Three years ago, at 55, I retired early from a Fortune 500 company. In 30 years Id worked my way up to a mid-level management and decided to take the opportunity to pursue my lifetime love of photography as a second career.
My wife Elizabeth and I live in a medium sized city south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Over the years, Id used a local studio for specialty needs and had gotten to know the owner, John, well. From time to time Id even help him on his projects that included commercial work and weddings. Elizabeth, who worked in the cosmetics section of an upscale department store for many years, also did some make up work for John during model shoots. Approaching 70, John decided the time had come for him to retire. After some discussion, Elizabeth and I decided to buy him out and run the studio with me acting photographer and Elizabeth as office manager/make up artist/gal friday. John stayed on for six months showing us the ropes and introducing us to his clients when jobs came in.
One of the most interesting clients was a guy named Roy who made a pretty good living primarily in the lingerie and nude modeling business. Roy "discovered" pretty, local girls to work in lingerie ads for city customers and occasionally national accounts. For those willing to pose nude, hed also peddle photos to a variety of soft core magazines. Roy used studios, including ours for portfolio and sometimes commercial work with these models. Elizabeth would do the make up and Id take the shots.
About a month ago, after a shoot with one of the girls, Roy was sitting in the office with Elizabeth and me shooting the shit as the work week came to a close. Elizabeth brought out a pitcher of margaritas we generally shared in small celebration at weeks end. As the three of us enjoyed the cold drinks, Roy asked if wed be interested in helping him with a project he had going on. The work would be more video stuff as opposed to the still photography I was used to. And, it would be more hard... Læs hele novellen
