Camera Wars

by Chelsea Hale

  “What about the dipping picture?” he asked. “Would that make a good background for the DVD menu?”

  Her cheeks flushed. Maybe she hadn’t forgotten their kiss so easily. “That one could work. It’s a very good dipping picture.”

  “Much better than the first few were.”

  “Just make sure they’re all edited nicely. It reflects badly on me if it’s on the DVD.”

  “You got it.”

  Peter took the time to edit. He wasn’t sure if the bride and groom would choose to buy these photos, but he wanted Coco to be happy with her final product, so he wouldn’t make her wait to choose pictures from the stack John and Tina would be choosing.

  “When do you think you’ll have the video done?” he asked.

  “By the end of the week. I have my own projects that need my attention, so I’m giving myself until Saturday night.”

  “Would you bring it by the studio when you’re done?” He wanted to see her again, and making work the reason to get together was the best he could do.

  “You want to check my work?”

  He shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

  She swatted him on the arm. “Unbelievable. You do want to check my work. I’m not going to mess up.”

  “I know, but I do want to see it before John and Tina do.”

  “Fine. You bring dinner. I’ll bring the movie.”

  It almost sounded like a date. But he knew better. “Deal.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Coco stayed up late, determined to get past the halfway point on the video. Saturday was an aggressive goal. Even as she said it to Peter, she felt stretched with her other school projects. If she pushed harder in the next two days—and edited her school assignments while she ate—she might be able to finish it a full day early.

  She wasn’t exactly sure why she wanted to prove herself to Peter. Maybe she was nervous that he had to check her work, and she wanted to prove that he had nothing to worry about. That determination had her past the halfway point in her video by 2:00 a.m. when she finally shut her laptop and went to bed.

  Coco spent every spare minute on Thursday editing. During two of her classes she had lab time, and she raced through her assignments and started back into the wedding video. It may have been silly, but impressing Peter kept her motivated. She wouldn’t burn the final copies of the DVDs until after he gave his approval.

  The thought that he didn’t trust her enough to do the video without supervision swam around her head. Maybe that was part of the reason she was pushing to get it done in record time. She wanted to prove to him that her work was excellent without someone looking over her shoulder. What if he didn’t approve? What would she do then? What if Peter’s vision of the wedding video was completely different than hers?

  She screened the wedding luncheon over again, trimming the dead time in between the toasts and creating smooth transitions. It took almost no time at all. She wasn’t going to edit any of the ceremony, though she added a nice glow around the screen at the beginning and spliced the panning of the outside and inside of the room before guests arrived, giving it a professional touch.

  She’d finished the reception earlier in the week. She only had two more songs to fill for the wedding couple walking around, his first look at her in her wedding dress, and their love story. It was coming together. She knew she could finish tonight. She glanced at her clock. 9:00 p.m. She only needed a few more hours.

  After she received Peter’s approval, she’d render the entire movie while she did the rest of her class assignments. The assignments should be easy, and if Peter allowed her to use the spoof piece she’d created of him, she’d just need a few more shots of him, and maybe she could get those at his studio.

  She texted Peter. I have it on good authority that the video will be complete by tomorrow night. Do you still want to preview it?

  She couldn’t send him the RAW files; they’d be too big. Besides, if he didn’t like something, he’d have to be able to tell her which parts didn’t work. Tingles spread through her stomach. She hoped he’d like it. She’d never cared about someone’s opinion as much as she cared that Peter liked this wedding DVD.

  I can’t wait. What food do you want? Thai? Mexican? Plain old pizza?

  How about Thai?

  Done. My last appointment ends at six.

  I’ll meet you at your studio.

  Coco worked for two more hours and saved the final draft. A wave of excitement and giddiness washed over her. The video was done, and it was good. Peter would have to agree. She couldn’t wait to show off her work.

  At 5:50, Peter would still be in the photo shoot, but she got out of her car and approached the studio anyway. She could look through his display books while she waited.

  A small bell sounded as she walked through the door. Becca looked up. “Oh, good. You’re here.” She smiled brightly.

  “I’m a little early.”

  “I’m glad you are. Peter said you’d be coming for a late meeting about the wedding shoot you both did last Saturday?” She glanced up from her notebook.

  “Right.” A meeting? It sounded so … formal.

  “Peter’s last appointment arrived twenty minutes late. Some hold up at the hair salon. Anyway. He asked me to pick up your food for you.”

  “Oh, that’s not necessary, I can go get it.”

  “No. no. The studio pays for late meeting dinners. You can get set up in the first room there, and I’ll bring your food back in time for Peter to be done.” She handed a paper to Coco. “Peter wasn’t sure on your exact preferences. What would you like to order?”

  “Um…”

  “If you don’t pick at least three courses then Peter insists I add in a few mixed appetizers. You might as well pick your favorites.”

  Coco circled Chicken Pad Thai and some spring rolls.

  “What would you like for dessert? The bakery next door will be closed by the time you’re done.”

  “Oh, I’m not picky on desserts.”

  “I’ll grab Peter’s favorites, then.”

  “Thank you, Becca.”

  “My pleasure. Thank you for helping on Saturday. Peter was panicked until you agreed to come. I think he wants to add a videography service into the studio just so he can help clients out of jams like that.”

  “He’s adding videography services?” She was surprised he hadn’t mentioned anything to her about it. Not that he needed to tell her everything, but that was her area of expertise. She could at least help him brainstorm.

  “He’s been talking about it all month. I guess it’s been on his mind. Saturday solidified it, from what I can tell. He didn’t want to put you out and told me we should think about how that would impact the studio space, but I have no idea on it. Maybe you can give him some ideas?”

  “Maybe. Thanks again for getting our food,” she said as Becca walked toward the door.

  Coco plugged her laptop in and setup the software, her mind racing around Becca’s revelation. Videography had been on his mind all month? Had that been why he wandered around the bridal show with her? Because he wanted to get ideas about videography and how to incorporate that into his business?

  She clicked on her documents, getting everything ready on the screen. Her mouse hovered over opening the video she started putting together of Peter. It was silly to show him. She only needed a few more clips, but she hadn’t asked his permission to film him. Though, technically, all of those shots Peter had stepped into she hadn’t filmed on purpose.

  Would showing him the satire taint his opinion of her professional work in wedding videos? She let her shoulders roll forward and let her neck do the same. She’d ask him another time.

  “What movie did you just close?” Peter’s voice came from the open door, startling Coco.

  She turned around, catching her breath. “Warn a girl before you sneak up behind her.”

  “Note taken—and the movie?”

  Coco waved her hand in the air. “One of the ma
ny projects I haven’t finished yet. Not nearly as interesting as the wedding ones that are complete.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at her, but only said, “Becca should be back with the food soon.”

  “She seems very nice.”

  “She is. I might have lost it earlier trying to finish everything before six. She picked up on my stress, took a few things off my plate, and offered to grab the food.”

  He walked toward Coco and sat down. “It’s been a long day. I’m looking forward to our movie night.”

  “More of a meeting really,” she responded.

  A small bell sounded outside the room, signaling Becca’s return. A moment later she came into the room. “I think I got everything you need.”

  Peter moved the photo books off the table in front of the couch, and Becca unloaded several bags onto it. “There are more dessert choices. I’ll put them in the fridge.”

  “Thank you, Becca. Help yourself to anything.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “Have a good meeting. I’ll see you on Monday.”

  Peter started opening several different containers. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I ordered a little of everything.”

  “Becca asked me for my selection.”

  “I wasn’t sure if she’d catch you before she left.”

  “That’s nice of you. Do you often have meetings on Friday nights?”

  “I work one late Friday a month. I had three brides wanting to look at pictures tonight. I told Becca I was already booked.”

  “I only told you I would have it finished by today, yesterday.”

  “I was hopeful.”

  She dished up a little of everything that he ordered. “This is good, but you can’t watch it and eat at the same time. The video needs your full attention,” she said. “This Pad Thai is delicious.”

  “The restaurant is just around the block. It’s a small place, but they have the best noodles and coconut soup I’ve ever tasted.”

  “I’m a fan of anything made with coconut,” she said.

  After they finished their food, Coco clicked on the first clip. It began with a quick montage of several clips strung together, focusing on the happy moments captured of just the bride and groom. Coco angled herself so she could read Peter’s body language. What was he thinking? Did he like it?

  He paused the movie. “Are you going to watch me the whole time?”

  “Yes.” She grinned. “I warned you, so get used to it. And don’t give me any faces because you’re uncomfortable or I’m going to think you don’t like the movie.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The clip was twenty minutes long. Not once did he squint or wrinkle his face. He laughed at a cute part where the groom made a silly face at the camera. When it came to the dipping scene, he leaned forward.

  “That dip looks so much better. Thanks for fixing it.”

  Heat rushed to her face. Was he thinking about their kiss, too? She directed his attention back to the movie. “Focus.”

  “I am focusing.” He kept his eyes locked on hers.

  She rolled her eyes and pointed to the screen. “You’re missing it.”

  Their dip faded into a walking scene, followed by another dip and kiss that was timed perfectly to the music. She’d spent way too long making sure the beats hit perfectly, slowing down the video and then speeding it up at just the right second to hit the transitions with the down beat. Viewing it on the big screen made it seem even better.

  She quickly averted her eyes. She was supposed to be paying attention to Peter’s reactions to the movie, not getting sucked in herself.

  The last clip was the ceremony. She cleared her throat. “I’m not going to make you watch the full ceremony again. I just want to show you the beginning, the ending, and a small slice of the middle when the bride walks down the aisle.” They were standard edits and transitions, a few focused moments that blurred into the next scene and another refocus. It was good, if she did say so herself.

  She played the luncheon next, and then the reception.

  “I wouldn’t change anything.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. You’ve nailed their personalities, brought in unique transitions that aren’t distracting, and the music is timed perfectly with their actions. It’s great.”

  “You sound surprised.” She wondered if he expected her to do badly.

  “I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

  “I’m glad it meets your approval.”

  “You don’t really need my approval, though. Maybe on this one I felt responsible because I brought you in last minute.”

  “Thank you.” She wondered if he would mention the videography plans he had for the studio now that he had seen her work.

  Peter cleared out the empty to-go boxes, put the leftovers in the fridge, and brought in dessert.

  “Would you like to come to the bride and groom session with John and Tina next week when they’re back from their honeymoon? It’s in the late afternoon, so it might work with your class schedule. I’d like you to give them the final product yourself and maybe show it to them.”

  She’d never watched the completed DVD with the bride and groom before, but Peter’s compliments of the video bolstered her, and she was excited to see their reactions to it. “I’d like that. Thanks.”

  As they ate their dessert, she asked, “Have you ever thought of adding videography to your studio as a service?”

  Peter met her gaze. “I’ve thought about it more recently. Especially for this last wedding, it would have been nice to have an in-house person I could call to help.”

  That was thoughtful of him to think of his client’s needs. She bit her lip. She should have left the topic alone. “Oh, well, I’m in the business so … if I can help you … um … brainstorm or anything on that subject, I’m happy to.” We’d make a great team.

  “You want to help me brainstorm?” A big question formed on his face.

  I’m a videographer. I could do the work. “I could put the pricing together and compare what it would look like to give your clients a discount if they used both videography and photography through your studio.”

  Tyler and Liz’s wedding would be a dream to shoot because they worked well together now. If every wedding had a smooth rapport with the photographer, wedding videography was something she could see herself doing full-time for a long time.

  He tilted his head as he looked at her. “I could probably use that sort of help.”

  She chewed her lip. He wasn’t offering her a videography job, so it wouldn’t matter if he thought her satire video was unprofessional. “And I have a favor to ask you.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “You want to put business cards in my reception area? I’m fine with that. I’m happy to promote others in the business that I like to work with.”

  She gulped. It was a step in the right direction. Maybe his clients would choose her, and then she’d work with him again. It wasn’t working with him per se, but it was a nice offer. “Oh. Thanks.” She dug in her bag for a stack of business cards, and handed them to him. “But that’s not what I was going to ask. I want your permission to use you in a video for an assignment. It’s funny and light-hearted. It’s meant to be a spoof, but I would need a few more shots if you agree to it.”

  “Ah, the mysterious file you were going to pull out when I startled you.”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Let’s see what you have.”

  Her palms grew moist as she positioned the mouse over the clip. She clicked on it, and held her breath, watching him the entire time.

  Peter’s face was stoic, giving nothing away. The Peter on the screen jumped in and out of the frame, timed to bouncing music. He looked like a magician, disappearing and then reappearing.

  The clip ended, and Coco felt like she’d explode. She inhaled and held it, waiting for his response.

  He laughed and grabbed her hand.

  Sparks flew across her fingers at his touch. “You do
n’t hate it?”

  “It’s my own fault for being so self-absorbed in that photo shoot. I just wanted everything perfect for Tyler and Liz. He’s one of my closest friends.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  “You can use it for your class.” He squeezed her fingers, and the sensation was so different from holding Jeffrey’s hand.

  “Thanks.” She needed to reclaim her hand, and put some distance between them. She put her laptop away and pulled out her camera. “That being the case, I need a few shots of your face to add to it.”

  “Did you want them to match the background or is indoors okay?”

  It would be too easy to make it an excuse and come back again tomorrow or another day. “Indoors is fine.”

  He stood, helping her up from the couch. “It just so happens I have the perfect studio in the next room.”

  “Very convenient.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Peter turned on the lights and the walked into the studio. “Would you ever consider partnering with my studio? On a more full-time basis?”

  Her heart raced like a shutter button held down on a camera. She and Peter got along and worked well together. There was definitely something between them. Maybe it was a good fit. Before she could respond, he said, “I like … working with you. Think about it. Don’t give me your answer right now.”

  “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Peter watched Coco drive away from his studio after she’d taken several shots of him. Though he wasn’t used to being the client in his own studio, he liked how comfortable Coco was at being in charge.

  He pictured her there full-time. She could easily handle running the videography services.

  Then reality splashed in his face; she’d given him her business cards, which he straightened on the receptionist’s desk. She was grateful to advertise at his studio, but she only mentioned wanting to help him set up the videography side of his business, not run it.