their head angled to one side as they considered the lighting, finally happy with it before moving to sit back on the floor pillow they had set up, starting to record. “Okay,” they murmured, giving themselves a little shake, as if to reset their thoughts. “Where to start....I wasn’t going to do this, originally. I’m not sure I agree with time capsules, as like….a concept,” they said, wrinkling up their nose. “Besides, I’m a freshman. I’ve only been here for a few months. And it’s not like they’ve been….normal. So I’m not sure if I’m the best person to speak to what Ogden was like fifty years ago. For you. Fifty years ago for you guys. Not to mention, I kinda….doubt any of it mattering that much. No matter who is speaking about it,” they added, shrugging up their shoulders, an exhale accompanying their slump to their original position.

“But I also feel like everyone is going to give the same sorta refrain - somewhere between college is the best four years of your life and fuck this place. And I don’t agree with either of those,” Jacqui mused, eyes losing their focus, looking off into the distances as they rambled. “Maybe I just feel like playing the contrarian,” they quipped, a grin lifting one side of their lips.

“But, you know...when I was touring colleges last year, and came to see Ogden…the campus made me feel like I had found something special. Something to treasure. And that’s pretty fucking cool, with how fucked up everything in the world is. Honestly...I had been looking for that ever since…well, ever since I met this guy a couple years ago.” 

As soon as Jacqui said it, they scrunched up their nose, curling their lip up in a hint of disgust - damn, couldn’t even pass the Bechdel test when talking to themselves. But...it was honest. 

“He made me think he cared about me,” they continued, the words coming out slowly as she began to speak again. “Made me feel like….I don’t know. Life is so fucked up, you know. Nothing matters. We’re all just trying to get from point a to point b, but…Jesse made me feel like I mattered,” she said, refocusing into the camera lens as their expression turned contemplative, a small crease appearing on their forehead.

“And then it turned out it was all just…fake. A game for him. A literal bet. And once he won, he just ghosted. Even though I was…”

With that, Jacqui shook their head, cutting themselves off. No, somethings were better left unsaid. Even if no one would know about it for decades.

“Anyways. I don’t hold it against him,” they said, pressing their lips together. “Maybe I should, but I don’t. Because I think that while he was pretending to be whoever he needed to fool me…he was actually more himself than he normally is. And damn, if I can’t relate to that. Think we all can, in a way.” Jacqui shrugged again, a quiet sniff following the words.

“All that to say that I guess my advice or whatever…life is too short. Do what you want to do. Even if you’re scared how it’s going to look to other people. Just be yourself. God, we’re all just floating in space on a fucking rock. Who cares what other people think?”

Jacqui leaned forward to stop the recording, pausing with their hand just above the screen, a smile quirking their lips upwards as they let out a small laugh. “Guess that’s assuming that in fifty years Earth is still livable and humankind hasn’t fled to a spaceship or some shit.” 

[quickscanapp]

Document scanning app for professionals

A scanning app with optical character recognition (OCR) is indispensable for getting organized and going paperless. The best scanning apps help you scan every type of thing – everything from tax documents in paper to birth certificates, whiteboard notes and business cards, to proof of vaccination forms and deeds and titles. They also come in handy for digitizing receipt app.

Here is a small story on how valuable it might be scanning your documents. Some years ago, I had to pick up a new passport and on that same day drop in for a visa. Right after I picked up the passport I thought "No malice in it but probably should have had a copy of this before I handed over such documents." So I took out my phone and scanned it. Sure enough, government or no government, the visa took more than two weeks and meanwhile I needed details of my passport for a bunch of other paperwork. Good thing one legible copy was saved digitally!

How Do Scanning Apps Work?

Using a mobile scanning app is not any different from snapping with your phone.

For instance, in an ideal setting, the document is laid out flat on a contrasting background, then the lens of your phone's camera should point at it. It's easy to use, too, with the built-in scanner app guiding users through the process of lining up the document and then telling them to hold still. 

A good mobile scanning app doesn’t adjust for slight movements of your hands and lets you edit the final product anyhow. Scanning itself takes a second or two. When the scan is accomplished, you see a preview of уour document. Finally, the app usually finishes with asking if you want more pages creating a new scan then all. And finally there are adjustments in color and cropping evident as well as other details.

What to Look for in a Scanning App

But the best scanning apps will get your documents clearly captured, make the text searchable, and help you save the finished files in the right places. Here's what to look for:

Automatic edge detection

A good scanning app should be able to automatically detect the edges of your document. When you point the camera at the paper, the crop marks that you see on the screen should zero in on the edges of the document on their own and adjust to different dimensions.

Save and export

Good scanning apps let you save or export your newly scanned texts, e.g. to Google Drive, Dropbox, or any other storage service of your choice.

OCR for editing and search

I had mentioned OCR right at the top of this article. When you have OCR the actual words of any text that you scan become textual. That means that you can copy and paste or edit the text. In other words, you will be able to scan a paper document, make it a digital document, fix typos or otherwise correct mistakes. Often, OCR is a paid feature.

Support for multiple pages 

This is where the scanning apps let you scan multiple pages in one go and will compile them into one final product. The highest-end of scanning apps will also correct for page distortion, such as when you are trying to slide pages out of a book to scan but can't quite get it to lay flat.

Does your business need a receipt scanning app?

What forms the most obvious way to look at is how complex and often the reimbursement process at your organization, when arises the question how necessary would be a receipt scanner app for business. Look at previous data regarding business expenses, and employees' involvement in it. Inquire if it will be perceived as useful by your staff.  

Check with the finance team most importantly for regular reimbursements of expenses and expense associated issues.

It can indeed do wonders for the entire workforce with respect to easy, efficient, paperless, online reimbursement and expense reporting without maintaining manual records. Another consideration is that an app for business receipt is usually not all the app can do. Most of the apps come with many more features in which this software might be useful in management of your budget and expenses.

Benefits of using receipt scanning app

Traditional way of settling reimbursement takes ample time for both employees as well as your finance team. The process is also susceptible to many errors. For example, if an employee ends up losing his receipt, then it will be very tough for him to claim a reimbursement for his expense.

This is where migration to a receipt scanning app might be helpful. It enables your employees to upload their receipt instantly through digital means. The optical character recognition software integrated into the app should also minimize some clerical errors that could be made during the manual data entry process of the receipts.

A receipt app for business typically helps your finance team too; with eReceipts they are not going to run around asking employees to file their claims.

How does receipt scanning make expense management easier?

Management of expenses in an organization had for the longest time been seen as a normal procedure only because no better alternative has come up.

He buys some item on behalf of the company, he collects the receipt, hangs onto it till month-end, files his claim with the receipt and waits for the reimbursements. That was how things were being done.

Expenses have been managed within an organization in the same old fashion as long as one may remember, and this has been regarded as normal procedure just because the better choice was not there.

And some items got purchased, on behalf of the business, by an employee, the receipt was collected for that purchase, and it was held until the end of a month, an expense report was filed with the receipt and they were slated for reimbursement. That's how it was.

Turns out, printing text fields on a computer is relatively easy. But turning physical images or documents with text into a readable text and thus converting it into the computer can be more contently extendable.

Thanks to technology enhancing OCR tools throughout time, we now have business receipt scanner apps that do exactly that. Throughout the years, optical character recognition software progressed to the point where it could recognize patterns pixel by pixel and identify text even in different fonts. 

FAQ

What are the advantages of a scanner in business?

Benefits of Document Scanning for Business

1) Maximized office space.

2) Better compliance.

3) Increased efficiency.

4) More security. 

5) Better customer service.

6) Eco-friendly environment.

What is the advantage of scanning information?

When you scan paper documents, it gives you a choice of backing then anytime, anywhere, several times, in your computer, your gadgets, and even on the cloud. It makes sure that after a few decades crawl down your life under the bridge, there are those essential bytes waiting still.

How does scanning help business?

Scanning- It is defined as the process of examination of the environment to identify the factors that may have an influence on the business. Environmental Scanning forewarns the enterprise to make appropriate strategic choices before it escalates into a malignant situation.

Why use a scanner app?

To go paperless and organize with an OCR-enabled scanning app. The best scanning apps enable you to capture all sorts of information from paper tax documents, birth certificates, whiteboard notes, business cards, proof of vaccination forms through to deeds and titles.

[gadgetsboy]

Best Camera Accessories for the iPhone 15 Pro Max

There's little doubt that Apple has poured a lot of its resources into developing the iPhone 15 Pro series' camera capabilities, giving users a more refined and technical mobile photography experience in the palm of their hand. As far as flagship devices are concerned, it's certainly up there with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro to name a couple, and it can certainly hold its own against the competition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTC6GtWqH-g&t=186s Inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a formidable set of hardware, and Apple even says that the phone essentially packs seven different camera lenses into a single device. Going over its cameras, the 15 Pro Max comes with the following: - 48-megapixel main sensor, 24mm f/1.78-aperture lens, 2.44µm quad pixels, Dual-Pixel autofocus, optical image stabilisation - 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 13mm f/2.2-aperture lens, Dual-Pixel autofocus - 12-megapixel 5x telephoto camera, 120 mm f/2.8-aperture lens, 1.12µm pixels, Dual-Pixel autofocus - 12-megapixel front-facing camera, 23mm f/1.9 lens, optical image stabilisation With that being said however, there's a good chance that you might want to use your 15 Pro Max for more serious photography and videography, in which case there's a ton of gear out there that you can use to upgrade your mobile imaging experience. We've put together a quick list of must-have products that you can use to boost your production efforts - let's take a look! DJI OSMO Mobile 6 Gimbal While the iPhone 15 Pro comes with built-in video stabilization, using a gimbal for video capture is still a great way to ensure that your footage remains safe from shakes and whatnot. As such, you might want to go with a third-party solution from DJI. DJI's expertise in developing photography and videography gear for creators is tried and tested, and its OSMO Mobile 6 Gimbal is a must-have accessory for creators who primarily film using their smartphones. The OSMO Mobile 6 comes with 3-axis stabilization, ActiveTrack 6.0 that allows it to track moving subjects, an easy-to-use design that lets you set up the gimbal by simply attaching your phone and even built-in buttons for full control. Samsung T7 Portable SSD One thing that sets apart the iPhone 15 Pro series from other smartphones is its ability to shoot Log video. Simply put, Log video LOG is a video format that's processed in the camera, unlike more traditional RAW footage which is usually unprocessed. Additionally, certain components of Log footage such as exposure, white balance, and such are made part of the video. Shooting Log videos also require a ton of storage space, so unless you're repping the 1TB version of the 15 Pro Max, you might find yourself running out of space faster than expected. With that in mind, we'd recommend investing in extra storage space, like the Samsung T7 portable SSD. Thanks to the 15 Pro Max's newly-added USB-C compatibility, you can offload files into the T7 easily, and it can even store up to 1TB of files inside. Manfrotto Mini Tripod If you're just starting out as a content creator and have decided to go with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, then you might be thinking of filming your content at home, or at your personal workspace or desktop. In that case, a mini tripod might be ideal for quick videos since they are often easy to setup, up and often come with a detachable clamp where you can fix your phone in place. As such, Manfrotto's Mini Tripod is an ideal choice, thanks to an adjustable ball joint that gives you extra flexibility when positioning your phone for recording sessions. The mini tripod also features a rather sturdy design, and you can even fold up the legs for a handheld filming approach. Moment Mobile Lenses Not satisfied with the default lenses built into the 15 Pro Max? Then you might wanna check out Moment's wide selection of attachable camera lenses. Built to work with Moment's own phone cases, the lenses come in several different configurations including telephoto, anamorphic, macro, wide, and even fisheye lenses. Moment also offers different styles of ND filters, which can be easily fitted onto the case as well. AnkerWork M650 Wireless Mic While the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with a microphone for video and audio recording purposes (in addition to making phone calls), content creators can still stand to benefit from using a dedicated mic setup with their phones, and as such there are a ton of options from different brands available online. In particular, though, we have to hand it to the AnkerWork M650, a wireless lav mic that works with both computers as well as smartphones, including the new iPhones. The M650 is a complete kit that features a receiver that can be configured to work with your phone, and a clip-on mic that's discreet in design and doesn't stick out when in use. The mic is completely wireless, meaning that you won't be wasting your time fiddling around with wires and cables. Will you be using your new iPhone 15 Pro Max for videography? Let us know what gear you're planning on getting with your new phone! Read the full article

[hearsayhorizons]

Injustice: All-In 2

So I handed the full-time reins of the Birds to Cassie, and we're still adjusting to that even years later. Tim, Dick, John Henry Irons, J’onn J’onzz, and I all serve as coordinators and mission control for the legwork side of the Initiative. Sometimes an industrialist is running terrible cloning experiments but nothing they’re doing is actually illegal. Sometimes some org hides money off-shore and it’s got to be brought into accounts tied to them here to be discovered in a legal audit, seized, and dispersed into new channels Wonder Woman helps structure.

I don’t miss leading my own team. Not really. Not all the time. It’d be nice if less responsibility meant less fatigue. The Initiative sponsors therapy and the Vent Line but I just… I can’t.

But at least there are enough coordinators since absorbing the Titans that I can take a day off.

Theoretically.

If I weren’t the kind of person who sees a day off as a chance to take a shift at Gotham Public. And if I didn’t keep reopening mission updates on half my glasses. At least the information on the other lens is for the library.

who is harley quinn / harleen quinzel / joker / joker gas / joker grin / is the joker dead / dead joker / joker can’t die conspiracy

Well. That’s an interesting and potentially problematic line of research.

Public login, of course; why did I bother checking? Can’t see the desk from my angle, but the camera overseeing the computer lab shows me a girl with a medical mask. I didn’t see her at the start of my shift or at the last desk check. There’s something wrong with the way she holds herself.

“Hello, miss? I don’t mean to interrupt—” She flinches. I was going to say something about boolean search terms or library cards. When she looks up—up and then downward to me, and I meet those eyes, all the words burn away.

Whatever I feel must show on my face, because she tries to surge to her feet. Her clothes are sized for someone years younger, and I get flashes of skeletal limbs and a distended stomach as she heaves her bag up—and then she keels over, and my body and my brain go to separate places. I grab a wrist before she can hit her head, but my angle is bad and I can’t get her back into her seat. Her mask came halfway off in the scuffle. The fluorescent light floods down to fill my eyes and ears with static; I know this is a vasovagal response and I know I can’t let it become a syncope. I reseat her mask as best I can without looking at or touching her face.

Other patrons have glanced our way, but who else would they contact about a medical emergency but the head librarian? Maybe 911, but even after years of the Initiative, this is still Gotham.

And I’m dwelling because I don’t want to act. I have her number. If anyone can help a last lingering victim of Joker gas cope or, or get the help she needs, it’s the reformed Harley Quinn. I force myself into action and grab my phone.

“Dinah, can I get a hand at the library?”

[cuntylestat]

speaking of cameras! what is your best recommendation for someone with no official experience in photography who wants a nice camera that can be taken easily around for vacations (the beach, different cities) and for photos of friends/loved ones? so nothing overly complicated, and nothing too fancy. i get so caught up in reading reviews and then idk which one is the "right" one. i really want to buy something good but not more fancy/complicated than what i need. also for some context, i don't want to edit anything and the computer i have is a mac book laptop. idk if that factors into it. thank you soooo much for any recs you can give!

i'm gonna preface this by saying that i'm not an expert on digital cameras, but honestly, i think most cameras nowadays, especially once you get into the high hundreds-thousands euro range are quite good. i think it comes down to what you need. for example, do you want to be able to change lenses or do you want a fixed lens? do you want to also do video? how much money are you willing to spend? should it be small or can it be bigger? do you want a viewfinder or is a screen enough? more than model, i think you need to figure out what you want out of a camera! for example, i knew i wanted something compact but capable, where i can change lenses, and i liked the film camera look of fujifilm, so that narrowed it down for me.

i would definitely suggest an interchangeable lens system if you might wanna branch out in the future and get more creative with photography. first, because you can then try out different focal lengths, and also get more creative with larger apertures on higher resolution cameras. some that seem good (and are not too expensive) are the canon m50, the sony a6000 line, nikon z30, sony zv-e10 and the fujifilm xt30. you could also look into micro four thirds cameras by olympus or lumix (smaller sensor than most common changeable lens cameras, but i've heard good things and they're much smaller usually). you could also always look for slightly older models if you want to save money, as cameras from the past couple of years will still be more than enough for casual shooting. what i would suggest though is no longer buying a dslr, but going for a mirrorless system; they're smaller, lighter and you can see in camera what your picture will look like as you take it.

however, these can sometimes be more expensive, usually bigger, and lenses are also an extra investment. if you want something with a fixed lens and that is just for snapshots of family and vacation, i would look for a compact camera. i'm not an expert here and i'm more familiar with premium models such as the fujifilm x100v or the ricoh gr iii, which are between 1000-1500€, so a big investment for casual shooting. from the little research i just did, there seem to be some good cameras out there from sony and canon, especially. one thing i would say is that idk how capable regular compact cameras are and whether they're going to be a significant improvement over a phone camera.

my biggest suggestion is to go to a camera store and try cameras out! see what feels best in your hands, what makes sense to you and which you find the easiest to handle. you can then also see if the image quality is what you want. cameras are such a tactile thing where, at least for me, i can usually tell the minute i hold one in my hands if it's for me or not.

i hope this helps in some way, but if you have more questions, let me know!

[tpglighting]

Christmas Lights & Tips To Help You Take The Best Pictures

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and celebrations. While you're likely to be snapping photos of these special moments on your phone or digital camera, there's no better way to capture them than with a DSLR camera.

You'll have more control over the light in your photos and can take advantage of wide-angle lenses or zoom in close to get the perfect shot. If you're looking for inspiration for taking some amazing Christmas light pictures this year, don't worry! We've got you covered below:

How to Create Stunning Christmas Light Pictures?

Use a tripod.

Use a wide-angle lens.

Use a flash.

Set your ISO to low (100 or below).

You can also use manual mode, which allows you to control all aspects of the image and gives you more flexibility when taking pictures of Christmas lights.

Best Camera for Holiday Photography

If you want to take professional-looking holiday photos, your best bet is to use a DSLR camera. I know it's an investment and can be intimidating at first, but trust me: DSLR cameras are the only way to go if you want crisp, clear images that will make your friends and family ooh and ahh over on social media.

Point and shoot cameras aren't up to par with DSLRs in terms of image quality—they just don't have the same capability for capturing detail or depth of field (how much is in focus). If you're looking for something more affordable than a DSLR, consider upgrading from your point-and-shoot with lenses that give you more control over light exposure.

Smartphones are also not good enough for this type of photography; even newer iPhones still struggle with low lighting situations (such as holiday lights), so if nothing else helps...you could try turning off automatic stabilization on your smartphone! It might help cut down on blur when shooting handheld shots too

Use a Tripod

A tripod is a great tool for creating sharp images. It helps reduce camera shake and makes it easier to take long exposures without blurring the picture. Tripods are also useful when you're taking photos in low light because they give your camera steadier support, which means less blurry shots. If you're planning on photographing fireworks or other fast-moving subjects, a tripod will be especially useful because it will allow you to keep your camera steady while shooting at slower shutter speeds than usual.

Taking Amazing Christmas Photos Outside

Use a Tripod. If you're taking photos outside at night, it's best to use a tripod so that your camera can be as steady as possible. The more stable and still your camera is when taking photos, the more likely you are to get an image with great clarity and definition.

Make Sure It's Stable. A good rule of thumb for making sure your tripod is stable: if it can easily be rocked or swayed back and forth by hand, then it probably won't hold up under the weight of your camera during photographing either!

Avoid Shooting Into The Sunlight. Try not to take pictures while shooting into direct sunlight because this will cause lens flare which makes it difficult for other objects in the frame look sharp and crisp compared to objects directly lit by an artificial light source (such as Christmas lights) next door."

Capture the Entire Light Display with a Wide-Angle Lens

If you want to capture the whole scene in front of you, a wide-angle lens is the best lens for this type of photography. The light display is supposed to be seen from far away and so you want your photo of it to also show everything around it. Wider lenses help achieve this effect by creating an image with a wider field of view than normal lenses do.

Capture a Single Light Bulb in the Dark

You can use a wide-angle lens to capture the light in its full glory. If you have a tripod, this is the time to use it. It will help keep your camera steady so that you can get great shots even in low light. Make sure to bring your flash along, too! You'll want to aim it at the bulb so that it doesn't cause any shadows on its own or cast glare on other objects nearby. Remember: if you want to capture the whole scene with your light bulbs, make sure they're placed far enough away from each other so that they don't overlap too much when taking pictures!

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