Who: Mel and Mal What: Nude Photography Where: The Aiolos Ranch When: BACKDATED to that Sat night this was planned for Warnings: General Nudity
It was evening, with the sun going down and lighting everything rather nicely. Near the road to Nick's father's house, Mel stood leaning against her car, with Shadow laying on the ground at her side as they waited. She'd already gone through and figured out the things she wanted to do that night, and made the needed arrangements. It was all to be a surprise, and that meant keeping it to as few people as possible. She wondered, idly, if she'd be able to keep the street image she'd set up previously with the mortal. Most likely not.
Usually Mallory was never late - working with Dahlia had beaten that habit into her brain. However, she had spent a little extra time double and triple checking everything to make sure all she would need was in the car. Five minutes after the arranged time, the photographer pulled to the address, cell phone in hand ready to call. Of course, she realized she didn't necessarily need to as Mel was already out waiting for her.
Once the car was parked, Mallory hopped out and gave her client, so to speak, a grin. "Sorry I'm a little late..."
Mel shrugged and pushed away from her car. "Not a problem. I finished prep a bit early." Namely, she'd been surprised that there weren't as many people around as she'd expected. She reached into her car and grabbed a backpack, slipping it over an arm. "Do you need help help carrying anything?"
Mallory shook her head, and opened up the back to her own car to pull out all those nicely packed black duffel bags stuffed with equipment. Never hurt to come prepared. "Nah, I'm used to lugging this stuff around," she replied and nodded for Mel to lead the way.
Probably for the best. Her stomach was shown enough to clearly show her pregnancy at this point, and lifting heavy things wasn't exactly advisable. Leading the way, she walked along the grass of the property toward a stable that was visible ahead. Shadow stood and began to follow along. "How's the photographer's life?" she asked softly as they began to walk.
"Could be more productive, I suppose," she said with a shrug - not that it could really be seen underneath all the bags. "Sometimes I wish I had that one stroke of luck, ya know? The one right person seeing the right picture and boom, I feel like I've accomplished something." But, not yet. So she had to hope and keep to her classes.
If that wasn't an opening for a request for a muse project, she wasn't sure if she'd ever recognize one. And she needed one. "What do you want to do photography for? Galleries, magazines, fashion?" She'd known some people to have a specific goal.
"Well, the galleries would be the top goal. You know, the artsy-fartsy people coming in to pay way too much money. At least once things pick up. Get into those art magazines too. But I've been a model's assisstant for long enough where I could probably pull off the fashion magazine stuff." While that wasn't necessarily the path she wanted to take, it certainly helped to watch those photographers in action. Certainly came in handy in times like this.
"Fashion you get requested and people can pay serious cash. Gallery, you tend to make our own calls more." At least, that had been her experience with it. She hadn't had much to ever do with the fashion world. Nearing the stables, Shadow jogged ahead happily to investigate. He knew the area, and that Mel was watching for others. "My boyfriend is big into horses and riding," she explained, with a brief nod to the building.
"Yea, it's not necessarily about the money. Sure - it helps, but it's more about expression than money to me. Models just don't do it for me." She nodded at Mel's explanation, "I can see that. Used to ride myself."
"Maybe we'll get some shots tonight that you can use in a portfolio," she mentioned as she entered the barn, heading straight for Mercury's Pride. She'd worked toward getting a favorable attitude out of him toward her, and had brought a few treats to continue to encourage good behavior. "This is Mercury's Pride..." She hesitated, and glanced to Mallory. She was the photographer, but the shots were to be a gift for Nick. Holding out a hand for the horse to sniff first, she then began to rub his head. "When did you ride?"
"Maybe. This is more for you than me," she said and took a good look over Mercury's Pride. Almost made her feel a little nostalgic for home. "Rode for years, up until I moved. Raised on a farm in Vermont. I had more animals for friends than real people," Mallory said with a small snicker. Didn't bother her none, though. She was supposedly a nymph, wasn't she?
"Sounds like some other people I know," Mel mentioned about the animals, thinking briefly of Pan and some of the others of her family. She glanced about the barn and found a bridle for the horse, moving to easily slip it on. "I thought some shots riding, and maybe some side by side or something might work. If your up for it, we'll do a wide range, and pick through it later."
"Wide range works," Mallory found a good place to drop some of the duffel bags and breathed a sigh of relief once the weight was off. "I brought lighing equipment. We'll do some naturally, and some with the help of the light. If the sky doesn't cooperate, we won't get anything good out of night-shots."
Mel nodded. That had been one of her passing concerns. Her own backpack had been dropped to the floor as she entered, and she peered outside to see if the sun had fully set yet. "We've got just outside here that we can use, some grassy open areas, and the edge of some woods as well. Any idea how you want to start or where?"
"Let's head out to the field, that'll at least give me a start," the brunette replied with a nod and began to rummage through her bags to pull out a rather expensive looking camera and a smaller bag, or her gaget bag, as she called it. "Lead the way."
Taking the reins of the horse, Mel lead the way out of the stable, grabbing her back pack as she passed it, and heading out toward one of the hilled fields. She mentioned some command to Shadow as he trotted at her side, and the dog took off ahead at a run. He knew the area well enough to not get lost, and this way, he could actually be a watch dog for them. "How's the model and her husband treating you?" she asked, keeping with the role she first set up when they first met.
Mallory walked only a few steps behind Mel, wiping down her camera with a cloth. "Well enough, I guess. They split up all of a sudden, and working for a pregnant model isn't easy, I'm learning." Not to mention that things have just been weird. Well, they were weird before, but it had gotten a little bit creepier in the house since Dante wasn't around.
Mel blinked, and turned to glance back at the photographer. The marriage she knew about, but... pregnancy? "When did she get pregnant?" she asked curiously as she continued to the lead way, managing not to frown as she asked the question.
The brunette shrugged. She was too busy paying attention to her camera than the frown Mel was trying to hide. "Not sure, haven't been paying much attention to the timespan of things. Month? Maybe two?"
If it was already two months... Mel decided she'd question Hades about it if she got the easy chance, or once she decided how to phrase it. "They tell you any reason for why they split? Or was it something all for show and the tabloids?" Coming to a nice grassy area, she paused and looked around.
"Not sure, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't for show," Mallory replied with a small frown. She was curious about it, but never bothered to ask. She looked up when Mel stopped in front of her and looked around, figuring this must be one of the spots Mel was thinking of. There was some moonlight to go by, but perhaps not enough. "Might have to do a few shots with the lighting, just in case," she muttered.
Mel shrugged. "You're call. You're the photographer, I'm just the fat lady you have to look at." She dropped the reins so that the horse would know to stay in place, and looked around for Shadow. Not seeing him, or anything one else, in sight, she looked back to Mal. "What do you need me to do?"
Mallory threw Mel a frown. "You're pregnant, not fat." But, moving on, she took another look around. "Well, I suppose we can get some starter shots of you on Mercury's Pride. Good warm-up."
She'd let her reply go unsaid for now. She tended to go hot and cold about the pregnancy. "Clothes on or off?" Mel glanced around, only now realizing she'd forgotten to bring the step stool with her to help her up onto his back. Mal might have to help with that.
Once again, Mallory glanced up at the sky. "On," she answered, "Give it a bit to see if the clouds clear a little. The more moonlight we have, the better the nude shots will be." That said, she took a quick second to judge and pulled out one of the lens from the bag and set the bag on the ground. Then, she noticed Mel's slight dilemma. "Need a hand?"
"Yeah..." She rubbed Merc's bare back to him know what was coming, just as Shadow came back into view and sat down to watch a short distance away. Getting onto a bare back horse, pregnant... This idea wasn't sounding nearly as good as it had at the start.
Hanging the camera around her neck, Mallory walked over and helped Mel up onto the horse gently. Well, as gently as she could. Once Mel was up and settled, she backed away. "Just ride normally, not at a full gallop, though." Mal would do the rest.
Nodding, Mel gathered the reins in her hands, took a moment to resettle herself on the horse, and gave him the single to walk, starting slow and easy as she began to ride around the area before bringing it up to a trot.
As soon as Mel started off, Mal was snapping off photos. She had plenty of film for the night, and probably more than that. While Mel was riding, the photographer moved around a little to catch this or that in a few frames, though never strayed far from her bag. After she felt she had more than enough material to go through for this part, she lowered the camera, glanced up at the moon, and called, "Light looks good enough for the nude shots, if you're ready."
Mel nodded and brought the horse back to where the photographer was standing, letting her help to steady him as she awkwardly made her way down and off. Once she was down, she took a moment to just stand there, bracing herself, and made a face. "This shortness of breath is annoying." Once she was steady though, she went to her bag, and awkwardly managed to pick it up. A short search brought out a carrot that she gave to Malory for the horse, a slight weight robe, and a small jar of a body glittery dust. She examined the jar. "I doubt this will show up, but do you want to try it anyway?"
"Wouldn't know," she commented and let the camera rest against her chest again. "Wait on the glitter. No one is going to see it for the riding shots, but if the moon keeps cooperating it'll be good for the close-up posed shots." Mallory said with a smile and a wave of the carrot. "I think we'll be good with a few calm riding shots, then still ones of you on Mercury's Pride, then beside it and such."
"That sounds good." She let the powder disappear back into the bag with the other small horse treats (and human treats, if she were honest) before working to get off the clothes that she'd been wearing. She didn't bother putting the robe on, and took a brief moment to run her hands through her hair. As she did so, she debated about giving Mal some inspiration. Do it now, or later? Closing her eyes to focus, she prepared a small amount, like a thread, of what she hoped was pure inspiration, and not tainted by that of her domain. Walking back to the waiting pair, she waited for Mal to help her up once more, intending to use that opportunity to let the small power flow. "I don't know what you think about it, but my boyfriend also has a small collection of cars I was thinking might be good props to pose with as well. Not tonight, but maybe tomorrow if you're free and willing," she mentioned off hand.
Mallory helped Mel up onto the horse once again, giving a little shiver just after the first contact. "As long as I know when beforehand, I can make arrangements to be available." She said and stepped back once Mel was seated and she got a good look at the image in front of her. One look and the ideas flew - which, if she wasn't trying intently to keep them around, she would have been curious about. A rush of inspiration like that wasn't something she'd felt in a pretty long while.
Mel gave no outward notice of the shiver or any hint about the ideas that were now coming to the photographer. It felt good for her to be able to give someone who had actual talent a push, and she didn't notice her own discomfort nearly as much. "My schedule is really open, so tell me what works best. I just have to keep prying eyes away." She shrugged. That's what lying was for, right? Once up on the horse, she rubbed his neck and looked Mallory. "Ready?"
"Go for it," she said, and once the go signal was given the camera was up and she was once again lost behind the lens. They had the chance to talk about time later. For now, she was apparently in the zone, or so it felt as she snapped shots off. Every bunch of frames she quickly switched out a lens or extension, took off or added attachments with pretty impressive speed for someone who was in mid-shoot without calling a pause.
And Mel did much as she had before, waiting for any instructions to be given and following them as best she could. She knew better than to interrupt someone in the zone, and simply gave her choices to work with, riding in different directions, at different paces, and even trying to change her posture some. Thankfully, Mercury's Pride didn't seem bothered by it at all.
The cooperation of the horse was certainly working in their favour, just like the jolt of inspiration was working in the favour of both women. Once Mallory felt she had enough shots of Mel riding and perched atop the horse at a standstill, she waved her off, and offered herself to help with the dismount. "I think we're done with the more physical stuff now," she said with a grin.
There was an audible sigh of relief from the muse as she let herself be helped down, clinging briefly to the hand as she tried to maintain balance. She'd have to remember this if she ever thought about pregnant bare back riding again. At least the pay off would be good. But seeing the grin, she managed a small smile of her own. "Good. I think both of us will be happy for the break. How are you doing?"
"Good," Mallory replied and plucked her bag off the ground, and went to grab Mel's robe for her. "Do you need a bit of a break before we continue?" She didn't imagine that riding a horse while pregnant was easy or particularly comfortable. But, it looked pretty.
"Thanks." She took the robe and slipped it on, looking around her for someplace good to sit. But, at the moment, there wasn't much unless they moved in the direction of the woods. "I think I have some chips in my bag..." she mentioned, wondering if food really was the best option just then.
Towards the woods was indeed their best option, but as heading that way was her plan anyhow, she nodded in that direction. "Might want to let your stomach settle a little bit first," she added. While she knew nothing about pregnancy, it sounded like a good idea at least.
Mel rubbed her bulge and considered. "... Probably." Taking the reins once more, she gestured for Mallory to hand her the backpack so that she could carry that, with her clothes stuff inside, before heading toward the woods. Shadow came from the minor hill he'd been resting on down to the women and walked at their sides, completely at ease. "So am I keeping you from any hot date or anything tonight?"
Mallory took the bag and slung it over her free shoulder without question, and shook her head. "Nah. Usually I either stay at home and help out Dahlia, or I'm with my boyfriend somewhere," she said. Well, technically boyfriend. They never really talked that part out, but it felt very much like she wasn't wrong in assuming it.
"What's your boyfriend do?" she asked as they walked to the trees, welcoming the small break from riding.
Mallory couldn't help the smile. "He's a musician. Plays down a Vice a couple nights a week."
Vice, Mel'd heard of that place. "A photographer and a musician. Almost sounds like a gamble. Is he good?"
She nodded. "Very. Wouldn't be far off it all if I said he was the best I'd ever heard." Once they reached a good spot, she placed the bags on the ground and her hands on her hip as she looked around. They were well enough toward the treeline, and plenty of moonlight was hitting them at the right angle. Perfect.
"But you aren't biased or anything," Mel mentioned, teasing gently. "I might know someone in the music world, if he's into that. I could try and make some art contacts for you too if you have any samples I can show around." Ah, subtle Mel. At least it'd be easier then showing the nudes she was getting done for a gift.
Mallory only grinned. "Think he's got an agent. Piper something-or-other. But the art thing, well, I certainly wouldn't turn that down." She said rather honestly. There was a nice portfolio set aside for just those art contacts if any came along.
Piper? Her sister already had the boy in hand? Well, he probably was good then. She'd have to ask her sister about that later. "If you get me some things to show, I'll see what I can do," she mentioned, hoping that she still would have the knack for getting a good gallery showing.
"I'll bring some along when we go over the shot from tonight to pick out the good ones," she said and began to rustle through her bag. If they were going to finish it all tonight, they'd better get back to it. "Well, you ready to finish it off with still shots?"
Nodding, Mel stretched a bit and looked around them, trying to guess what would work best, and deciding once more to simply leave it in the photographer's hands. Plus, the sooner they finished, the sooner she could go for one of the snacks stashed in her bag. Moving near to Mallory, she reached to the mortals face and pretended to brush back some hair as she gave her another small thread of inspiration, before backing up once more. "Tell me where you want me, artist."
Summary: Mel and Mal meet up to do the nude photos Mel requested and chit chat some in between shots.