Capítulo 26: Chapter 26: Taking Photographs in a Luxury Apartment
Demi Gaines's apartment is a high-end apartment in West Hollywood.
Early the next morning, Ronald drove an orange Volkswagen Hare to the door of her apartment. The doorman noticed he was driving a cheap car and stopped him to ask many questions. Fortunately, Ronald is white, and his English accent does not seem to come from a lower-class community. The concierge agreed to call Demi and confirm before letting him in.
After parking the car, Ronald looked around. It was truly in better condition than his own apartment. Not only was there a doorman, but also an outdoor pool just past the entrance and a party area nearby, still holding the festive atmosphere of the previous night. Laughter from men and women and the sound of diving echoed faintly from the depths of the courtyard, hinting that there might be a private pool inside.
When they arrived at Demi's apartment, she and her boyfriend were already waiting at the door. "Hi Ronald, come on in."
Ronald was carrying a tripod in one hand, with a camera and flash strapped to his back. He freed one hand to shake theirs.
Demi had black hair like a shawl, a very straight nose, thick black eyebrows, and her eyes were bright, though one of them felt slightly off when she turned. Her cheeks were flat from the cheekbones to the jawline, slightly sunken, and her somewhat square jaw gave her a strong character—the kind of face perfectly suited for a film star.
Her boyfriend was Freddy Moore, the singer of the rock band "The Kats." Deliberately misspelled names were trendy these days.
Freddy wore large black-framed glasses and looked nothing like a rock star, more like a high school nerd—the kind bullied by the football team, who later got into a good college and found a great job after graduation.
"Do you want to shoot here?"
Clearly, Demi and her boyfriend had made some preparations, cleaning a bedroom and leaving three walls with plenty of open space for Ronald to work.
"Yes, Demi values this session a lot. She said the photos you take can bring people to life. So, we got things ready," Freddy said shyly, holding Demi by the shoulders.
"Do you have a floor lamp or table lamp for the bedroom? The bedside lamps will do. I need extra light."
After setting up the tripod with a few clicks, Ronald loaded a new roll of film and mounted the camera. He took out a cable and connected it to the shutter.
"What's that?" Demi asked curiously.
"A cable shutter release."
Freddy brought the floor lamp, and Ronald carefully adjusted its angle to create synergy between the light and Demi's face.
Ronald asked Demi to hold still in position. The lighting was designed to highlight her features, giving her the beauty of an ancient Greek sculpture.
"Audition photos aim to help the casting director see your features and match them to a role. The lighting can't be too exaggerated—it needs to complement your natural traits," Ronald explained while observing Demi.
"You should wear a solid-colored top—something neither black nor white, so it won't steal the focus."
"Okay," Demi said, heading to the next room to put on a light green shirt.
"This light color complements your hair," Ronald commented. Pure black hair was rare in the U.S., reminding him of China.
After adjusting the light's angle, Ronald took out a light meter and measured it near Demi's eyes. He then adjusted the camera's aperture accordingly.
Focusing carefully on Demi's eyes, Ronald instructed, "Try not to move too much back or forward, so you won't go out of focus."
Ronald peeked out from behind the camera with the cable release in hand. "It may be rude to ask, but your eyes seem...?"
"Yes, I had a lazy eye as a child and underwent two surgeries. The doctor said it would improve as I grew," Demi responded openly.
"Alright, I'll focus on the other eye—no problem for the film." Ronald appreciated her candor.
"Now, give me a thought, Demi." Ronald held the shutter release and stood beside the camera, watching her closely.
"What do you mean?"
"Think of something—don't tell me, just hold the thought."
"No, not that one. Try another... Yes, that's perfect." Ronald clicked the shutter.
"One more thought—great, I like this one."
*Click, click, click.* The film winder smoothly advanced to the next frame.
"When we worked as print models, photographers were different," Demi said. "They just told me to pose."
"Directors care about your essence. I try to capture your personality. You're a very spirited girl."
*Click, click.* Just then, a loud splash and a girl's scream came from outside, followed by laughter.
Ronald frowned and paused the shoot.
Demi walked to the window, opened the curtains, and called down to the private pool below.
"Hey, Natasha, back from China?"
"Hey, Demi! Why don't you come down and swim?" a faint voice called back.
"I'm shooting audition photos. Can you wait a bit? The photographer needs quiet."
"Alright, I'll catch you later..."
Ronald readjusted the setup. "Let's continue. Give me a loving thought."
Since these photos were for a romantic comedy, Ronald needed playful, adoring eyes. He asked Freddy to stand in front of Demi to help.
*Click, click, click.* The shoot wrapped up quickly.
"I'll take these to Kodak for printing. If you pay an extra $5, they'll expedite it. You'll have enlargements ready in about an hour."
Demi and Freddy agreed, and the three of them headed to the Kodak printing shop.
Kodak's print shops had uniform quality across the U.S. Wherever you went, the results were consistent, reflecting the technological and managerial prowess of this Fortune 500 giant.
Since it was still early, there weren't many customers, and in just ten minutes, the machine spat out 36 photos.
Demi leaned on the counter, studying the prints. Freddy hugged her lovingly. "These are beautiful, babe. I love you."
Demi kissed him and selected two photos. "What do you think of these, Ronald?"
At a glance, Ronald saw they were the most visually stunning.
"If you were my sister, I'd suggest these two," he said, pointing to others.
"Why?"
One photo showed a dramatic expression, the other a romantic smile. Ronald asked Freddy, "What do you see in these expressions?"
"Love... no, maybe jealousy? And this one—happy, but maybe a little sad?"
Ronald spread his hands. "Demi, your face is made for the screen. Whether lit from the left or right, it shines. But your true talent lies in your expression."
"Your face reveals complex emotions, more than one at a time. Directors love that."
"Then I'll go with your picks. Thanks, Ronald," Demi said, hugging him.
Ronald patted her shoulder and instructed the Kodak staff, "Please enlarge these two to 6x8 inches, five copies each, with white borders."
After the enlargements were ready, Ronald asked, "Do you have typing equipment here? Please print your name at the bottom of the photos."
Turning to Demi, he asked, "What's your stage name going to be?"
"I don't know—can't I use my real name?"
"You can, but most actors choose a stage name. It should be clear and memorable, like Sean Connery or Roger Moore. Four syllables, with a mix of short and long sounds—easy to say."
Demi's eyes sparkled. She hugged Freddy. "You'll always love me, right?"
"Of course."
"When will you marry me?"
"Soon, babe. I just need to settle things with Lucy first."
"I don't care. I want to marry you."
"Okay, I'll divorce Lucy, I promise."
Demi turned to Ronald and said, "I'll marry Freddy soon. My stage name will be Demi Moore."
End of Chapter
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