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incoherentbabblings · 4 years

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Take Back the Cake, Burn the Shoes, and Boil the Rice (4/11)

Within two months there have been two murders of Gotham newlyweds moments after the ceremony. The only connecting factor was both brides wore the same designer’s work. Needing to establish who exactly is behind the crimes, Bruce enlists Tim and Stephanie to have the biggest wedding Gotham high society has seen in decades, putting a target on their heads not just for the killer, but Gotham society too. It goes about as well as you’d expect. Ao3 Link Here!

Tim had no idea there was such a market for wedding planners. He imagined most people planned it themselves. Stephanie had made the very valid point that neither of them had time. Apparently, because she maybe still hated herself a little, she chose possibly the most ridiculous looking woman who came at an equally ridiculous price tag.

“Why’d you choose her?” Tim asked, as the two paced back and forth in one of the drawing rooms of Wayne Manor.

Stephanie was picking a hanging nail. “She had stupid glasses.” She muttered. “Her website screamed ostentatious. That’s what we want right?”

“Well yeah but –”

Alfred opened the door for Mrs van Dijk, and Tim couldn’t help but mutter a curse at the sight of her. Stephanie caught Alfred’s face as he shut the door, to which she noted he seemed quite relieved to be rid of the woman.

Bottle eyed didn’t do it justice. Her glasses seemed an inch thick, and they took up half her face. Humongous brown pupils peered through at Tim as Stephanie very quickly made her way over to him, holding onto his shirt and showing off the ring. Mrs van Dijk’s clothes were seemingly made from rags, and various bits draped across the floor. Her nose was tiny, upturned and pointy. Her teeth were too big for her mouth. She grinned maniacally at the sight of the young couple. She herself somehow looked sixty and thirty at the same time.

Stephanie had picked a winner surely.

“Oh, how happy I am to meet you! I thought for sure I was being pranked when you rang me!” She looked and wandered around the room, utterly fascinated. “And at Wayne Manor no less. I am the luckiest person in the world… Do you mind if I just put my bags here?” The four assorted totes and satchels and rucksacks seemed a bit excessive to Tim, but he nodded, not quite sure what to say. She slapped them down with a delighted squeal.

Nails on a chalkboard. Tim smiled, baring his teeth as they clenched together uncomfortably. Stephanie stepped in, being on the ball for once.

“Thank you for agreeing to help us! And on such short notice too.”

“It’s going to be a rush to get everything done in time.” Tim confirmed.

They all sat down, but then Mrs van Dijk decided she was too far away and stood up. She settled in between Tim and Stephanie, both of whom flinched at having a stranger be so close. They flinched again when she took a hand each and tugged them onto her lap, a little pile of happy hands. Happy sweaty hands. Tim shivered up his spine, and Stephanie’s left leg spasmed at the uncomfortableness of it all.

“I have had a think the past two days.” Van Dijk said earnestly. “You said, Stephanie, you wanted the grandest wedding Wayne money could provide.”

“Yup.”

“I am going to work a little unconventionally. A little traditionally. But you two are the most important clients of my career. I will give you the world.”

“…Thanks.” Tim responded lamely.

“In my thoughts, I see the Cathedral.”

Neither Tim nor Steph were religious.

“I see gold and white.”

Neither were colours they wore nor sought out.

“Carnations for flowers.”

Carnations were for funerals. Tim and Stephanie knew this very well.

“I see the reception here, in the gardens.”

The weather was never good enough to guarantee any event outside.

“And your gown…”

There, Stephanie could not cave in. “I want Rebecca Andrews.”

“Oop! Pardon?” By now word had spread that she was a cursed designer.

“I have my heart set on her you see… Ever since I was younger.”

“…But I… I brought books!” She threw their hands off her lap, Tim rubbing his freed palm against his trousers as the woman fumbled through the tote, tugging out three lever arch files.

“Oh wow… you really prepped for this.”

“I told you! I will give you the world.” And then she sat down, tossing one folder to Tim, and one to Stephanie. Slapping her own open, Mrs van Rijk flipped through pages until she found examples to show Stephanie.

“See? Oh, Mr Wayne wouldn’t you die to see her in this?”

Tim struggled not to swear. “Oh boy.” He said instead.

That seemed too many ruffles for one human body.

Stephanie blinked, and agreed. “No no. I’m sorry, but this is the one area I must put my foot down.”

“…Even though…”

Stephanie smiled reassuringly, and confirmed, “Even though.”

Mrs van Rijk stared at the huge taffeta construction and sighed sadly. “One day I will get a bride in one of these… Nevermind. I will arrange an appointment with Ms Andrews. Funny lady that one.” As she put the folders back, Tim shot Stephanie a look which amounted to kettle meet pot.

Otherwise, they went with whatever this lady suggested. The only thing both Tim and Steph genuinely liked the idea of was a lemon cake rather than a fruit cake. They told themselves that because it maybe wasn’t even going to reach the altar, what they wanted didn’t really matter. Details were details. What mattered was ensuring they were a target.

Stephanie proceeded to go on a coffee date with Cassandra, who gave the evils in her characteristic manner to anyone creeping to close, and a trip to the arcade with Damian, who grumbled and pretended to shoot a photographer with one of the guns for a zombie shooting game, until Stephanie called him over with the food she had bought him. Tim uploaded an old photograph of them when they were fifteen to his social media pages. Bruce mysteriously went to visit Crystal’s hospital when she was on shift, ensuring that she was seen chatting the Mr Wayne. The picture that went in the news was not the most flattering of Mrs Brown – her expression was nothing short of mystified and in awe that Gotham’s favourite child was talking to her – but it served the same goal as the other outings.

The family was doing everything they could to prove that Stephanie was not just someone out of the blue who had stepped into the role of fiancée for Tim. She was a Gotham girl through and through, her mother worked an admirable job, she was known by the family and spent time with them independent of Tim…Older photos began to be circulated. Old school photos when they both attended Gotham Heights were circulated, as was the fact that she was a student in her final year of Gotham College who volunteered at the clinic on Park Row, just around the corner from Tim’s social housing redevelopment project.

Don’t think of this girl as an upstart, they were practically begging, she’d been a part of Tim and Cassandra and Damian and Bruce’s lives long before anyone cared. Tim, who actually braved reading comments and replies, noted that, for the most part…well they weren’t flat out insulting her. Or him.

For the most part.

That counted for a lot.

Though some of them…

Thankfully Bruce and Dick over many years had cultivated a stock image of a slightly batshit (hah) bonkers family that only seemed to grow with the years in equally odd members. Off kilter, sure, but overall a good family. Thank goodness for Gotham stereotypes.

Next step in becoming a target – an engagement photo shoot.

Tim was not even aware these were a thing, but found himself standing in a full suit a mere three days later. Images to be posted amongst societies circles and to be sent with rsvp invitations. This had been it’s own conflict. None of their superhero friends has been invited, but indeed to everyone, this was for real. Tim had ignored the Titans for days at this point, unable to explain what was going on. There was no pithy explanation.

He had been given a black tux, a dark red suit, a navy shirt and chinos, and a pot of hair gel to style himself. Stephanie, meanwhile, was upstairs, with a veritable army of beauticians, hairdressers and too many dresses to count.

It was raining, because of course it was. But the photography studio had insisted on going forward in the manor gardens.

“We can make it look real Austen and shit.”

Tim really didn’t understand the man’s reference. Said man was holding a camera with a very large lens that Tim suspected wasn’t necessary for this kind of shoot. He had sunglasses on, despite the weather, so Tim knew he was very cool. The four assistants who had been with Stephanie trotted down the stairs, moving quickly to set up lighting. All four looked a little dissapointed, but whatever reason Tim didn't understand.

"Okay?" He asked.

One got in Tim’s face and began fixing his hair. He instinctively flinched away from a stranger in his personal space, but quickly smiled apologetically and allowed her to resume. His gut churned from enduring the uncomfortable closeness.

"It's fine. We just... she's been hurt quite bad hasn't she?"

Tim flinched completely away. It seemed the look in his eyes was enough to make the lady look to the floor, and find something else to work on. Tim's protectiveness was flaring, and he knew it was making others uncomfortable. But he also doubted it was as uncomfortable as Stephanie was having strangers examine her body like that.

“Am I okay to come down now?” Stephanie’s voice drifted in from the top of the staircase, providing a welcome distraction.

The man (Tim couldn’t for the life of him remember the name) immediately became effusive.

“Of course, princess! Let’s see you. You’re in the red dress, right?”

“…Yeah.”

She poked her head around the corner and stared at Tim. She sighed sharply at how handsome he looked. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “Can I hold onto you walking down? It’s a lot of skirt…”

Tim didn’t care that she was blatantly lying. He hopped up to the top step, holding out his hand for her to take. When she did take, still half hidden behind the wall, Tim felt her trembling. He looked at her inquisitively.

“My scars…” Was all she could say. She was bent over, blonde hair curled to look like Sleeping Beauty’s. The assistants who had done her hair had made the decision to have it all down in order to hide her upper back, shoulders, collar and arms. She was wearing flowers in her hair, and her makeup made her look otherworldly. Tim realised it was all to draw attention upwards, away from her torso.

Tim squeezed her fingers. Stephanie as a rule did not show skin... not since Black Mask.

“You wore that purple dress, remember? The one I got you? That showed more skin.” He tried to remind her, so she could logic her way up to being confident in the beautiful dresses.

She only shook her head, and he could see her eyes growing frenetic with an increasing panic.

“No-one was paying attention, not like this. People are going to see me.”

He stepped closer, creating a bubble around them that made Steph’s breathing quieten, and her back straightened. Saying she was beautiful wasn’t going to work. Some of her scars, little that he had seen, were not beautiful. He wouldn’t lie to himself and say they were. Stephanie was beautiful; the injuries, the torn skin, the white shiny scars, the mangled puckered wounds… there was no beauty in the experiences that created them. No amount of sweet talking would convince her nor the world of it. But that didn’t mean she was lesser for it. Not even close. He stared straight into her eyes, praying he looked reassuring.

“It’s okay.”

She nodded, and gently, encouragingly, he tugged her forward into the viewpoint of the photography team. It was a strapless crimson gown, with a sweetheart neckline and a large wide skirt that made her waist tiny. The photographer hissed. She looked lovely, but some scars shined in the artificial light. It was going to make tidying up the images awkward.

“Oh.” He stated. Stephanie immediately hid behind Tim, feeling humiliated. “Do we want to hide these in post? Or are we drawing...”

Tim glared in an intensely threatening manner, and the man coughed, correcting himself.

“Doesn’t matter. You both look like royalty. Every time I do one of these shoots… but this must be one of the best.”

His team twittered like little birds in agreement. Stephanie struggled not to roll her eyes at the weak save.

Shots were taken of them walking down the stairs, though Stephanie did manage to trip of the final step, crumpling in a heap on the floor. The man had ensured she was okay, then demanded she remain there. Tim was forced to sit behind her, two or three steps up.

“Fix her hair and dress.” The man commanded. Immediately her position was altered, and her hair was pulled to cover certain patches of skin. Her breathing wobbled.

She wasn’t good enough.

A little off put by having so many people fuss over her, Stephanie reached upwards. Tim gave her his hand, and then quickly, unthinkingly, pressed a kiss to the back of her head. He watched as goosebumps trailed up her back, and he cursed himself a little for even attempting to comfort her.

“Oh!” Shouted the man. “Hold that. Her ring looks good.”

There were four outfits and locations in total – the strapless red gown for Tim’s black tux in the main staircase being the first. For the Thomas Wayne’s library Stephanie perched herself on a leather loveseat armrest, sitting awkwardly and slightly off to the side in her insecurity. Tim had his bowtie removed and three buttons undone, to which he promptly redid one. Stephanie was changed into an off the shoulder green dress with sleeves that split open to expose her arms and hit the floor. The gown had such a deep neckline that Tim’s eyes were drawn to a white scar that went up her sternum. She caught him looking and hissed like an angry cat, unsure if he was staring at her chest or the wound. The golden gown, the one that looked like rays of sun, for the shots in the conservatory was beautiful, but again, Tim could see she was growing increasingly uncomfortable with both the attention and exposure. Repeatedly for couple shots she would start to migrate behind Tim, half hidden away until called out and forced forward. Tim found he couldn’t say anything in front of the photography crew to comfort her. He kept some part of himself connected to her, hoping the touch would ground her. Obviously this was not an option for the solo shots.

She seemed much happier with the final dress. A shorter purple dress with feathers all along the hem. It had a high neck and long sleeves. Tim couldn’t help it, he laughed as she brushed through the bird feathers. She shivered in her bare legs though and begged to put on a pair of tights. The man narrowed his eyes, or at least Tim thought he did behind those glasses, but agreed.

“Some posed shots.” He said, staring down into his viewfinder. “Then go frolic outside.”

“Frolic?” Stephanie raised on eyebrow, and Tim mirrored it.

“Outside?”

Tim took off his blazer as he and Stephanie questioned the photographer in between snaps being taken. Steph grabbed a hold of Tim’s shoulder to balance as she zipped up a boot. The rain was coming down as hard as ever.

“Yes. We need some natural shots.”

His assistant opened the double window doors, cold air blasting its way in. Rainwater dripped inside, and Tim shuddered at the fit Alfred would have. The water crept dangerously close to one of the rugs, and even Stephanie made a panicked oomph noise, and she rushed out front into the pouring rain, hoping that the quicker this round was done the sooner these people would pack up and leave and she could return to flat shoes. Her heels were starting to ache to the point of distraction.

Tim rushed out after her, resisting the urge to yell at the frigid water which immediately soaked him to the bone. Stephanie looked back at him, her dress clinging in all the right ways, hair a sodden blanket. She was laughing from the shock of how cold it was.

“I can’t believe you agreed to this?” He yelled over the sound of the rain hitting the paving stones. Stephanie just laughed and held out her arms for him to step into. Her makeup was starting to run, but rather than making her look like a drowned rat, she looked lively and bright. Her face flushed red from the cold, and Tim willingly went straight into her hold.

She brushed his wet hair out of his eyes, grinning at the face she saw underneath. Still so pale, with such dark bruises under his eyes. Still not sleeping well. But he was happy, at least for the moment. She didn’t want her moodiness ruin that for him.

Stephanie couldn’t get that moment of the kiss to her hair out of her mind, nor could Tim stop thinking about the declaration of love and kiss on the lips she had given him last week. They were stumbling in the dark, seeking physical comfort in each other, and both knew how dangerous it was. Simultaneously, and without mentioning it to the other, they resolved to corner the other. Soon.

Until then, when the photographer called for them to kiss, it was Stephanie who cradled Tim’s face and pulled him close. It was the kind of kiss that they made when they were adolescents: enthusiastic, clumsy, but infatuated. Stephanie tried to convince herself that it was just another kiss for the job, like the ones one their dates and engagement dinners, but as always the sharp stab of enjoyment that came with Tim’s smiling kisses made her shiver and doubt. She squished his cheeks and laughed when they broke apart, and when she tried to leave Tim’s hold and playfully pulled her back around her waist, tossing out further into the rain so he could run inside before her.

She collapsed in, ankles a little wobbly, grimacing at the water they had allowed into the room. Tim shut the windows and huffed.

“Perfect.”

Remembering they had been watched, the redness in Stephanie’s skin vanished, and she resumed staring at her feet, shuffling backwards behind Tim.

Hair dripping wet, and conscious that the pair might catch a cold, Tim tried to be genial when he asked if they were done. The man bared his teeth and he flipped through the images. He didn’t look totally satisfied.

“I don’t know… Can we go for some more artsy stuff? You guys got a ballroom, right? You two are such a good pair…I just want some more to play around with.”

Stephanie stumbled in her shoes, growing more tired by the moment. Tim began to shiver. One of the assistants not so subtly nudged the man, letting him now his time was up.

Bruce in one his blessed moments of good timing, had at some point begun watching through the open door to the drawing room, seemed to realise that Tim and Steph had also had enough.

“Thank you, Mr Hare, but I’m going to have to ask you to wrap up. Let my kids dry up.”

Being referred to one of Bruce’s own made Stephanie stare in open shock, whilst Tim looked gratefully at him, giving a small smile.

“Oh.” Said Mr Hare – Tim tried to not feel guilty at not knowing his name for the entire shoot – and finally he took the hint. “No worries. This was a good session! Listen, I’ll send them when their done to van Rijk. She’s a beast, will probably want them tomorrow if I know her.”

Bruce smiled politely and indicated for Alfred to begin showing them out.

Tim’s shivering had grown worse, and Stephanie noticing this, rushed to one of the sofas which had a cream throw resting over the back to cradle Tim within.

“Rub your chest if it’s gets unbearable.” She uttered, “That’s where all the important bits are.”

Tim smiled, teeth chattering. “Minus a spleen.”

“Huh?” She looked at him, confused.

“I… Oh. I never told you?”

She tilted her head, gears turning ever so slowly in her head. “That you don’t have a spleen? Tim! You’ll get sicker easier and worse!”

She managed to kick off her shoes and moved in closer, tugging the throw around them both. With the assistants out of the room, Tim grew somewhat warmer knowing she was being genuinely caring in this moment.

“How long ago?” She asked, shifting so she could keep them both somewhat warm.

“Um…” Tim looked at Bruce helping Alfred escort the team of the estate. “When I first went looking for him. Got stabbed.”

Her breath warmed his neck, and her fingers drifted down to where his scar was. She cooed when he twitched as if her touch hurt him, but to Tim it felt like a bolt of electricity had passed straight down his spine. He told himself it was because of the static from the rain and humidity.

Bruce watched the group begin to pack up, both ensuring they had left with all their equipment but also listening to their conversation, trying to not to smile.

“I think…” He interrupted, and the pair jolted at the reminder that someone else was in sight of them. “You both should shower up. Then a quick word with you both.”

Stephanie was the first to break away.

“Can I use Cass’ room?”

“We have a spare room if you want it. We have loads of spare rooms.” Tim hinted.

Steph didn’t take the hint. “Cass’ is fine.”

Bruce, however, did hear the hint, and in a rare moment of paternal ingenuity, decided to throw a little bomb into the mix.

“When is Stephanie moving into your apartment, Tim?”

Stephanie, who had no idea such an idea was on offer, gulped. Tim, also appeared a little thrown.

“I… I…”

“I’ve never even been to your apartment.”

“Well, there’s your chance.” Bruce said. “Now hurry up, before Alfred sees the state of the floors.”

Bruce’s edict was law, and reluctantly Crystal agreed for Stephanie to move out.

When it came to moving in with Tim, Stephanie was surprised how easy it was. She really didn’t own that much stuff to begin with, and Tim had a lot of spare space.

Tim’s apartment, based in Park Row no less, was large, and took up two floors. He seemed awful proud of it. Steph didn’t miss the piano sat in the corner but chose not to comment.

“One of your projects?”

Tim huffed, thinking she was diminishing his efforts with Park Row. He was lifting her suitcases up the stairs. “Well, the redevelopment is as good as I make it… And I live here… so you know, I stand by it being good.”

“Hmm.” She set one of four boxes on the couch. Hard and square, it didn’t lend itself to resting and relaxing. Tim had probably chosen it for the aesthetics more than anything, and was likely cursing himself that he had offered to sleep on it whilst Stephanie took his own bed. Glaring at the obnoxious chandelier which hung down from the open space of the ceiling of the first floor down to just above their heads on the first, she hummed to herself.

“These aren’t…I…”

Tim waited patiently at the top of the steps for her to finish.

“How did you make sure you haven't just gentrified the area?”

Tim put down her suitcases, practically skipping down the steps to get to her level, a little put off with her question. “You worried I kicked poor people out of Crime Alley?”

Stephanie blushed, and defended herself. “Not intentionally.”

“No. Not intentionally. Not unintentionally either.” He scoffed, but before he could turn way, Stephanie halted him.

“How then?”

Tim couldn’t hear the sincerity in her tone, instead he heard patronising accusations. His temper flared unexpectedly. She still could rile him up like no other. “You care?”

As could he to her, apparently. Her blush turned to a flush of red anger, and her defensiveness became aggressive.

“What kind of question is that? Do I care about your job? The unprivileged? Gotham in general?” She waved her hands. “Nevermind. Not if you’re gonna take everything like an attack.”

With a whirl that smacked Tim in the face with her long ponytail, he flinched back and watched her drag another box in. It was too heavy for one person, and she was going to hurt her back in her stubbornness.

“Steph, let me help.”

“I’m fine.”

“Steph –”

“You don’t always need to be so –”

“You know you can accept help from –”

The pair trailed off, both bent awkwardly over a box, glaring at each other. Stephanie was the first to break, groaning in a tantrum and stomping up the steps. She looked down over the railing to Tim looking up at her.

“You honestly don’t have a spare room?”

“No. The other room is an office and a bathroom. It’s just for a few more weeks… I made space in my closet for you.”

“Thanks. Real generous there, Timbo.”

Her sarcasm was biting, and Tim felt the childish urge to stick his tongue out at her. She vanished from sight though, rolling her clothes through to his bedroom. Kicking the box at his feet, his eyes widened in shock at how heavy was, and he stumbled away.

“What she got in here… boulders?”

Dragging it into the hallway, Tim popped outside to see Crystal driving away, the two remaining boxes left at the foot of the steps to the door. They were lighter than the box of bricks, and once they were inside Tim shut the front door. Stephanie was still upstairs, so was likely unpacking her clothes.

Opening the heavy box in some grim determination to be vindicated in its contents, he was instead met with a box filled with stuffed soft toys.

She still held onto them? At the top of was a somewhat familiar teddy bear. She had held onto it and smacked him with it playfully on occasion. When he had visited her to tell her he was having to leave Gotham… when she was pregnant, when she didn’t know his name or anything about his parents or who was behind that mask… all she had known was this boy had – for some unknown reason – chosen to stay with her, to spend time with her. She had taken a lot of convincing over two years it was because Tim genuinely loved her, and it wasn’t out of some Bat driven duty to be kind to those weaker than you. By the time she believed it herself, she had seen Tim kissing someone (someone who she now knew he didn’t want to be kissed by) and everything had gone down the crapper. Seeing that stuffed bear affected him more than he expected.

Resting under it was the duck he had won her the other week. Its silly face peering out from under the other toys made him laugh despite his tense mood.

He picked up both toys and walked up the stairs. In his room, Steph was piling her shoes into a corner of the closet. Tim set the duck down on a table that rested at the foot of his bed.

“You kept this?” Tim asked, waving the teddy.

Stephanie gasped, clumsily pulling herself off the floor, and reached out to take it. Tim snatched it back.

“Give it.” She cried.

“Did you seriously bring everything? I could have helped you pack. Even the toys.”

She seemed increasingly upset, when Tim was only trying to tease. “I’m serious Tim, give it.”

He didn’t give way, so in her frustration, she shoved him. Hard. No damage was done, but the look of horror on her face at becoming physical like that with him made Tim’s stomach drop more than anything.

Her face turned white and she begged, “Sorry. I’m sorry.”

Tim really didn’t know what to do with her constant mood swings, so awkwardly returned her bear to her. She nearly ripped it out of his hands and cradled it reverently.

“It’s fine. I shouldn’t have made fun of you. I just thought it was sweet, that you held onto this stuff.”

In her hands, Stephanie looked down at the bear. When she spoke, it was near a whisper.

“My dad bought it for me.”

“He did?”

“Mmm. When he was… when he was trying to be better.” Her look grew angry then. “I don’t know why I keep it.”

Without thinking, she plopped on her bed, staring at nothing. Tim realised he needed to intervene, and quick. He sat next to her and took one of her hands in both of his.

“We need to talk, I think.”

Dropping the bear, her other hand joined the three. Tim tried not to shiver at the warmth. “Me too.”

“Let’s get the rest of your stuff in, yeah? Is it all for upstairs?”

“I have some photo albums. And a couple of things for the kitchen. Figured you didn’t cook much.”

“Not really.”

She pulled their pile of hands into her lap, her look growing softer by the moment.

“Then I’ll cook tonight? First meal in a new place. Be a good wifey and all that.”

Tim tried not to imagine Stephanie with rollers in her hair, red lips and a frilly apron holding an apple pie. He failed. “Can’t comment on the contents of my fridge.”

“That’s okay.” She stood up, wandering down to the yellow duck. She pinched its orange beak. “Tim?”

“Mm?”

“I am genuinely interested in your work. I’m not being accusatory about that.”

“Thank you, Steph.”

She smiled, but it was sad.

With one box filled with stuffed toys, it truly didn’t take long for Tim to help her move the rest of her stuff into his room. Photos proceeded to take up free surface space, and Tim’s bathroom quickly became filled with so many items for the bath that his mind drifted to the idea of Stephanie. In his tub. In his apartment. He burned red for the rest of the afternoon, his brain not allowing him to let go of her soaking in bubbles.

There was one that smelled like cola candy that he liked, but it was at that point he decided he was being creepy, and wandered back downstairs, to find his fiancée’s head rammed in the fridge.

“Alright there?”

“Garlic…red onion… half a pepper…” Her muffled voice was amused. “Butter… cheese… milk.” She shut the door, hands full of everything except the milk. “Pretty standard student fridge contents huh?”

“I’m not a student.”

“Nah, but you have twenty-year-old brain anyway. We’re all messes.” She looked at the ingredients in her arms. “I can do something with this. You good a stirring?”

“I have movement in my wrists.”

She smiled. “Then grab me a knife, cutting board, pot and frying pan?” When he did, she jerked her head over to the sink. “Fill the pot three quarters up and throw a chunk of salt in. When it boils – two mugs of pasta and stir.”

It was a simple quick dish, but she gave Tim enough instructions to make him feel like he somewhat contributed to the food that she made. Sitting with her at the counter, watching her pile cheese higher and higher into her bowl, made him feel content in a manner he didn’t feel often in his home.

When they were finished, Tim stared into his empty bowl gathering the courage to say,

“We should talk.”

Stephanie beat him to it. Tim picked up the dishes, hand shaking a little.

“I’ll wash up.”

She reached out, fingers wrapping around his wrist gently. If he wanted, he could pull away without being violent, but he held still. Steph looked at him, trying to make him understand.

“It can wait a little bit.”

She was right, but Tim couldn’t shake his nerves. He set the bowls down, then sat back on the stool.

Stephanie’s hand shifted, and then suddenly they were interlocking fingers.

“Tim…” She began, and she was unable to look at him as much as he for her. “How much of this is real for you?”

Tim had told Dick he had wanted her to start the conversation, for her to lead the way, but now when it was happening, Tim moved from nervous to frightened.

“What do you mean?”

The look Steph gave Tim from the corner of her eye was indescribable, but the closest Tim got to giving it a name was pity.

“Do you want to be with me?”

“Do you?”

Deflecting like a wimp. Avoiding conflict. Tim tried to convince himself it was because Stephanie had to be the one to tell him. The moment she was decisive, so would he.

Instead she sighed like she didn’t know what to say. They were still holding hands. Tim began to breathe shallowly.

“Please, Steph. It’s fine if you don’t.”

There was his admission. She knew, she’d always known. But somehow, she had found the talent of laying her cards close to her chest, and he hated it.

“It’s not that.”

Not a denial. Not really an admission either.

“What is it?”

“It’s everyone else. Like, I’ve been getting all these messages all the time from people I haven’t spoken to in ages but then Kara keeps messaging me asking what’s going on. Why I didn’t tell her? Why are her and Conner not invited? But I can’t… I can’t lie to our loved ones about you.”

“Because you…don’t love me. And you don’t want to lie to the people we love that you do.”

He felt hollowed out. He felt like he was hurting her. But she had agreed to this. She didn’t have to. He had given her a way out. So what? She was being a martyr?

“No…No Tim.”

And suddenly Tim could breathe again.

“But don’t you get it? Even if I wanted… we are lying to everyone. How can anything good come from a lie? Especially for us. Where has us lying with each other ever done us any good?”

Oh. She thought they were repeating old bad patterns.

“I’m not lying to you.” He said, trying to reassure her. Not once since this whole thing had begun.

“And that’s all that matters?”

“It should. We’re the ones in this…relationship…so that’s all that counts.”

She sighed patiently, like she was explaining something to a child. “Tim, we don’t live in a bubble.”

Tim ignored it, and shamelessly began to beg. His patience had run out. It felt like he was pulling wisdom teeth, that’s how closed off she was being.

“Stephanie. Steph, please. You can’t say it’s a lie when I’ve done nothing but be honest with you. You have to tell me the truth.”

“About what?”

“You said you loved me at dinner.”

“I did.”

“Do you?”

“Of course, I do.”

Tim did not feel any lighter with the admission, nor did Steph look happy to say it.

“When this is over, do you want to be with me? For real? Like I do for you?”

Finally, finally, they looked each other in the eye.

“I don’t know.” Her voice was wet, quiet, and strained, like she was on the urge of crying. She didn’t even sound sure of her uncertainty. Maybe Tim was completely delusional, but he sensed that for all her talks of wanting the truth, she didn’t know what to do with it when it was staring her right in the face.

She was still frightened, and Tim knew it was from every piece of negative and positive attention being flung there way. Like Tim, Stephanie just wanted to be left alone. Unlike Tim, she couldn’t cope with the attention. And he didn’t know how to help her.

She then got up from the table, picking up their bowls to do the washing up. She had gotten what she wanted from the conversation. Tim was being earnest, like he always was. Tim still loved her, like he always had. Tim wanted a real relationship with her, like he had always wanted.

And she had only given him mixed signals in return. Self-loathing bubbled in her gut, which only served to fuel her seemingly growing self-esteem issues. Her anger spiked.

And she’d tried so hard to get over her adolescent insecurities too…

Patrol was waiting, after which Stephanie would spend the night with Cass at the manor, and Tim would return to his apartment, staring at the empty space in his large bed.

Neither slept that night.

#tim drake #stephanie brown #dc #timsteph #my fic tag

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jennifersibbaldphotography · 5 years

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NC Portfolio Review

Portfolio Review

By Jennifer Sibbald

1) What was the project theme and what did you think of it?

The theme for the first 6 pictures, were photographs over the last year that I liked the best, and the other 6 well I had 7 images in the second round of pictures. The second set of images were the 6 planned photo shoots I did in Creative class. I personally like all the images in my portfolio box, because I got to pick my favourite images that show my best work and the skills, I have learned over the last year from editing to camera skills.

2) What part of the project did you enjoy the most / found most interesting (making the photographs? Optimising images? Printings?)

I loved optimising the images, I loved using the skills I have learned over the last year, finding something interesting and learning the skill by myself. I also liked how I got to plan my own photo shoots and took my own images.

3) What new techniques have you experienced?

I felt like it was a lot better to plan it out the shoot before photographing and doing the research of other photographer’s work to get my own ideas. I also liked the idea for the selective colour photography, so I learned how to edit my photos by looking at a simple walk through tutorial online.

4) What technique would you like to develop further?

I’d like to start editing / optimising my photos like I see while on Instagram, by adding or changing things within the image like the background etc. because it looks cool and I would like to try and experiment this for myself.

5) Which photographers did you research throughout this project?

I looked up photographers like:

Brandon Woelfel (@brandonwoelfel) – for the fairy lights

Suhail (@suhailphotos) – for the selective colour photography

Mostly just used Goggle image for the images (so I don’t have their names).

6) How have they influenced your photographs?

I personally love Brandon Woelfel’s work in general, like his style of photos are amazing and he sometimes uses fairy lights in pictures, and I have always wanted to try it, so I thought it was the perfect time to try.

I saw an image on Suhail’s Instagram of a girl laying on flowers while holding a paint brush over her right eye with a paint tub next to her. The photographer has edited the image to show, the paint is grey and its looked like it spilled, and she’s painted over her eyes with the paint brush. The first time I saw this image I know I would definitely want to try the selective colour photography technique at some point, and I thought using it for an image in my portfolio would be good because it would show my editing skills.

I have always liked lights trails since I learned how to do it within college and wanted to show my skills for this technique in my portfolio. While looking up pictures on google I saw photos of light trails using planes. The light trails were from the lights on the wings and tail when it’s taking off or arriving. I liked the idea so I thought I would try it, but It didn’t really work out, but it was fine because I already had pictures for this planned photoshoot.

+ more.

7) Which technique did you enjoy the most?

I liked using the macro Lens in the studio for the pictures of the fruits, because I liked how you can get a lot of details from the fruit’s skin or insides e.g. the seed within the kiwi etc.

8) What do you feel is the most successful part of your project and why?

I think it would be seeing all the final images with the white borders around them in a digital folder and going to Jessops to have them printed. Plus, also after I got them back and put them into the clear sleeves and finally putting them in my portfolio box was just a really good feeling to know I had finished that part of the course.

9) Did you encounter any problems in your project?

Some problems were like getting to the places because most of the time I needed my sister to drive me. I also had issues with putting the white border around the images. Another one was trying to find the right topic to photograph like I had a few ideas in my mind like double exposure or light painting etc.

10) How did you learn from them and how did they affect your final images?

I learned how to just remove the image from the border instead of starting again, which was very helpful because it meant the border was the same size of border on most of the pictures. I learned it’s better to plan out all the pictures I could do in one day and ask my sister to drive me to all the places I needed. I personally had a few other ideas to photograph but I’m happy with my final choice and final images and white borders.

11) What would you do differently given the chance to complete the project again?

I personally wouldn’t change anything with my final images or work, but I would maybe change how quickly I did the photoshoots and maybe do more planning and research, but overall, I think everything went well.

12) Discuss any technical issues with your final images? (Focus, sharpness, exposure, highlight / shadow detail etc.)

I had an issue with the portrait of Katie because of her highlighter / makeup because of the lighting, was bringing her makeup out to be shinier. I think the image of the Lens ball with the sunset could have been sharper within the ball. I also think the monochrome / black and white tree could have been sharper and straighter, but I think it’s good enough for one of my first images I took on a film camera.

13) Going Deeper; If you were asked to do a project using this technique what would you do? What new ideas do you have? This may be explained as a visual, a drawing, sketch, photograph ... you decide how you present this section.

I personally like having an A3 piece of paper and handwriting on it, to show the information I want and need for the photoshoot.

Here is one of my 6 photoshoot plan’s below:

The information that’s on it is:

Equipment list (Kit list)

Plan? – ?

What look do I want?

Photographer’s work

Lighting Diagram / Time of day

Information

Location / Maps

Overall I have 1153 words in total but without the questions it’s 967 words.

#ncportfolio #creative

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alexandersactingblog · 3 years

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My Country: A Work in Progress. Performing, Researching and Developing

Creating My Country in our Image.

Our performance of My Country: A Work in Progress deals with many themes and issues focussing mainly on social aspects. For example, a key social issue that takes place within the piece is immigration. This was one of the instrumental leave campaign arguments during the Brexit referendum and it is showcased within our performance, notably with East’s anti-immigration rhetoric. East’s anti-immigration stance was born from the struggle they have had during their lives for which they blame immigration. One of the key themes within our performance is dishonesty, as all of the regions make some sort of negative remark towards the people in power whether that be the UK Government or the EU Parliament.

Our creative vision for the piece was to make it as technically interesting as possible to keep the audience interested. However, it was important to make sure that this did not get in the way of the performance itself. For example, we originally decided that during the second scene monologues ‘The Six Areas’ there would be pictures shown to give the audience a visual reference to what the character is talking about. We decided however that this would distract from the importance of the monologues. We also wanted to incorporate a Facebook page to somewhat break the fourth wall within the performance. Again, we decided that this would distract, and we would go against what we were trying to do. So, during the development of our piece we detracted somewhat from the technicality and concentrated more on the character development itself.

One of the key dramaturgical decisions we made during the performance was to keep the backgrounds behind the characters predominantly blank with the exception of things which were representative of our chosen areas. The idea behind this was that because this was Verbatim Theatre and we all multi rolled throughout the performance, we wouldn’t have things in the background of the performance that are personal to the characters. This was also so the audience wouldn’t be distracted by personal items within the frame of the performance.

One of the key moments within our development stage was the incorporation of the pre-recorded video, and this was for a number of reasons. First of all, for the cohort to have in person time to develop a bond. Although we had already worked together in person for other projects, we had never met in person under the guise of this performance. This gave us, as an ensemble, crucial bonding time. Secondly it gave our performance a new dimension for the audience members. Another key moment would be the creation of the of the feast movement sections. These moments of movement gave the audience an insight into the characters state of mind and helped break up the performance into three sections.

Click on the following link to find a breakdown of some of the favourite Flipgrids my cohort and I completed during our process: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12zb_PlKlp4lNM1Smw_n2XIBi4nz3Oq1R

Researching the Play, Genre and Themes.

Verbatim Theatre otherwise known as Documentary Theatre an increasingly growing form of drama and has become more popular in recent years. Claire Summerskill states in her guide, Creating Verbatim Theatre from Oral Histories, ‘Theatre created from interviews, uses first person narratives to tell a big story through a finely focused lens’ (Summerskill, C., 2021) and it is this focused response to Verbatim Theatre which gives it its provenance. In essence, Verbatim Theatre is about telling stories and using the text in a controlled yet interesting way. How you go about using this verbatim text dramaturgically is up to the theatre maker. This gives Verbatim Theatre a certain fluidity. Summerskill goes on to state ‘there is no fixed set of rules for creating Verbatim Theatre, since every individual playwright or theatre practitioner decides on their own method’ (Summerskill, C., 2021). Verbatim Theatre also has the ability to explore narratives in an intimate and effective way and to do what Will Hammond describes as, ‘what journalism fails to do’ (Hammond W., 2008) by addressing ‘a lack of representation, or the misinterpretation of people and issues in the media’ (Atasoy, M., 2021). These sources highlight the intrinsic importance heteroglossic Verbatim Theatre has within society as a storytelling device. It gives an audience a look into an event without the political or social bias that naturally comes with mainstream media. Jess McCormack sums up the main elements of Verbatim Theatre by stating it ‘is repeatedly framed in terms of accuracy and fidelity, accuracy of spoken text, fidelity of performance, accuracy of meaning’ (McCormack, J.,2011).

Born in December 1955, Carol Ann Duffy is an English poet who served as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 2009 to 2019. Although she is most well known for her work in the poetry field, she has written a number of plays including ‘Take My Husband’ (1982) and ‘Little Women, Big Boys’ (1986). Duffy’s adaptation of 15th century play ‘Everyman ’ originally written by Petrus Dorlandus was described by critic Michael Billington as ‘But what was originally church propaganda has been turned, in Carol Ann Duffy’s stunning adaptation, into a scathing assault on the myopic materialism of the modern age and a reminder of our own mortality.’ (The Guardian, 2015). This is a typical response to Duffy’s writing style and story telling prowess. Her plays always have an underlying social aspect to them giving the audience members an opportunity to evaluate their social situations through the lens of the given play or moment. Duffy has won a plethora of literary awards including the ‘T S Elliot Prise’ for her work on the poem ‘Rapture’ (2005).

With My Country being set in the deeply divisive time of the European referendum in 2016. It was important to do extensive research into the social attitudes and values of the time to give the characters relevant context to work from. One of the most important factors of the referendum was the general confusion as to why or how we would actually leave the EU. In the opinion of Dr Alan Renwick, ‘A referendum result is democratically legitimate only if voters can make an informed decision. Yet the level of misinformation in the current campaign is so great that democratic legitimacy is called into question’ (The Telegraph, 2016). It was important from a performance standpoint to showcase this misinformation and confusion within the piece. It was also important to research what areas of the country voted for what result, so when trimming down the script we can have a character politically lean one way or the other. For example, with the exception of Leicester and Rushcliffe, the entirety of the East Midlands voted leave with majorities of between 51% - 71%.

Other Online Performances.

Shakesqueer, performed by Tom Marshman, is a piece that looks retrospectively into the works of Shakespeare and investigates whether Shakespeare could be referencing homosexuality within his pieces. One of the moments that stood out to me technically was when he would split is face in half while performing the monologues. This created a sense of unease and the uncanny valley for the audience as no face is completely symmetrical. This effect is something that is heavily linked to online performance as it would be near enough impossible to achieve during an on-stage performance. This technique is a good example of how we can technically manipulate frame and a performer’s physical attributes in real time. Another moment which stood out to me was when Tom was performing one of Shakespeare’s monologues and had another performer on another screen drawing a woman. This was memorable because both elements of this moment had equal screen real estate. This meant that the drawing did not get in the way of the monologue and vice versa. Again, this is something that would be almost unachievable during a stage performance.

Sharp Teeth’s performance ‘Sherlock in Homes’ is an online murder mystery set in Antarctica. The performance relies heavily on breaking the fourth wall and audience interaction for the interview scenes. One of the moments that particularly stood out to me was their use of an online poll to determine who the audience thought the murderer was. This allowed for the audience to directly communicate with the performers without the need for the audience to actually speak and risk interrupting the show. This is something again which would be hard to achieve during a stage performance. Another aspect that interested me was the scenes in which the entire cast were present. These were busy scenes, with a lot of talking going on. Conversation, especially learnt conversation, does not flow as well at all over online video calls. These scenes showed the level of focus and the quality of rehearsal implemented by Sharp Teeth to create a compelling performance for their audience.

‘You Are Here: A Homebound Travelogue’ is an online performance based on the trials and tribulations of home and where we exist physically and virtually. The performer explores the rationale between physical and online presence, in one instance, by pointing out how she can spread out her online presence into different apps and programs in one moment. One moment of this performance which made me think was when the performer asked the members of the zoom call to point their camera out of their windows so the rest of the audience can see what they see. This provided the audience with a live snapshot of others physical environment. Which in a way connected the audience virtually by giving something away to the others. Another moment which technically stood out to me was when the performer was touring her local area on google maps. As this was happening sound effects of a street were played. This helped immerse the audience into what was in essence a still image.

Our Performance of My Country: A Work in Progress.

One of the strengths of my cohort was commitment to character and character development. This shone through during the performance, especially during the scene ‘The Six Areas’. These are monologues which each held a different meaning and had a different objective. These well-rehearsed and developed monologues created a certain variety of theme which kept them interesting and compelling to the audience. This would not have been achievable without extensive character development. A general weakness of the cohort within the performance was prop and costume organisation. Online performance in your own space calls for a high level of organisation and focus as, for one, you don’t have a backstage crew there to organise props and dress and for two, you would not have the normal visual ques you would normally have preforming on stage. For example, I might rely on being in a certain position on stage as a prompt for a line. This could have been rectified with a heavier rehearsal schedule and possibly better focus during the performance itself.

If I were to make this performance again, I would spend more time on the ‘Feast sections’, as for me, they seemed to be the weaker sections within the performance. We should have thought more about the relationships between these characters and the sociological connections between them. For example, how would south react to north? What are the opinions for people from Leicester about the Northern Irish? Although I believe these scenes to have been entertaining, I think we may have missed an opportunity to tackle cross country opinions which would have boosted our performance level.

One of the most important things I have learnt, throughout this performance process is how to implement facial expression effectively within an online performance. On stage, as the audience could be sat a fair way from you, it is important in some way to over extenuate facial expression to be visible to everyone. However, for online performance, as the camera is almost completely focused in on your face you must dial these down to a more realistic and accurate portrayal. This is essential for naturalistic moments within the performance. I have also learnt how to interact with characters without them physically being in the same space. Having never performed in online theatre before, this at the beginning was very alien to me.

As we move away from online performance as the pandemic comes to a close, I could definitely translate what I have learnt in relation to facial expressions into film based acting and performing as there is a larger scope for facial performance. Although I do believe, the stage is a dominant force in storytelling and creating compelling pieces of drama, online performance has solidified itself as a medium to explore narratives in a new way and will be here for many years to come.

Bibliography.

BBC News, (2016), ‘EU Referendum Results’ Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/eu_referendum/results (Accessed 23/04/21)

Renwick, A. (2016) Letters: Both Remain and Leave are Propagating Falsehoods at Public Expense, Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/06/13/letters-both-remain-and-leave-are-propagating-falsehoods-at-publ/ (Accessed on: 20/04/21)

Atasoy, M. (2021) ‘Rethinking the Refugee Experience in Verbatim Theatre: Hospitality and Translation in Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen’s Aftermath’, Modern Drama 64, Page: 47 – 66, Available at: https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/786170. (Accessed: 20/04/21)

Hammond, W. and Steward, D. (2008) ‘Verbatim, Verbatim: Contemporary Documentary Theatre’. Oberon, (Accessed: 21/04/21)

Billington, M. (2015) ‘Everyman review – ‘Chiwetel Ejiofor’s rich sinner feels modern wrath of god’ Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/apr/30/everyman-review-chiwetel-ejiofor-national-theatre-carol-ann-duffy-morality-play (Accessed: 21/04/21)

Summerskill, C. (2021) ‘Creating Verbatim Theatre from Oral Histories’ Taylor and Francis Group (Accessed: 21/04/21)

Carol Anne, D. (2018) ‘My Country; a work in progress’. Faber & Faber (Accessed 04/03/21)

‘ShakesQueer!’. By Tom Marshman (2021) Directed By Tom Marshman, [Online, 28/02/21]

‘You Are Here’. By Marike Splint (2021) Directed by Hana S. Kim, [Online, 02/05/21]

‘Sherlock in Homes 2: Murder on Ice’. By Sharp Teeth and Wardrobe Theatre (2021) Directed By: Stephanie Kempson, [Online, 04/03/21]

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bluraaven · 6 years

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Smoke and Mirrors

El Abuelo is the most notorious of crime bosses, and it falls to Special Agent Reynauld Maurouard to take him down. His only lead: Dismas, an ex-bandit whose outfit was in the mobster's hire. Things go downhill from there.

Chapter 1

Special Agent Reynauld Maurouard couldn't say that filling out forms was his favourite occupation, but paperwork was a necessary evil when you worked in law enforcement. When a shadow fell over him, blocking out the light, he put down his pen and straightened. Reynauld could have sworn that he could hear as well as feel some disks in his back pop into place. Or out of it. Something to worry about later.

"How's it going?" the man leaning on his desk asked, a faint smile playing around his mouth as he surveyed the battlefield that was Reynauld's workspace.

"How'd you think?" Reynauld grunted, rubbing his hands over his face until he saw stars. For the past hour the letters had been running together, but he needed to finish this before tomorrow or he'd have his superiors breathing down his neck. "I'm elbows deep in reports."

"Ain't we all?" Guyot asked. In the clinically cold light of the neon lamps the dark circles around his eyes were all the more prominent, and his freckles were a stark contrast to his pale skin. He looked just as exhausted as Reynauld felt.

As if he had read his thoughts, Guyot lifted a silver can, giving it an inviting swirl, and instantly the rich aroma of roasted beans permeated the stale office air. "Coffee?"

When he saw Reynauld hesitating, he was quick to add, "It's good, I tested it. On Marci." Guyot looked around, guilt written all over his face, but in the end he just shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

Reynauld chuckled. When some higher ups had thought it a great idea to put the PD and forensics in the same building – talk about corruption – and some of the doctors were evidently as mentally unstable as the criminals they pursued, caution saved you from getting yourself into a lot of trouble. "Is she still among the living?"

"Aye, the living and the conscious," Guyot replied easily.

"Then yes, please." Reynauld had to shift some folders to find his mug buried underneath them and held it out for Guyot to fill.

Which he did, right up to the brim, eying some of the papers strewn all over the desk in the process. "What'cha got here? Montgomery case?"

"M-hmm," Reynauld hummed and took a sip of scalding hot fermented–bean–juice. He closed his eyes for a moment to savour it.

"What a shitshow," Guyot observed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we got him. Just because the man was in politics and old money, don't mean he's above justice." He stopped; they'd talked more than their fair share about it. The case had been all over the news for weeks, and by now everybody who had worked on it was fed up with it. It was time to wrap it up and to move on.

"Anyway, the guys wanna know if you're coming to the track run. We're up against the boys from Eastside distinct."

Track run. That rang a bell. Reynauld frowned; he had quite forgotten about the charity event. "When's it?"

"Next weekend."

"I can't," Reynauld replied and didn't have to fake the regret. Those competition between departments were usually a lot of fun and a good way to get to know new people, make some contacts. "Thio's over, and I promised him we'll go camping."

"Aw, damn. We're losing our best man." But Guyot said it with a smile. He knew how much those weekends meant to Reynauld. "How is the big man?"

"Growing bigger every day." The thought of his son never failed to put a smile on Reynauld's face. "I can't believe he's about to turn eight. Eve wanted to have a party. You're invited of course, provided you can stand a horde of children high on sugar.

"You know I'd never miss out, and Lucy's been wanting to visit anyway. We'll pop in, say hi, and evac if it gets too bad." Guyot laughed and Reynauld had to join in. Fair was fair. They had served in the army together, and when they had quit the force it had been his friend's contacts that had given Reynauld a job here in the city.

"Chin up, soldier. One more week and it's over," Guyot said. "Maybe the chief's even gonna give you a promotion!"

Reynauld snorted at the thought, which should be answer enough. If you couldn't find pride in the police work but wanted praise, you had to join the K-9 units. As a dog. On most days, Reynauld did enjoy it; doing something good, something useful. He thanked Guyot for the offering of artificial energy that would get him through the evening and waved when the other man took his leave.

Just a few more hours, and he'd be able to go home. Put a lid on the whole thing and give himself a pat on the shoulder. From a framed picture, one of the few private possessions he kept at work, Reynauld's family was smiling at him.

He sighed and picked up his pen again.

Reynauld wished a person could refuel on good mood like a vehicle could on gasoline, because Monday came cloaked in chaos, like a true harbinger of a bad week.

Over the weekend, he had taken Thio out of the city and to a natural preserve that had a nice lake and easy trails. Maybe when his son was older, Reynauld would be able to take him hiking in the Hinterlands, but that would be in a couple of years at the earliest.

Now, he was running late for work since his alarm had given up on life sometime in the middle of the night. Thanks to years of military service and an affinity for the early morning hours, he still managed to wake almost on time. Maintenance works on the train rails forced him to take his car however, and he promptly found himself stuck in an unmoving column of other unfortunate souls braving the morning traffic.

When he had finally made it to the intersection, he almost had an accident when some idiot on a motorbike ran a red light and cut him off, disappearing between a delivery van and a taxi before Reynauld had a chance to catch his plate number.

The rest of the drive passed without incident, thankfully. The RPD, the Riverside Police Department, was located some two miles outside of the city center, and just about ten walking minutes from the Riverside train station. The building had a long history, beginning with it originally being built as a summer residence for Emperor Harauld. Since then it had served as university, a hospital, and finally the casern it was to this day.

There was nothing inherently inviting about the grey and cheerless stonework, but it was far from the worst place to work. In the large courtyard, Barristan had some sweaty-looking recruits in training clothes lined up. Reynauld returned the wave the one-eyed drill sergeant greeted him with, and hurried on.

As soon as he pulled open the door, he was struck by the lack of usual activity. The quiet of the waiting room was disturbed only by the hum of the ceiling fan, its blades rotating lazily. The air was thick with the smells of stale coffee and smoke, even though smoking inside had been prohibited by law several years ago. Underlying those was a faint odour of office: a less-than enticing mix of sweat, paper, and cleaning agents.

There was nobody seated behind the two front desks, and that was unusual enough to make Reynauld double-check his mobile and pager, nervous about maybe having overlooked a message. Special Weapons And Tactics carried those to call them to operations too dangerous for regular police officers to handle. Riot control wasn't much of an issue these days anymore, so they mostly handled search warrants and cases that involved organized crime, which in turn were usually linked to weapon or narcotics dealership, or illegal betting. They had special training; and were authorized to carry military equipment, but the rest of the time, they were law enforcement agents like any other. Reynauld did his fair share of patrols, reports and other sorts of office work.

Both the pager and his phone's screens were blank, so he had not missed some emergency. He decided to go to his office first; maybe Guyot would be able to tell him what was going on. He never got that far though, because Reynauld almost collided with Marci when he jogged up the stairs.

"Where is everyone?"

"Mallory's office," the young police officer replied, sounding out of breath. "Linesi's taken out two teams – there has been another robbery."

Another one. Reynauld's heart sank. "Where?"

"Central," Maci replied, biting her lip.

Reynauld nodded, and hurried past her. Mallory saw him and waved from the door to her office. She was a tall, no-nonsense kind of person who wore her black hair short and whom he had never seen out of a suit. She had worked her way up to deputy director and it was generally assumed she would one day replace the Chief when he retired.

She was holding a meeting, and a grapevine of people was clustered in the room which seemed too small all of a sudden. Gatherings like this didn't usually happen unless it was someone's birthday or something bad had occurred. Reynauld didn't need Marci to tell him which one this was, he could have guessed by the absence of cake and smiles upon the faces of those around him.

Reynauld took up position in the back of the group. He had to stand on his toes to be able to look over all their heads and see what held their attention. The flatscreen was a video playing footage from what could only be a security camera. Reynauld had missed most of it, but he arrived just in time to see a black-masked burglar breathe steam on the camera's lens. The quality of the recording was not good enough to tell whether it was a man or a woman before fog was all they could see. And then a heart appeared where the condensation was wiped away with the tip of one finger. Seconds later, the tv flickered to black, and that was it.

In the silence that followed one would have been able to hear a pin drop. And that was saying something since the office was carpeted.

"When did this happen?" Reynauld finally asked when he realized nobody else was going to.

"We received the tape this morning," Mallory answered, and turned off the television with an annoyed flick of her wrist. "This was recorded on Sunday evening."

"I thought the cemetery had a security firm doing surveillance, and we'll get notified as soon as something happens?" someone to Reynauld's right called out.

A muscle in Mallory's jaw twitched, but her tone did not betray her frustration. "They disabled the security system," she informed them.

"Shit!" somebody else cursed, which earned them a glower from Mallory, but by then the room had burst into chaos; everybody was calling out ideas and talking one over the other.

"Rey." Mallory's hand landed on his shoulder a moment later, and her voice lowered, despite the chance of being overheard being close to zero. "The Chief wants a word."

Reynauld nodded at her and left the room, leaving her to bring back order to the meeting. His boss was not the most patient of men, and there was no reason to antagonize him, especially since he very much did not want to draw attention to his tardiness.

The Chief's office was at the end of the second story corridor. A golden plate was screwed to the door, but Reynauld did not even glance at it. His knuckles had barely made contact with the wood when he was told to enter, and he stepped into Chief Vvulf's domain.

The room was just like he remembered it. Most of it was taken up by a large desk, and the walls were lined with shelves that were slowly beginning to bend under their load. At some point an effort had been made to make the office look more homely, but the plants had not lasted long. The Chief had kept but one, and the fact that it was a cactus really spoke for itself.

He was in his middle years, with short grey hair and the figure of a powerful man who was slowly getting out of shape. "What did she tell you?" the Chief began without so much as a word of greeting. He was seated in a big leather armchair behind his desk.

Guessing that he must have meant Mallory, Reynauld answered, "The central cemetery was hit by a masked felon nicknamed the Graverobber."

The Chief nodded, then made a hand gesture for Reynauld to close the door and take a seat. "This ain't for anybody's ears," he grunted.

"Sir?"

Vvulf laced his fingers together on his stomach, fixing his unblinking gaze on Reynauld. "There's no point tiptoeing around it. I don't shout it from the rooftops, but my family's history goes back a long way. The mausoleum that was hit yesterday wasn't just anyone. These attacks are have become a personal matter now. We, the police, are being targeted, and the situation has gotten out of control."

Reynauld had not known that the Chief was related to any of the old nobility, but then perhaps the knowledge should not surprise him; one did not rise to the rank of Chief without some good connections. There was very little Reynauld actually knew about the man who was his boss, despite having worked for him for years. Vvulf was someone who valued his privacy and didn't get too friendly with his subordinates.

"So we take down the ones responsible," Reynauld deducted, still unsure why he was here. Certainly it was not so that his boss could make that little confession?

"You're a smart man, Maurouard," Vvulf pointed out, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"You don't think they're acting out of their own agenda," Reynauld deduced, remembering the video Mallory had shown them. The Graverobber's actions had struck him as being... provocative, almost. They certainly had wanted to be seen, maybe to send some kind of message.

"No. I do not," the Chief confirmed with a pleased nod. "Whether we like it or not, the old families are the foundation which this city is built upon."

Reynauld noticed he spoke as if he did not belong to one of them, despite his earlier admission.

"And there are those who would benefit from weakening it, from sowing discord, uncertainty and fear. From making us look weak and incompetent. If the people do not feel safe," the Chief said and leaned forward on his elbows as if he was to share a great secret, "Whom will they turn to for protection?"

"So these attacks are not a coincidence," Reynauld summed up. Everybody had presumed as much, but they still lacked solid proof. "And you suspect one of the northern cartels?"

Vvulf was shaking his head before Reynauld had even finished speaking. "Not just any one of them." Reynauld wanted to ask if he really thought he could be behind all this, but the Chief continued. "El Abuelo has plenty of reason to target us," Vvulf pointed out. "We may not know what his final goal is, but men like him feed off chaos. They always look for weaknesses, for a way to expand their power. We need to stop him – ," the Chief broke off abruptly, and Reynauld imagined he could hear the ghost of an at all costs.

He did not comment. El Abuelo was one of the, if not the most notorious of crime bosses. Reynauld was still trying to come to terms with everything he had learned, when Vvulf said,

"I want you to be the Special Agent in Charge on this case."

"Me?"

"Do you see anyone else in this room?" Vvulf demanded to know. "Yes, you."

"Why?" Reynauld blurted out, which, in hindsight, probably wasn't the smartest thing to say. He was still reeling from all the information – a moment ago he had not even known there was a case; now he had been told he was to lead a major investigation that involved one of the most dangerous men in the North. And was not the most experienced man the Chief had, and huge cases like this were usually given to the senior officers.

Vvulf's lips pursed in thought. "You did some good work," he finally said, but even guff praise from the Chief was quite something. "I like that you are efficient and discreet and I trust you to handle delicate matters without causing a scandal. This is your chance, Maurouard. Prove me I'm right, and who knows, this seat might one day belong to you," he added and laughed at his own joke, a rare sign he had a sense of humour, buried somewhere deep inside.

The corner of Reynauld's mouth tugged upwards. "Thinking about retiring, Sir?" It would be hard to imagine the PD without Vvulf there to lead them, he was such a huge personality. A tough boss with high expectations, but a fair one.

"There's one of them Southern beaches that has my name on it," Vvulf said, but his eyes were already narrowing. "You look like there's something on your mind. Spit it out, what is it?"

"I was actually hoping to take some time off," Reynauld confessed. He was tired from merely thinking about the upcoming work load. He deserved a vacation, and he still had three weeks good from last year that he was going to lose soon – as his boss knew very well.

Vvulf leaned back, making his leather armchair creak. "Tell you what," he decided. "If time wasn't of the essence, I'd let you go right now. I will let you keep your three weeks, and if we get El Abuelo, I'll top it off with a month of paid leave extra, so you can spend some time with your boy – family's everything, after all. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a deal, Sir." Reynauld could barely believe the offer he'd been made; it was quite unheard of. But he trusted his boss not to pull him over. And if they got El Abuelo, Vvulf would be basking in the attention of the media. He might even be hailed a city hero.

"Excellent," the Chief said, sounding pleased. "You'll be happy to know we already have a lead."

That certainly was news. "We do?" Reynauld asked, cocking his brow.

"The Graverobber is not operating on his or her own," Vvulf replied. "There is no way they could disable the security system and rob the mausoleum in time before we were alerted of the shutdown. They have an accomplice." The Chief turned and got up, reaching to take a folder off the shelf behind him. He dropped it on the table and flipped it towards Reynauld who opened it.

The first page was taken up by a close-up of a man's face. For reasons unknown the photograph was black and white, but Reynauld did not need colour to recognize him.

"Dismas," he said, remembering the name because it was actually that of the penitent thief from the Verse of Light. An alias then.

Reynauld wasn't sure if the rogue was ballsy, or merely an arsehole.

"Aye," Vvulf confirmed, his greying brows drawing together. "One right bloody fucker. He's guilty of more than some harmless misconduct too. The man's an ex-bandit, and former member of the Wolves."

Reynauld flipped the first page. There was a list of information they had managed to collect on the man. The first line read:

Real name: Valance Paixdecouer.

"Paixdecouer," Reynauld said slowly, thinking. "Is the name given to orphans raised by the Order."

Vvulf nodded. "I see I chose the right man for the job. Pick your team, Maurouard, and get started straight away. This has top priority from now on until I tell you otherwise. "

Reynauld closed the folder with a snap and picked it up, resting it against the crook of his elbow. "What about the Montgomery case, Sir?"

"Just hand it over to someone else," Vvulf said. "Mallory will handle it, if no one else will. You can report to her, if I'm not here."

Reynauld nodded, "You said Dismas ran with the Wolves?" He had heard a lot about the gang, but it had fallen apart and its members had scattered when their leader had disappeared. Apparently there had been some sort of falling out between who they only knew as the Wolf, and El Abuelo.

"The Wolf was El Abuelo's hireling," the Chief said after a brief pause. "Therefore, if we find him," Vvulf said, tapping one fat finger against picture-Dismas' temple, "Maybe we can retrace his connection right back to the source."

"Do we know his whereabouts then?" Reynauld wanted to know. Despite himself, he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. The Wolf had disappeared a little bit over a decade ago – either laying low, or killed by El Abuelo himself. Even if he was alive, he had had enough time to cover his tracks. It was unlikely they would find him – unlikely, but not impossible.

"Unfortunately, we do not," Vvulf confirmed Reynauld's suspicion. "Every time we were tipped off and the team's gotten close, he has slipped through our nets. Man doesn't hang out in one place for very long. The good thing is: We got somebody who was close to him."

"How do you know-"

Vvulf waved his hand in a dismissing gesture and Reynauld dropped that thread to ask a far more important question.

"Has he told us anything?"

"Not yet," the Chief said in a tone that made it crystal clear he would, sooner rather than later – even if he had to wring the answers out of the prisoner himself. "But he will. And when he does, I want you and your team to be ready. This could be the biggest strike against organized crime in fifty years!"

"Yes, Sir!" Reynauld saluted the Chief with the folder and turned on his heel. Guyot was the first one on his team. They had an uncatchable criminal to capture. Reynauld had always liked a challenge.

AN: You can also find the story here, on AO3!

#blu's corner #writing #fanfiction #darkest dungeon #dismas #reynauld #Reymas #alternative universe #Modern Setting #Grave Robber

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suzie81blog · 6 years

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Last week I was invited to a Digital Photography Masterclass with Viking, given by professional photographer Elouisa Georgiou.

I love taking photos – amassing thousands of images over the years in various folders on my computer and blog – but usually find it easier to use my phone for the ease of taking a quick picture without having to go through the hassle of carrying a heavy camera around and the option of immediately editing and sharing across my social media. However, this masterclass was a great opportunity to develop some of my skills using a DSLR – something that I rarely use – and I asked The Bloke to give me a crash course on the basics beforehand.

The event took place at Dirty Martini in Birmingham, and I was joined by other bloggers in a Christmas-themed setting as Elouisa introduced us to her work and some of the techniques she uses to create different effects on her images.

The Christmas set-up

Elouisa gives her introduction

Elouisa explains the challenge and gives some ideas

There were two different challenges to complete during the workshop. One was to focus on reflection and refraction, using a glass prism to reflect lights and shapes, and the other was to use the Christmas table set up to create an image suitable for a Christmas card using a large LED light strip and a white bounce board (and there were moments during her demonstration where I had to stop myself from making lightsaber noises – it was very Star Wars-esque). I’d seen versions of the second technique many times at home when The Bloke does his own photography, but I was intrigued to see how the use of a prism would enhance my images.

I started by creating an image of the table setting. We were given instructions to use whatever we wanted in and around the table, and Elouisa gave us individual time to ask questions and tips on how to get the photograph that we wanted. It was really useful – a simple suggestion of changing the aperture (or ‘f-stop’) on the camera made my images immediately brighter, and she was really approachable and friendly. We were lucky in that we had plenty of time to create something, but admittedly I struggled – not necessarily with the actual taking of the pictures, but the creation of the content I wanted to photograph – it’s a lot harder than it looks! Let’s just say that pro-photographers won’t be quaking in their boots anytime soon!

Click on the images for the full size!

The bloggers worked together to create their own images

The bloggers worked together to create their own photographs of the Christmas table

A (not-so-creative) finished image.

I particularly loved using the prism. My resulting images were basic and rather crude, but it was so much fun to experiment with different angles to reflect different objects and lights from around the room – this isn’t something that I’ve had any experience with before and a glass prism is now on my list of things to buy for my future images!

Using the prism

After we had experimented with both techniques, we were asked to choose our favourite image, which was then printed off using a Canon Colour Inkjet printer (available for purchase at Viking), with the prize for the best photograph being a brand new Canon printer, the same model that was being used in the workshop. We all had the opportunity to see everyone’s finished image and listen to the process and ideas behind what they had produced, and Elouisa chose a worthy winner.

As an added bonus, we were treated to some lovely cocktails and nibbles too! Photography, chatting, food and drink and a lovely evening well spent!

Elouisa’s Fundamentals of Photography

Natural light is always your friend. But be aware of ambient light in the room that can play with the colour balancing of your image or influence the shot.

Turn off or block out any ambient lighting in the room.

Use natural reflectors in the room. If you do not have anything you can use to hand, use white, light or shiny surfaces. Foam boards are a cheap and versatile piece of equipment to help bounce light – plain pieces of paper work well.

If the lighting is too strong, harsh or windows are too big, use a clear curtain of thin sheet to diffuse the lighting.

If you don’t have enough light available to you, use a tripod so you can shoot slower and avoid motion blur.

Creating interesting portraits using reflection, diffraction

Use prisms, glasses, bottles, windows or even the reflection from a mobile phone screen to create interesting creative images.

Experiment with holding items at different distances over the lens to create interesting flashes of light and blurs.

Use shadows and reflections to create visibility through a reflective surface.

Flat lay photography tips

Use a tripod on your camera or phone if you can. This will help with any motion blur and keep your shot consistent.

Use the live view to help you compose the different elements in your flat lay

Don’t be too afraid to put items a little closer together. Large gaps in-between subjects aren’t always aesthetically pleasing.

Don’t be afraid to go outside the frame. Play with your composition, put subject matters half in shot and half out of frame – there are no rules.

If using a camera, use a lens with less distortion to create the ‘perfect looking’ flat lays.

Food, drink, product and still life photography tips

Practice using the ‘magic angles’ to find that sweet spot (straight on, 45 degrees, bird’s-eye/flat lay).

Don’t be afraid to focus on the details of the dish. There is no rule to say you must get all of the plate in the shot.

Use bounce boards, menus or paper to even out the lighting in the shot creating light and shadow where you want it.

Use what you can find to decorate the image but try not to make it overly busy to draw focus from the dish.

If using a camera, use a lens with less distortion to give more realistic, proportional images.

For examples of Elouisa’s work, you can also find her on Instagram here

Looking for supplies and stationery? You can check out Viking’s website here and find them on their Twitter account here

Disclaimer: I was invited to the event and experienced the masterclass, food and drink free of charge, but was under no obligation to give a positive review. It’s a tough life, but someone has to do it!

The Viking Picture Perfect Event: A Photography Masterclass with Elouisa Georgiou Last week I was invited to a Digital Photography Masterclass with Viking, given by professional photographer…

#blog #bloggers #blogging #ideas #photo #Photograph #Photography #Social Media #Social Networking #thoughts #Viking

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theitbags · 7 years

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BLOGGERS WE LOVE// Kristin of Modishandmain

For this months Bloggers We Love , were featuring the lovely Kristin Mansky of Modishandmain. We’re always on the lookout for talented bloggers and creatives as we build our own little tribe and Kristin is one on top of our list. She shares such deep wisdom and passion for travel and photography – just as we do, its hard not to be inspired by her. Read on and learn more about Kristin below.

“I like my pictures to tell MY story.” – Kristin M.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do? Perhaps share a quirk or two as well while your at it!

I’m Kristin, the creative persona behind the lifestyle blog Modish & Main. The blog was created 3 years ago as a way to share my love for home decor, DIY projects, healthy living, new adventures and of course, cameos of my dog. It stems from a passion of wanting to capture all things towards living a stylized life. When I’m not blogging, I’m working on the launch of my creative marketing business for small brands. It’s a lot to juggle at times, but the desire to be a solo entrepreneur is what makes it worth it day in and day out.

Q. How and when did you fall in love with photography?

My passion for taking photographs really changed for me once I started my blog. At that time I only had access to a point-and-shoot camera, therefore I borrowed my parents DSLR camera and just started taking photographs. I can tell you this, they were not good. I was so determined to post high quality images on my blog, that I started reading anything and everything I could on photography and what it always kept coming back to was getting out there and taking the photos. It felt like each month was so much better from the last, but with the willingness to learn I just kept at it and it ended up manifesting itself into a newfound passion.

Q. Do you have a favourite photographer? How does their work inspire you as a photographer?

That’s a great question and one that is not always so easy to answer! Being that my life touches so many different avenues, I’m drawn to different photographers in how they capture a scene from their own point-of-view. I particularly love the photographs taken by John Hillin, Jana Williams Garrett King and David Yarrow. John and Jana both have a focus on capturing lifestyle shots whether it be for a blogger or a wedding. They each have a keen eye for their particular style and their images are always so beautiful and full of emotion. Garrett King takes the most insanely gorgeous outdoor, active photos that make me want to jump into the scene. As for David Yarrow, his works simply speaks for itself. As an avid animal lover, he captures natures beasts in the most beautiful, raw way that I have ever seen.

Q. What was your career path like? How did you go from an aspiring photographer to a professional photographer and making a living out of your passion?

My career path into photography was simply born out of passion. I was working corporate marketing positions and once I launched my lifestyle blog things started to have a natural, organic growth to them. Once I got my hands on an entry-level DSLR camera, I couldn’t put it down. I was constantly upgrading my lenses and finally decided to put myself on the line and invest full-heartedly and monetarily into a professional DSLR camera. Once that happened, there was no turning back for me and my desire to take beautiful photographs was the driving force behind me taking it to a professional level. I started getting compliments on my work, people asking about my portfolio and it just grew from there to where it is now in just 3 years. I am at my most happiest when I’m behind the lens of a camera.

Q. What does a day in a life of a photographer look like?

Never the same! Some days I am shooting content around my home for the blog, creating and styling a food recipe for a collaboration, taking lifestyle portrait shots for a brand or I’m out exploring & capturing the beauty that is around me. It’s really rare for me not to have a camera around. I think it’s FOMO (fear of missing out) on the perfect shot. If I’m not out photographing, then I’m in front of my computer editing shots in Lightroom. I love each and every aspect of my job.

Q. What camera do you normally shoot with? Whats your number one go-to lens of choice?

These days I am shooting with a Canon 5D Mark III and often have my 24-70mm f/2.8 lens attached. I often feel like I am cheating on my 50mm, but when you’re on the go or have a multitude of shots to take, the 24-70mm really can capture it all. With my recent travels to Italy, Lake Tahoe and soon, Greece, it allows me to just carry along one lens that will accomplish everything I need.

Q. What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a photographer and how have/are you overcoming it?

There is always the challenge of comparing yourself to other peoples work and never feeling like you’re at their level. Whether it be the lighting they chose, the angle they shoot at or the composition of the photograph, it will always be something. Rather than getting discouraged like I used to at the beginning, I no longer look at the images in terms of comparison, but rather for inspiration. I’m constantly saving images to a folder on my phone or computer and will reference them for future projects. It’s an amazing community to be a part of and embracing it is far more productive than challenging it.

Q. What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a photographer and how have/are you overcoming it?

Q. What do you usually carry inside your THEIT bag?

Most of the space in my THEIT Colt camera bag is taken up by my Canon 5D Mark III with 24-70mm lens. I also include my iPhone, wallet, lip balm, lipgloss, pen and additional memory card. I absolutely love the elastic straps on the inside cover of the bag. When it’s not holding my USB cords, they make for the perfect lip balm/gloss holder!

Q.What do you love most about your THEIT bag?

That it can hold my 5D Mark III with the lens attached and still be a stylish camera bag. I have really struggled in the past with finding a bag that can hold how substantial this camera is and still look like a handbag a woman would want to carry. The functionality is absolutely perfect, from the outside pocket that can hold your wallet or phone to the detailing on the cover of the bag and the little pocket in the back. It’s all been thought of with a woman on-the-go in mind.

Q. Inspiration can be found in so many forms. Where do you draw inspiration from?

I get inspiration from everything I touch. No longer am I just reading a magazine for it’s written word, I’m looking at the image accompanying the article and observing how it conveys the desired message. I love watching the light and how it can change a rather simple object into something beautiful. My inspiration really comes from living life without boundaries and being open to moments that surround us.

Q. Can you share with us your most favourite photography tip, tool or technique when shooting or processing?

I’ve already mentioned my love for playing around with the aperture, so my other tip would be on taking that shot that’s personal to you. Let’s say you are out traveling and everyone is gathered around the same spot, taking the same photo. Look around you and maybe by climbing up a few more rocks or bending around that tree branch you can snap a perspective that no one else is getting. That’s what will really make your photograph stand out.

Q. What advice would you give someone who is just starting photography or finding their way in the world of photography?

Just keep taking photographs. It is very easy to get caught up in all the technicalities and additional products available, but if you aren’t comfortable with your camera then it will show.

Q. Your favourite photography wisdom or quote.

“Travel. It leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

Click To Tweet

I like my pictures to tell my story.

//SEEN HERE: THE COLT CAMERA BAG

//SHOP THE COLT HERE

Connect with Kristin:

http://ift.tt/1vKiF0C

http://ift.tt/2myB6YM

@modishandmain

Interested in working with us ? Let us know! Were always on the lookout to working with other bloggers, creatives and photographers. Email us or you may apply here .

The post BLOGGERS WE LOVE// Kristin of Modishandmain appeared first on THEIT.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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Photos on my 2022 wildlife photos calendar and stories of them: May-December

May: Marsh Fritillary butterfly at Bentley Wood taken in May 2020

This macro photo was an unsung photo and runaway star of my batch of butterfly pictures in 2020 a batch I was so pleased with my first with my new macro lens which I was impressed with for the detail and quality it offers for them. I actually nearly said this was at Martin Down by accident in this blog which tells a story, as I had never seen a Marsh Fritillary outside of Martin Down before but things aligned last year for us to see them at Bentley Wood in the field we saw the Pearl-bordered Fritillary this year a few weeks ago. It was like unearthing a gem finding they were here and interesting to see them somewhere different after seeing them at Martin Down last spring. I like the natural work of art of those beautiful colours of this butterfly and feel the shot portrays that well, particularly standing out against my other butterflies for the sharpness and focus on its antenna which I love to do if I can. I like how this looks against a fairly uniform background of the grass its close to a solid colour I like the orange of the butterfly looking so bright against the pure lovely green in the sun, with such a gloss to the butterfly the sun really reflecting off it in the shot nicely. It’s so beautiful as one of the best butterflies we have and this photo gave me wonderful chance to include a different species that I never had before and one of our finest on one of my calendars which I love.

June: Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside taken in late April 2021

Taken less than 48 hours before I tweeted the line up of this calendar, this other favourite bird of mine completed a trio of late victors forcing their way onto my wildlife calendar as my first ever reverse wildcard. In that by this point I was already using my 2023 wildlife calendar photos folder to put photos from my days in. To start those folders off I chose some wildcards so photos from the weeks preceding my final calendar decision which did not make the next year’s calendar as by that point I was well into the final choosing so their chances to grow on me were reduced and these go forward to compete for the next calendar. The what I call reverse one is if I take a picture after the new folder is set up but before I reveal the calendar which I want to put on I can do. As I had done and photographed memorably with a recent Twitter display picture one about a month prior these birds were doing the very beginnings of a natural spectacle which I have never seen all the way through despite having these birds so locally to me the Great Crested Grebe courtship dance. I saw these birds that day and the ones before this year, a regular pair that produced chicks on this lake last year so memorably I believe one of my reserve photos to be placed on a day box on the calendar is of this as my next post shows, line up to each other, mimic each other’s position and move a little. I had watched in aw every time I saw this in 2021. But at this moment, after seeing another pair’s adorable chicks on the other lake, it was so perfect. They were sat without a care in the world doing this on the water right beside a fishing jetty, vacant at the time I got safely closer to it and lapped a chance for like the other late successful photos Mute Swan and Cuckoo multiple shots which I took forward what turned out as three. This right place right time with my DSLR and big lens shot brings an elegant side of nature to the calendar and whilst it’s a bird I’ve featured on calendars a lot and at Lakeside over the years something I’d never showcased on one before. My experiences with these birds this year taking me right back to how I first fell in love with them at Lakeside in my early birdwatching days. I was so pleased with the sharpness and colour of this photo and the detail. A real fantastic moment I was so in aw of nature here one of my favourite species. With maybe the choosing for calendars and what would look nice sharp in my mind at that time having done the final bits of choosing right from when I was at Lakeside with this photo out of the batch I knew it looked like a calendar photo and it set up my most dramatic ending ever to one of my choosing calendar projects.

July: Keeled Skimmer dragonfly at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest taken in July 2020

With my other wildlife photo quota added this year so at least one photo from this group it gave me the chance with this one to do something I’ve wanted to for a few years, place my first ever dragonfly photo on one of my calendars. As a key maybe unsung in those summer into autumn and spring before months star of my hobby dragon or damselflies needed it for me I think. This photo portrays one of my most amazing moments on one of my best days last year and ever for watching classic New Forest wildlife of which I am so proud with this shiny golden female. Other factors did make it a tough day as that evening came for me but I must use moments like this, 10 years on from when my butterfly interest began which paved the way for me to like dragonflies I did find them fascinating as a kid actually but properly watch, to remember this as one of my greatest and most special classic summer days. I was in the right place at the right time to produce a rare dragonfly macro picture for me as I had my macro lens on at that time from chasing butterflies Common Grayling and Silver-studded Blue classic New Forest species and among my favourites like Keeled Skimmer which brighten up the bogs and heath in summer, usually you can’t get close to dragonflies and they don’t stay put as long as butterflies so I usually use my big lens as my main one for them. But there’s a reason I prefer a macro for insects with the greatest respect to my big lens which has produced last year and the years prior some dragonfly pictures I’m pleased with because the macro offers top close up detail. So this potentially makes this photo stand out from others of the same kind for me.

August: Scarlet Tiger moth taken in July 2020

Featuring heavily in my end of year posts involving photos was that Monday off in July 2020, one of my greatest ever days for insect watching and insect photography, with dozens of butterflies and great a great beetle too alongside other wildlife and views on a scorching and very blue skied day. I had some of my best ever butterfly moments with some of the most I’ve ever seen at once. I took such a memorable set of photos that day I think I definitely wanted one on this calendar I’d have put them all on if I could but they were actually already printed some of them in a photo book I got for Christmas of some of my photos taken during time off I had in 2020. Through the route of searching for my other wildlife representative it’s my first ever moth to make a calendar alongside the dragonfly that does it which is also deserved given the amount of further exploration into moths I did over the past year. This picture I found electric and so lucky to get like the Keeled Skimmer you don’t see them landed for long and can’t get close to them too often. It was such a happy moment to create a bright image of another natural and stunning work of art for me, a species that has become one of my favourite moths I have a strong fascination with it and am starting to love it a lot with its enticing colour scheme and I find it quintessential of rich summer days for me its one I feel will be fitting for August.

September: Kestrel at Lakeside taken in September 2020

It was two late 2020 Lakeside shots that battled it out to be my in air bird representative another photo I like to fill a quota for in the calendar, this and a Buzzard there a month later both I was happy with the Buzzard gets a day box but this Kestrel I just felt the real brightness and the backlighting of the tail feathers which make this image for me fitted the upbeat brightness I like having for the calendars. It was one of my standout flying pictures of the period of time the calendar photos are taken from. Like I’ve had with Kestrel so much at Lakeside being so in aw of birds of prey so close to home whilst working from home it was an amazing moment as I saw it so close in that really nice sunshine and I thought about a photo and then got to take that wonderful chance. I hadn’t had the best record for photographing Kestrels at that point at Lakeside but this changed all that as rather a goal achieved so one of the photos I most loved and found one of my best photos over the working from home months at Lakeside. To see sensational wildlife like that and be able to take photos on my lunch break is incredible. I became used to being stunned by falcons on lunch with the Peregrines on Winchester Cathedral when I’m in this office so this kept up the tradition nicely. This photo brings out a lot of beautiful colour I think and it was one of the photos I knew I wanted on this calendar very early on.

October: Wilson’s Phalarope at Pennington taken in October 2020

Like the Cuckoo this photo gave me an opportunity to put a photo I never had on a calendar and of a pretty rare species too. An opportunity in the choosing I could not pass up as it won’t happen every year. This shot one of many taken from a second look at this incredible bird giving phenomenal views in the channel beside fishtail lagoon stood out against the rest. I like how the sun lights up the back of its neck and how like a few of them its deliciously yellow legs are so visible in the clear, calm and still water. The photo felt sun drenched and as one of our most smashingly amazing views of a bird that was new to us and one we twitched it gave me such strong opportunities to mark the occasion one that called for phone videos of the bird too it was that close with a photo. Its an honour to put this species on the calendar.

November: Red Deers at Bushy Park taken October 2020

I was itching to get down on that Sunday for the Wilson’s Phalarope and a Grey Phalarope which we saw too with my beloved Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve in the headlines as the day before we went on our pre-planned big trip to Bushy park for the Red Deer rut and more and it was a massive trip last year with over 60 photos produced making it one of my best ever weekends of wildlife and photography and generally. Red Deer to fill the mammal calendar quota I’ve had for years but for other reasons too obviously must be one of the species to appear on my calendars most as we do the annual usually Richmond and also Bushy Park trip in October the Richmond bit taken off due to COVID safety considerations last year and you get such amazing photo opportunities in the rut they’re definitely one of my favourite sets too so it’s a good bet a Red Deer shot will be the strongest mammal I feel I’ve taken over the period. Like the 2018 trip for the 2020 calendar female/young made the calendar rather than a headline stag. And like 2018 the one making the calendar toppled the other one I felt was stronger at the time. There was one I took that day of a female looking into the lens somewhat giving me mona lisa vibes but I felt this one fitted the calendar better with that bright photo feel I do feel from this you see where the Red Deer gets its name as that rich colour is portrayed nicely. I do just love looking at this picture to remind me of that moment with the protective Mum and young in one of my highlights of my 2020 as it always is in a year and I look forward to seeing it printed.

December: Mute Swan at Weymouth’s RSPB Lodmoor taken in April 2021

The other late success story of the calendar, forcing its way onto a calendar which already contained the Keyhaven Mute Swan last year which got on the cover. That Monday I instantly knew this one of a batch of the photos of two swans competed with it and I had to make room for both. It was perfect timing with that evening sunlight that very sunny week off when we came to Lodmoor the second part of one of my greatest ever birdwatching and spring days going to Portland beforehand. These swans quenched our interest coming towards us with their wings nicely spread behind them they were perhaps approaching in the hope of food or maybe it was territorial against other birds which swans can me. This one stood out from the batch with as well as the almost angelic wings the face area with the water droplets sharply in focus and that entertaining bit of mud around the tip of the beak. Like I said about the Keyhaven Mute Swan and its aquatic plant hanging down, a saturated market for me at Lakeside and elsewhere with Mute Swans but features like this make it stand out.

I’ll have my post with the reserve photos getting the day boxes in half an hour and my last post had the other photos that I put on this calendar.

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