Having just finished a mini photo shoot of morning dew drops and insects, Mei emerged from the tree line boarding the open area at the large city park and took a seat at an open bench. At least today wasn't a scorcher like the past few days, a nice cool breeze with a few clouds made for a nice reprieve from the heat.
Ever since powering up for the first time, she found it to be increasingly more difficult to find time for herself, to do things she use to enjoy. More than anything, all she wanted to do was relax and take some photos without having to worry about being ambushed by an agent of Chaos. What she needed, was to get away.
Setting her black Nikkon camera bag on the table she pulled out her smaller lens to replace the fish eye lens she currently had attached to her camera. Once she had everything put away she zipped up the bag and set it in her lap "Okay... Lets see what we got" she said as she turned the camera back on and began looking through the photos. Most of the photos were OK, there were a few good ones, or at least she thought they were. There was no way to really tell unless she loaded them on her computer when she got home. However the ones that were definitely out of focus or blurry she deleted on the spot. 'LEAVE NO EVIDENCE nobody must know how bad some of these pictures truly are.' she thought with an amused look on her face.
At the moment her hair is pulled into a 1/2 pony tail with the green flower as a hair tie.
Krista_Darkangel_Silme
I hope this works, let me know if I need to add or change anything.
Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:08 pm
It would seem Mei wasn't the only person out that morning taking pictures. Cora carefully drops down from a tree not to far away from Mei, at first not at all noticing the girl. Leaning against the tree, she scans over the images of the few birds she managed to capture before they took off flying "Not to bad, though if I had caught them both instead of just one, this would have been even better," pushing her bags from her face, she tucks them into her hair before she glance around.
Blinking, she smiles as she finally caught sight of the other girl. Giving her a small wave, she tilts her head before moving towards the bench when she spots the camera "Another photographer? Or are you just taking pictures for fun?" it was hard to tell these days, and truth be told if she found another who like photography as much as she did.
When at the park, it's safe to assume there will be other people there depending on the size of course. There is the couple out on a stroll, the exercise junkies with their dog in tow, mothers and fathers out chasing after and their rambunctious kids, and people relaxing on the benches reading a book or the days newspaper.
Chalk it up to the recent late night encounters with some rather unsavory characters contributing to her momentary paranoia but when someone jumps out of a tree in your peripherals it can be a little startling. With wide eyes Mei looked the red-brown haired girl over 'No crazy military outfit' she noted with a sight of relief.
The initial shock ebbed away into a friendly smile, with a small wave of her hand she responded "Self taught aspiring photographer. I've never taken any formal classes, but it is a passion." Mei nodded her head in the girls direction seeing as she carried a nice camera as well "How about you? What were you taking pictures up there of if I may ask?"
Krista_Darkangel_Silme
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 6:24 pm
Cora noted the look from the young girl, which made her arch a brow for a brief moment. Did she scare the young girl as she came out of the tree? She honestly hope that wasn't the case, and was about to apologize until she spoke. This made her grin even more as the girl explain she was self taught "I'm self taught with some training. I was on the paper during high school, and now for my newspaper at the university."
Turning her camera back on, she flips through her images before she stops on the robins she taken photos of not to long ago. The lighting was nearly perfect, focus on the one bird even if the other was taking flight behind the bird "Just some images of the birds. Decided to try something new, since I mostly take pictures of people." holding her camera out towards the young girl, she chuckles "I'm Cora."
Shanyume
Sorry for the small wait, yesterday was super busy.
"That's cool that your putting your talent to good use." That's more than she could say for herself, aside from a contest here or there she mostly kept her photos to herself stored on a USB drive. "Most of my photos are for personal use but I hope to some day be a nature photographer. I'm a long ways off but I'd like to work for National Geographic some day."
"It's nice to meet you Cora, my name's Mei" She reached out and carefully accepted Cora's camera. "Wow," her eyebrows rose with surprise, "these look amazing." The composition, angle, and movement of the birds were something. Once she had finished looking through the photos of the birds Mei handed Cora back her camera. "I was out in the woods just a bit ago playing around with my fish eye lens, experimenting with photos of dew drops and some bugs. They're nothing special but if you'd like to take a look." With a smile Mei held her camera out as a bit of a peace offering.
"Please, feel free to sit down!" She motioned to the bench seats that wrapped around the wooden table.
Krista_Darkangel_Silme
No worries it's been a crazy weekend for me as well.
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:02 pm
Cora smiles as she takes the bench next to Mei "I would love to take a look at your images." she took the camera, flipping through them "Okay, I actually like how you caught the lighting in a few of these. It makes the dew almost seem like crystals." she smiles to Mei as she continues. Her composition wasn't bad, and she could see she was learning with each picture she snapped. Much like herself when she started out "These images, they are captured very well. You may have a few that you don't like, but every photographer is like that. I could point out all the flaws in a few of my own." she pauses before she chuckles.
"What makes me keep them though, is simply the fact that I can learn from them." she grins as she sets the camera down "But keep it up, and you will get your work in National Geographic one day. I can see it now, and then I will be telling everyone I met the girl who took these pictures." she grins before she glances around.
A few runners pass by them before she turns her eyes back to Mei "So do you go to the university?"
Mei could feel the blood rushing to her face tinting both her cheeks and her ears a pinkish hue. Embarrassment, you got to love it. Having never taken any photography classes, she has, as of yet, never had the pleasure, or displeasure, of having a formal, or informal critique on her photos, until now that is. Finding herself at a loss for words she gave Cora a sincere smile "Thank you," she let out a slight laugh "We are our own worst critic." A phrase that has been used more times than she could remember. "It would be amazing thought, to be able to travel the world photographing nature in it's raw form, untouched by civilization."
"Hey I still got a way to go, but maybe some day." Mei said all the while unable to stifle a laugh that followed. "But I can say that have had the pleasure of meeting someone who is a part of the university newspaper and hopefully if you choose to pursue it a Magazine or something more in the future?" Mei picked up her camera and placed it in her black padded camera bag and closed the zipper.
Mei looked up as some as runners passed by, she nodded her head as a sort of 'hello' as they passed by. Having temporarily forgotten that she was new here, Mei had found herself a bit shocked by Cora's question, as this had honestly been the first time she was mistaken as a college student. With a smile on her face and a laugh in her voice she replied "No, unfortunately not. Maybe next year though. I'll actually be starting my senior year at Crystal Academy this Fall. Though I'll be honest, I'm not exactly sure where my school is." Since moving to Destiny City, finding where her new school was located definitely wasn't anywhere on her priority list, not yet anyway.
Krista_Darkangel_Silme
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:39 am
Its was Cora's turn to be shocked over the fact Mei was actually a senior in high school. Shaking her head, she stands for a moment as she place her camera back around her neck "How about I show you where your school is then? I didn't go to Crystal, but I did have a couple friends who did. So I got to visit the Academy often. Its a pretty nice Academy, and the dorms are pretty wicked." motioning ahead of her, she points to her SUV "As for your question before that, I am hoping to get into the Journalist Industry. With photographer under my belt as well."
Unlocking her care, she looks over Mei one more time "You know, I still can't believe your only a senior. Honestly, I would have thought you were starting your freshman year in college if anything." she pauses as she slides into the driver side of her car "So what made your decide to pick up a camera?" she was asking only because she knew for each person it was different.
"Really? That would be great! I've been a little curious what it looks like I just haven't made time to go visit." Truthfully she was a bit surprised that up till now her parents haven't even brought up school or mentioned taking her to go see it. Then again... they were busy getting the house completely unpacked and everything in order. Mei swung her leg over the the pick-nick table seat and fallowed Cora to her vehicle, "You know, I'm not sure whether or not I'll be living in the dorms. Neither of my parents have mentioned anything about it."
Unable to contain a laugh Mei admitted "You're actually the first person to have said that to me, but I'll definitely take it as a compliment." Without much thought she opened the passenger door, slid into the car and buckled her seat belt. 'So much cleaner than Shen's car' She made a mental note to help him clean it out this weekend before he takes off. "I actually didn't pick up my first camera till about two years ago when I was on a hiking trip with my family. It was almost like being immersed in a new world, seeing things in a new perspective and capturing moments in time. Sorry I must sound like some hopeless romantic rambling on." Mei rubbed the back of her neck with her right hand, a tell tell sign she was embarrassed. "What about you, how did you get into photography?"
Krista_Darkangel_Silme
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 7:00 pm
Turning the car over, she glances behind her before pulling out of the parking spot she was it "If you have parents living close to the city, you'll probably end up being a day student. Many of the girls who actually live int he dorms actually come here from out of state." slipping onto the highway, she turns the music on low as she turns on her mp3 player "Go ahead and pick something to listen to. I pretty much have everything there is to listen to." she gives Mei a quick smile before she turns her eyes back tot he road.
She was glad the girl took her comment as a compliment and not an insult. Most people she knew didn't like being told they were older looking. She just thought she was older by the way she held herself.
"Don't be sorry, I actually enjoy learning how people got into what they love. My boyfriend into art him, and he been doing it since I can remember. Though he started by tagging the walls and just trying to get away from his father." with s shrug, she laughs alittle "I actually picked up my camera when I was a sophomore in high school. I joined a club for the hell of it, and the rest is history." it was nothing as romantic as her story, but it was her own.
Turning off the highway, she takes a quick left before she nods to the right side "That your school right there." the campus was gated, but it was pretty huge. There were a couple girls out and about, chatting, studying, and just having fun.
"This is fine," she smiled at Cora "normally I just listen to Pandora and let it pick the songs for me."
Mei listened as the red haired girl next to her spoke about her boyfriend and how each of them got started with their hobbies. It was interesting hearing the methods each person takes to discovering their passion or talents.
Once they had turned off the highway and her school came into view Mei started out the window slightly awe struck "That's my school?" it was more of a rhetorical question, but a question none the less it's huge. It seemed so much more high class and sophisticated than her last school, for some reason she doubted she would fit in very well especially since most people already have their established cliques that had been forged over the past few years is not more.
"I don't suppose your friends ever mentioned which teachers to avoid?" she let out a nervous laugh.
Pixie Krysta Ordreg
x_x So i had replied to this the day after you tagged me... But I saved it in my e-mail and forgot to post it. I'm truly sorry crying please forgive me.
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 10:27 pm
Pulling up to the gated parking lot, Cora types in the code she thought might still work. A grin forming as it slide open to allow her car to pass "Welcome to Crystal Academy, home to some of the most talented girls around the city." pulling into a parking spot, she flips her car off before she turns to Mei. She couldn't help but grin as she shakes her head "No really no, from what I was told, most of the teachers are pretty wicked here actually."
Slipping out of the car, she glance around for a moment. Many girls were on campus due to school starting up soon "This place will help you become everything you honestly want to be. If my family could have afforded it, I would have begged to come here myself. I went to Meadowview." she chuckles for a brief moment as she turns her eyes back towards the building "I think the dorms are the larger building over there" she points towards the right side of the campus, just behind what look to be the music hall.
'If you end up living on campus, that where you will pretty much stay. They are actually pretty nice. You either get a roommate, or you can end up with a room of your own."
Shanyume
I am so so so sorry, RL family drama ate me alive.
Mei sat in the passengers seat in awe at the sheer size of the school campus. Aside from the college campus' she visited back where she use to live, she'd never seen a campus quite like this before. "Wow.." the word subconsciously left her lips without her realizing it. She turned to face Cora when she said that the teachers were wicked "I hope you mean wicked cool and not wicked evil." she replied with a joking smile and a light laugh.
Taking hold of the door handle, Mei gave it a tug so she could get out of the vehicle. Curious when Cora brought up Meadowview, the school she went to, Mei couldn't help but ask "Did you have a bad experience there?"
Turning to look in the direction Cora was pointing, Mei scanned the buildings and walk ways leading to them noting the lack of garbage that seemed to normally litter school grounds at most large campuses. I'm definitely going to need a map she thought. "I'm willing to bet I'll be living at home, otherwise I don't think my parents would have bothered making me unpack everything a few weeks ago when we moved here."
Pixie Krysta Ordreg
No problem I had been on vacation for the past week. Let me know if I need to edit anything.
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:40 am
Cora chuckles as she shakes her head, as she push her bags from her face "Not at all, Meadowview was actually fun for me. I had an amazing guy in my life, was on the swim team for a short time, and that is where my passion for journalism and photography came from." she pause to glance towards Mei "Although, pre-warning, there is a bit of a rivalry between Crystal and Meadowview. " she winks before she shrugs "It didn't really matter to me while I was going to school, though I don't know if that has changed since I graduated."
Giving a small nod about living at home, she crossed her arms under her chest "Make sense, I hope you enjoy the academy. " she honestly meant it, as she didn't hold any grudges against girls who went to academy.
Shanyume
I am so so sorry, rl stress/drama pretty much killed my muses for awhile. Needed to deal with rl before I could come back to everything.
”Thank you for bringing me here especially since we had just met.” To be honest with herself, she probably shouldn’t have willingly jumped into a car with someone she had never spoken to prior to today. Should her parents find out they would likely have a heart attack and scold her, but then again… they did tell her to make friends. Chalk it up to women’s intuition, or something of that nature, but Mei really did feel like she could trust the red-head girl next to her.
”Although, I got to ask.”Mei then turned her head and glanced over at Coraline with a raised eyebrow and a questioning expression. ”This Hillsworth vs Crystal thing you mentioned, is it like a sports rivalry; a ‘my team is better than your team’ kind of thing? Or is it something else entirely?” she inquired. By the sounds of it, it seemed like the dislike among students surpassed the ‘we rule you drool’ mentality that people back home seemed to live by.
Pixie Krysta Ordreg
T__T I was going through old tags and I had assumed I was waiting on a reply but when I checked I saw I never posted my tag to you. I'm mortified it didn't get tagged for this long I'm truly so sorry.
