The Model, and the snake (closed to Piper)

[CFMB_fan]

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The Model, and the Snake​

The threatening skies finally released their woes, as thunder and lightning lit up the afternoon sky, the dark foreboding clouds that had been gathering during the day finally released their torrential rain.

The BBQ was quickly moved indoors, the threatening weather had made the hosts, Adrian and Clare prepare a contingency wet weather plan, even though rain had not actually been forecast to fall until the early hours. But the summer weather was at times difficult to predict exactly.

The guests were all in the back conservatory or in the back living room, now out of the rain, giggling and laughing at their own expense. ADrian continued to be the host offering drinks and food to the guests as he walked around ensuring they all had their needs accommodated for as he ensued their glasses were re-charged, or had sufficient food..

He found one of them, sat in his armchair, flicking through one of his books. The BBQ was in honour of his birthday, his 51st a few days ago. But for logistical reasons, he always celebrated his birthday over a weekend.

His birthday presents included a new lens for his Nikon DSLR; an 85 mm portrait lens and a couple of photography books, the theme of the books was portraiture. The books had various sub-themes, a couple were on portraiture work, whilst the third book was on a book on ‘how to pose’. The final book was on Portrait lighting techniques, and a silly book his brother in law had given him, a cheeky small book on ‘Boudoir Photography’ bought as a ‘silly present.'

Adrian was a keen amateur photographer having started with film in his mid teens. But as he got older, and the cost of film developing rose, he ended up taking a break. But with the development of digital SLRs in 2002 or so, his interest in photography was re-kindled when he bought himself the Nikon D70, the first DSLR for the amateur. Since then he had developed a range of cameras and lenses but most of his work was landscape based. But he wanted to learn, or more improve his portraiture work, to take photos of his nephew and nieces as they grew up, as well as friends. Even something a tad more daring such as ‘Boudoir’ portraiture intrigued him, though his wife Clare wasn’t comfortable in front of the lens; esp for some more risqué shots.

“Everything okay?” he asked as he looked the rather plain but alluring face of his friend’s daughter.

 

[pipper]

Helena was bored. She was only here because of her father’s insistence. “You need to get out, that’s why I’m taking you to my friend’s party,” he had told her. “I’m sure you can find a nice guy to converse with.”

She didn’t want a boyfriend. At twenty she had plenty of time to find a mate for life. Besides, would a guy want to date a girl who had a snake for a pet!

Helena had graduated from high school with top honours, and now was taking a break before heading off to college. Not that she couldn’t afford the tuition, which she could, thanks to a trust that her grandparents had set up for her. To make sure she didn’t waste the money on trivial things, Helena would buy most of her outfits from a local second-hand store. Even then, the outfits would be plain, just like the one she was wearing. A dark blue calf length, short-sleeved dress, that had a high neckline. No jewellery, which to her that was non-essential. Why women wore such stuff was beyond her.

Oh, she had the figure to catch any guy’s eyes, but you wouldn’t know it, because she kept it hidden under loose fitting clothing.

No makeup. To her it was a waste of time to apply such stuff, only to remove it later. As for her blonde hair, she kept it pinned up.

After taking her time to eat a hotdog, Helena was looking at some photography books that she found on a table next to the chair she was sitting in. The one titled, ‘Boudoir Photography’ was glanced at, but was quickly closed. ‘Disgusting!’ she thought. The one on lighting, meant nothing to her, though the one on poses did give her a reason to look at it, just out of curiosity. ‘Stick one leg out in front of the other, raising its heel, and place hands on hips, blah, blah, blah'.

As Helena took a sip of her diet-coke, she heard, “Everything okay?”

She looked up to see that it was her father’s friend. “Yes, thank you. Oh, congratulations on your birthday.”

 

[CFMB_fan]

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He looked at her as she flicked through the book in her hands.

“Thank you, Helena.” He smiled as he spoke, “And how are you, how is your pet?”

He knew of Helena’s pet from both Helena herself when they had spoken, but also from her Father Carle, who often moaned about her to him. She achieved very good grades at high school and was now enjoying her gap year, though Adrian wasn’t sure what she was doing. He knew people who travelled the country, even the world in their gap year, but Helena was a bit of a mystery, a bit of a recluse.

But she wasn’t attractive. True, she wasn't a cat work stunner, but hell, if Adrian was young enough, he would be interested in her, she was pretty in her girl next door kinda style, and her quietness made her mysterious. Her attire added to her mystique, Adrian had seen her dressed down slightly at their home, and well she had curves in the right places he remembered smiling to himself

“So are you into photography at all Helena?” he asked, partially to make conversation, but also out of genuine interest. It was well known that he was a keen photographer, and some of the walls in the hallways and stairs were of his work.

 

[pipper]

“Oh, I’m fine thank you, as is Rufus. He’s getting to be quite a big lad.”

Her father always thought she cared more for the reptile, than was necessary. As far he was concerned she should be attempting to find a boyfriend. He did consider matching her up with the son of an elite family, but on second thoughts, he knew his daughter wouldn’t meet the parent’s expectations.

“So, are you into photography at all Helena?”

“Hmm…no. I just aim and shoot with my phone,” she replied while putting the ‘Posing’ book back down on the table. She just wished she could get away from this boring party and go home. Even feeding Rufus a mouse would be better than this.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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He grinned. “Mobile phones certainly have made a big difference. Nearly everyone has a smartphone, and they nearly always carry it with them so yes a good tool. But you can’t have the control in the same way you can when using an SLR camera.”

He took a sip of his wine before continuing. “Well if you ever want some taken of you, just let me know… “pausing as he grinned “you are quite cute, and mysterious Helena! Please excuse me but I have duties to attend to!” he offered smiling.

“Please let me know if you need anything more this evening?”

And then he stood back up from his kneeling position and headed towards the kitchen and the other guests.

 

[pipper]

Helena nodded, as Adrian stood up, wondering if he was dropping hints that he wanted to take photos of her. ‘I wonder if dad put him up to that,’ she thought.

“So, enjoying yourself?” It was her father.

“No, dad, I’m not, and the host even hinted that he would like to take photos of me. He found me to be…cute and mysterious.” She took another sip of her diet-coke.

“Well, that’s why he’s a successful photographer. His photos are unique…different. Adrian probably senses that you somehow stand out. Don’t ask me why, but he does. Besides, you could use the money.”

Helena was stunned at her father’s statement. “I’m not short of money dad, and you know it.”

“Either way, I’m going to ask Adrian, how much he’s willing to pay you.”

His daughter was going to protest, but he put his hand up. “No, you need to learn how to earn money. You’ve been living off that trust fund—true you’ve been frugal—I give you that, but there’s no harm in being photographed and being paid for it.”

Helena watched her father walk towards the host.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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Adrian had a hard conversation with his friend, who had annoyed him on two accounts. Firstly Helena was old enough, mature enough to make her own decisions. And he didn’t quite understand why Helena’s father approached him. He saw Helena look at them during the conversation, she clearly knew what her father was trying to do.

Adrian was an amateur photographer. Sure he had been in the right place at the right time a few occasions and had done well from four or five photos, but he was not a professional photographer in that sense. He took photos because he enjoyed it, and didn’t want the hassle, the stress if one’s photos were not good enough for the client.

But he was also mostly a landscape and urban photographer, he had limited experience in portraiture work, be it of a family shot or something of a more sexual nature. Hence the books he had received for his birthday, together with the new lens, specifically for portraits to guide him into that area of photography.

And he did find Helena alluring, mysterious. And he thought she would be a good candidate as with a couple of others for him to practice on. He did tell her father that should Helena be interested, that she should approach him herself, he wasn’t going to ask her, put her in a difficult position that her father was ding right so.

And in terms of payment, if Helena sought payment, then he would only offer her the going rate for modelling work, and that she would have to sign a model release form. If she wasn’t prepared to sign that, then he wouldn’t pay her.

But he also sensed that if Helena did ever offer to model for him, it would be for her own interest, not just financial gain…

The conversation ended amicably between the two friends, but her father knew that Adrian would only discuss anything with Helena herself and that only Helena could broach the conversation. With the cooking complete, he reached for his camera and started to take candid portraits of his guests using his new lens. He captured a couple of Helena as well as other guests, and the two he took of Helena had her standing, smiling, laughing with some other guests, though both were taken as she conversed with females.

The following morning, with the party mostly cleared up, he quickly edited some of the photos from the night before and uploaded them onto the BBQ event page he had created on Facebook, allowing the guests to see the photos, though he never tagged anyone. That wasn't his style, his domain. If anyone wanted to be tagged on Facebook, it was their own prerogative, not his.

But it wasn't long before Helena had been tagged by her parents in the two photos he had uploaded of her. But she did look pretty in them, despite her rather reserved attire, her smile was full of warmth and seemed genuine.

.

 

[pipper]

Helena was out for a jog, wondering why her parents had tagged her on Adrian’s Facebook. Maybe to get the attention of a suitor. “Amazing they didn’t put, Available," she muttered.

As she went through the park, Helena noticed most of the girls were wearing either short skirts or pants. She wouldn’t wear those, for crying out loud. It was as if they were showing off their legs. She sighed as she continued her jog, knowing it was okay to bare one’s legs on a beach or by a pool, but in a park!

Then Helena’s thoughts turned to Rufus, all fifteen feet of him. He was only ten feet long when he arrived. His previous owner used him in her striptease act, but in the end, she had to get rid of him, when some of her audience, kept dropping hints, that she should put her legs in him. The final straw was when one idiot told her that he would give fifty-thousand to her favourite charity if she let the snake completely swallow her.

True a big meal, like a tranquilized hog would keep Rufus well fed for some time, but Helena had decided to feed him a mouse or a rat, as a snack, on a daily basis. He seemed happy when she was in his company.

That moment of thought, quickly gave way to what her father had told her. “You need to ask Adrian, yourself.” Helena knew she didn’t have to, after all, it was her father who was pushing the issue, no doubt with his wife’s approval.

On her way back home, she slowed her pace as she approached Adrian’s house. Could she? Any wages would help pay for feeding Rufus, rather then coming from the fund. Maybe just a session to see what’s it like.
As she walked up his driveway, Helena spotted him attending to his garden. “Excuse me, Adrian, I was wondering if you could take some pictures of me in the park? Just by the lake, if that is okay with you. I’ll pay you for them.”

 

[CFMB_fan]

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He heard Helena approach and looked up over his shoulder to see who it was. He smiled as he stood up, and turned to face her. He was currently gardening, or at least doing some of the more physical work that his wife preferred him to do, though she was the mastermind of their garden designs.

He had also noticed very quickly that Helena’s parents had tagged her in his photos, or at least he assumed it was them.

“Morning Gorgeous. How's your run?” he asked as he saw her in her baggy jogging trousers and a loose baggy top. Again, Helena wasn’t really revealing her form to anyone, not that she had anything specific to hide as far as he knew.

But he listened to her as they made brief small talk before she asked him the question…

“Excuse me, Adrian, I was wondering if you could take some pictures of me in the park? Just by the lake, if that is okay with you. I’ll pay you for them.”

He looked at her with a soft smile.

“Sure, if you want me to that is, I know your father was trying to get me to take photos of you last night…” pausing as he sipped some water from his water bottle.

“And there is no need to pay me, consider it a favour, after all, I’m not a professional, it is a hobby of mine, and I always like a new challenge, a new shoot…”

They chatted about the arrangements and agreed that afternoon at the park. As the park was in walking distance, he suggested to meet her there, so he could head up slightly early and look out for a location or two, based on the lighting and how busy the area was.

And so at the appointed time, he waited at the park’s cafe, already having walked around the lake and a couple of other areas with his trusted SLR in his hand, with a portrait lens, sipping his iced coffee waiting for her to arrive, wondering what she would wear…

 

[pipper]

“Come on Helena, you need to get going,” her mother said eager to get her daughter off to the park for a photo shoot.

“I’m not sure I should be wearing this…I mean the cleavage.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, it’s hardly noticeable, if that! I know how you like to cover yourself up.”

Poor Helena didn’t want to break her mother’s heart. The dress she was wearing hadn’t been bought from the second-hand store, but was a Christmas gift from her mother. Something she had hardly worn due to that ‘cleavage’ problem. In truth, though the dress did have a V-neckline, it didn’t show any cleavage, and a bra could be safely worn under it, thanks to the outfit’s wide shoulder straps.

Thankfully, the dress was long, right down to her ankles. It was navy, with white petals on the skirt section and tied at the back, and of course, sleeveless.

“A shame you don’t have any high-heels to go with it,” her mother injected.

Helena rolled her eyes. “Mom, this is a park I’m going to, not a fancy do. Sandals will be fine.” It was a moot point really, as Helena didn’t own any high-heels. How women walked in those things was beyond her.

“I guess you’re not going to wear jewellery. They would really look nice with that dress, you could…”

“No mom, I don’t own any, and I’m not going to borrow yours. The fact that I allowed you to apply a small amount of make-up on me is enough.”

The mother sighed, before giving her daughter a hug. “Break a leg.”

“Thanks mum. I let know how it went.”

The mother waved her daughter goodbye. “She does look good in that dress, though it could be a little shorter,” she muttered.

Helena found the park’s café and then found Adrian.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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He didn't recognise her at first, as she approached him from the gated entrance of the outside seating area. She was in a sleeveless, summery maxi dress, the neckline exposing her decolletage and hinting of her cleavage.

He stood up as she approached and smiled, his voice genuine.

“Wow Helena, you look, well lovely in that dress. The colour really suits you. What can I get you?”

As they greeted, he gave her a brief hug, her response seemed slightly apprehensive, but then he hurried inside to get her order, and another iced coffee for himself. It was a lovely summer’s afternoon, and the state was in its fourth week of exceptional weather, though making it hard to work, or sleep at times.

But as he queued, he thought about what he had just seen, Helena in quite the dress, looking rather alluring. The hint of shoulder, a fleeting glimpse of cleavage made her rather mysterious, alluring, the dress was provocative, without revealing anything, at least in his mind. He had to review some of his mental plans of the shoot and wondered what ideas she had.

And so he returned to the table with their two drinks and joined her as he offered her drink to her. Again they made some small talk as he studied her closely, suddenly noticing the lack of jewellery; which he found refreshing. Sure jewellery can help make a good outfit look spectacular, but it can also make someone look busy, such as BA in the A-team.

Finally, he asked “So Helena, what poses was you thinking of for this shoot. I have a few ideas, but I’d also like to hear what suggestions, thoughts you had had?”

He looked at her across the table and smiled.

 

[pipper]

Helena smiled, if not blushed a little, when Adrian commented on her looks and her outfit. ‘Well, you have too, really,’ she thought. As for his hug, who gave him the right to do that?! She was close to calling the all thing off, feigning not being well. That would only delay the inevitable to another day, her parents would see to that!

She sipped at her tea, trying to figure out what Adrian saw in her. She didn’t like showing off much of her skin, except when in a one-piece bathing suit, as for bikinis; forget those! Even the dress she was wearing showed off too much for her liking, especially when it gave a teasing view of her breasts.

Well, here she was, and all because she had asked him to take pictures of her. Why didn’t she just head straight home from her jog?

Then Adrian asked her about posing, which she knew nothing about. The ones she had briefly looked at in that ‘How to Pose’ book at Adrian’s party, was just for beginners. She wasn’t going to be a model. Though the thought of being paid was alluring, she didn’t want her image posted all over the place.

“Oh, just normal casual ones, as if I’m just taking a stroll in the park, nothing fancy.”

 

[CFMB_fan]

And the Shoot starts...

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He listened to her as she spoke about the poses she was looking for, which included what he was intending to start with, though he had other ideas as well. Nothing complicated, but thoughts of her sitting on a bench, or even leaning against some old brick walls covered with graffiti to kind of tell a story.

“We can do that” he offered, still unsure why she asked him. He kept thinking back to the previous evening and the conversation with her father who wanted him to pay her. He was happy to photograph her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get any money from the photos he took, and besides, he wasn’t really a professional. Maybe that's why she asked him.

With their drinks finished, they soon headed to a quieter part of the park, close to the lake, and asked Helena to walk towards him.

As she did, he started to take the photos, using a simple 85 mm fixed lens, initially focusing on her ‘bust’ her face and shoulders, as she walked towards him. He gave her instructions to look at him, or beyond him, ensuring the depth of field was shallow such that most of the background would be out of focus, so the viewer f the photographs would be pulled into Helena's face. She was clearly somewhat nervous, stiff initially but as she walked along, and heard the shutter Helena started to relax, and offer him a few smiles. He wanted the photos to appear as natural as possible, which was difficult initially because of Helena’s nervousness, he assumed. But as the shoot progressed, he sensed a relaxation by Helena.

After ten minutes or so, standing under the shade of a tree, he showed her the photos, complimenting her, in the effort to relax her, to help put her further at ease. The screen on the back of his DSLR was small, but nonetheless, he scrolled through them, zooming in on occasion; awaiting her responses.

“What do you think Helena?” he asked somewhat apprehensively.

 

[pipper]

All of this was new to Helena. True her parents had taken photos of her, but they were simple family type shots. Just the act of being photographed while taking a stroll, was a nervous one. The glances of passing people didn’t help! She wondered if they thought she was Adrian’s daughter.

Glad for the respite in the tree’s shade, Helena listened to Adrian as he went on and on about how lovely she looked in the photos. She wasn’t buying any of it! ‘You’re not going to make money off of those shots,’ she sarcastically thought.

She wanted to go home and back to Rufus, but the photos were for her – well the good ones were! “How about we do some more? That way it will help us both.”

 

[CFMB_fan]

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He watched Helena as she scrolled through the photos, sensing a feeling of both hesitant on her behalf, coupled with a sense of being polite for the sake of it.

He almost wanted to make a comment along the lines of @well this was your idea!” but decided not to. The thought, memory of the conversation with her father still very much in his mind.

But then she looked him in the eye as she spoke, offering him his camera back.

“How about we do some more? That way it will help us both.”

“Sure…”

They chatted briefly about a few ideas that he had, and whilst again she seemed non-committal, she did agree to his ideas. They headed to a part of the park with a bricked viaduct, and he got her to walk through the arches, as he started to take more photos of her walking, taking a stroll through the arches.

He offered her ideas on how to smile, where to look, though he also asked her for a few ideas, trying to involve her in the shoot as well as being the ‘model’; trying to tease out from her what sort of poses, expressions she was looking for in his photos of her.

But she seemed to be amenable to most of his suggestions. After her walking through the arches, he suggested that she should lean back against the red bricks, and started to compose the shots, offering suggestions to Helena as she leant back. The first few were mostly of her bust, her head and shoulders before he stepped back including more of her and the brick wall, some of the photos he too was leaning against the wall, creating rather intimate cosy shots of her.
As he spoke to her, he endeavoured to be supportive, encouraging her and always giving her compliments though despite being honest and meaning what he said, he felt that she wasn’t particularly believing him.

But there was nothing he could do about that other than be as sincere and truthful, honest as he could be.

For the final shoot, he suggested a couple of her sitting on a park bench, and to sit how she felt comfortable. He then knelt before her, taking time to compose the initial photo before starting to take numerous photos, the sound of the shutter firing in quick succession; encouraging her to smile, to look at him, or behind him. He moved slightly and started the process again, until he was happy with what he had, but also more importantly felt that Helena had finally had enough.

The walk back to their street was quiet, at times barely a word was spoken. But once behind his desk, the 100 or so photos were soon imported into Lightroom, as he sipped his cold glass of wine, started to go through them, deleting the odd one, and editing the others, a mixture of cropping the photo as well as changing the lighting and shadows balance.

When e was happy with a few from each pose, from each location, he uploaded them into Dropbox, and invited Helena to access them.

 

[pipper]

Helena’s parents pestered her about the shoot when she arrived home. She just told them, that it went off okay, and the different types of poses Adrian put her through.

Glad to be back in her casual attire, she went down and checked on Rufus. He seemed peaceful and coiled up in his enclosure. As she sat there, Helena thoughts went back to the stripper who once owned the reptile. There were ‘stories’ that at the end of some of her acts, she actually put her feet inside its mouth. Was that why the audience wanted her to go further in? With Rufus showing no signs of coming out of his slumber, she went back to her bedroom.

As she played around on her computer, Helena got an invite from Adrian to view the photos. She quickly went into the Dropbox, and there they were! She studied each one, noticing that the later ones were slightly better. Was that because she was more at ease? Then there were the ones with only her head, shoulders, and…her busts in them! True head portraits did involve head and shoulders, but surely not busts.

Now, could she download all or some of them? Not, only that, was she willing to get paid, knowing that images of her would end up on public display somewhere? The only spoiler to that plan was her collection of clothing. She couldn’t keep wearing the dress she had worn today. Maybe she could use her charms on her mother to buy her another one?

She quickly sent Adrian an e-mail: ‘The photos are lovely, thank you! Can I download some of them, or all?

I’m willing to pose for you again, and get paid, knowing I will have to sign the ‘Release’. I will get another dress, if you want to practice your photography on me.’

After she sent it, Helena cursed herself, for wording the e-mail so badly, but the damage had been done!

 

[CFMB_fan]

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It was a couple of hours or so when Adrian’s phone vibrated on the coffee table next to his armchair. He quickly saw the new emails that had been uploaded, and saw one of them was from Helena.

He swiped it open quickly and read her reply before he started to tap on the screen of his phone before pausing to allow him to re-read.

He sensed a sudden uncertainty of Helena’s behalf as he read the sentence regarding the Release form, his instinct was that she wasn’t ready for that, or even if she ever will be.

He deleted the few words he had types and started from scratch, this time on the laptop.

“Hi Helena,

And thank you for your kind words. I am glad that you do like the photographs of you, and are not saying that just to appease me, or even your parents. I actually enjoyed both taking the photographs of you,a dn spending time in your charming company.

As to the photos, they are yours to download and do whatever you wish to. I have not put any copyright protection on the photos so far, but I can do if you would prefer. But feel free to post them on your facebook or whatever.

Regarding any future shoots, I sense that you would prefer not to sign the release form; which is fine by me. I am happy just to take photos of you because you want them, rather than trying to keep your parents happy.

Having had today’s shoot, is there anything you would like to be photographed doing or any place?

And of course I know how fond of Rufus you are, so if you want a photo of the two of you, happy to oblige

Adrian.

Having pressed send, he closed the laptop and leant back into his armchair, a memory of her decolletage being partially covered reaapeared in his mind, the gentle swell of her breasts.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

The sound of his wife's voice brought him back to reality

 

[pipper]

Helena was disappointed. “He says that I don’t really want to sign a release, after I told him I would!” she told her parents. She threw her arms up in the air, to signal her frustration.

“Calm down dear,” her mother said. “He’s probably waiting for the right moment to ask you, but for now, why don’t you just let him take more photos of you. I’m sure that once Adrian knows there’s money to be made from your shoots, he’ll ask you, I’m sure.”

That was no help to Helena. “All he told me was that he’s willing to take more photos of me.” Then she played a bluff. “Besides, he can’t expect me to wear the same dress again, and those in my closet just won’t do! If I knew he was going to pay me, I would have gone tomorrow and bought a dress.”

Her father looked at his wife. “Why don’t we treat her to another dress? I’m sure you can find one that Adrian will like.”

Helena took note, that her father didn’t mention how the dress would look on her! But if she wasn’t going to pay for it, might as well go with his idea. “Thank you. I’ll make it up to you someday.”

Both parents smiled. “Why don’t you go and tell Adrian you’ll pose for him again, tomorrow.”

They both watched their daughter go upstairs. “I think I know the perfect one for her. A store is having a sale on prom dresses. I’m sure I’ll find her that one,” she told her husband.

In her room, Helena sent off a quick e-mail to Adrian:

‘How about we do another set in the park again, but this time all by the arches?’

Knowing her mother, she wouldn’t be buying a cheap looking dress, so the arches would make a nice backdrop.