Day 71: In Which She Cameras
Something in him changed when he held a camera. She couldn't quite identify what, but he seemed more mature. Reliable, even. It was a bit unsettling how the possession of a single object could transform a person—or the perception of said person—so much. Elsa bit her lower lip as she continued to observe him. His eyes were focused, yet there was no tension on his shoulders. The camera was a natural extension of his body. He seemed used to it, which, seeing that he actually was a professional photographer, really shouldn't surprise her.
"Just split the scene into thirds and try to align whatever your point of interest is to at least one of them." The camera clicked, then he lowered it to inspect the picture. Satisfied with his results, he gestured for her to take a look. "Like this."
Elsa hummed as she studied the way Jack had aligned the buildings in the photograph. He was right: The Rule of Thirds did make the composition more balanced.
"Your turn."
She nodded, looking around for inspiration, but stuck in the balcony as they were, her options were limited. At last, she chose to play with a block of buildings on the lower part of the picture and a strip of the sky on the upper third. After clumsily turning the camera this side and the other a couple of times, she finally attempted a shot, but… it did not look like she wanted it to.
"Looks claustrophobic," she mumbled with her eyebrows furrowed.
"Anything does these days..." He hovered over her shoulder to look at the picture. "Ah, I see what you mean."
He switched his camera to screen mode and held it at an angle with his hands over hers. With his jaw brushing against the side of her head, he explained, "Diagonal lines look less dull and constricting. And see those windows over there?"
He pointed at a building with small rectangular windows side by side, and she nodded.
"Patterns look good in photos. Try to use that."
Elsa hummed, looking through the viewfinder again. She tried to apply what he had just taught her to the composition, but her attention easily drifted to his fingers tracing loose circles on her forearm.
"Stop distracting me," she mumbled, pushing his arm away.
Jack chuckled, and his arms wrapped around her waist. His chin came to rest on her shoulder, and teeth nibbled on her earlobe. The first contact made her flinch.
"You're... a terrible teacher…" Elsa had to resist an urge to lean back. Suddenly, the camera felt far too heavy in her hands.
"Am I?"
"Yes," she huffed, closing her eyes. "You're the worst."
