The Photographer - h.s

The release

Vic

Harry's album drops tonight at midnight and to say he's anxious is an understatement. I haven't seen him all week, he's been going from interviews, to meetings, to rehearsals, back to back to back. He texts me throughout the day when he gets a minute, he sent me a picture of my stuff shirt today and I started to get excited.

It was just a black shirt with a white collar that said 'Photographer' on the back of it so people can try and stay out of my shot when it's an option. I'm so giddy and also terrified for the show tomorrow, this is my first high profile shoot, if this goes well and is admired like the cover shoot, this could so helpful in building my credibility in my line of work. I'm also so excited to see Harry preform this album for the first time, he's preformed his singles before but this is the album he's been working on for months and months now. I just feel honored to be included in this process for the past 2 months. The soft rumble of my phone vibrating caught my attention and I grabbed it from beside me.

From Harry:
Be ready in 20 I've got a surprise

I shook my head and placed it back on the table sitting between me and the television. I checked the time and the clock read 10pm... I was debating texting him back and telling him it was too late to be going out, but honestly I was just shoot to have him reaching out for plans after not seeing him all week. I got off the couch and changed from my pajama shorts into some black sweatpants and slipped on my sneakers.

10:30 rolled around and there was a soft knock at the door, I opened it and there he was, with that smile that can outshine the sun.

"Harry Styles, you're 10 minutes late." I said and she chuckled and stepped aside waving me out to follow him.

"I had to stop for gas, sue me." He said and I smiled at him as I stepped out and locked the door, following him down the hall and to the stairs. We got into his car and he had soft music playing on the radio to fill the space.

"So, where are you taking me?" I asked and she smirked and kept his eyes on the road in front of him.

"We're gonna go look at the stars."

-

We pulled up to the path from a few weeks ago and I smiled, we stepped out from the car and I walked around the front meeting with him, letting him take the lead. I had my flashlight on my phone as he held his in one hand and pulled me along by my hand behind him. We walked through the trees before coming to the opening that looks over the city and the soft glow of the lights was comforting. We walked closer to the edge and I looked out at the scene, it's still as breathtaking now as it was the first time I saw it a couple of weeks back. We took a seat on the ground and and turned to me and smiled softly.

"The album is released in an hour." He said softly and looked back to the lights for a moment and then back to me with a nervous look. "The album is released in an hour, and I want to know if you'd listen to it with me... beginning to end. I want to hear it one more time before I release it to the world. Before it's no longer...mine." He said and I couldn't help but smile, he wanted to share this with me while it was still just his. He wants me to listen with him, in his favorite place.

"There's nothing I would love more." I said to him and his smile grew bigger as he pulled out his phone plugging his headphone into the jack and handing me one and putting the other in his ear, I placed mine in my ear and he scrolled on his phone and looked up to me and took a deep breath and pressed play and the soft music began playing.

"Meet me in the hallway, Meet me in the hallway
I just left your bedroom. Give me some morphine. Is there any more to do? Just let me know I'll be at the door, at the door, Hoping you'll come around
Just let me know I'll be on the floor, on the floor, Maybe we'll work it out." His voice was angelic and the words he sang were even more so. The song was, absolutely amazing. 'Sign of the Times' began playing next and although I've already heard this one when he released it as a single, but listening with him makes it feel like the first time I've heard it again.

"This next one is 'Carolina'" he said and he smiled with excitement and played the next song, the upbeat intro with the sound of maracas was a fun change from the first two.

"She's got a family in Carolina
So far away, but she says I remind her of home, Feeling oh so far from home
She never saw herself as a west coaster
Moved all the way 'cause her grandma told her "Towns, better swim before you drown"
She's a good girl, She's such a good girl, She's a good girl, She feels so good..." the energy of this song was contagious and fun, written about a girl he met for a few days while he travelled. We continued listening together in silence for the exception of him introducing each song before they played.

I would steal glances of him while he listened Intently, his jaw clenching every now and again, a small smile playing on his lips, and I could tell when there were moments that made his chest swell with pride with what his work has turned into, and he should feel nothing less than proud of his album, there is not one aspect of it that I am not loving.

The last song finished playing and and he placed his phone on the ground beside him and we took the buds from our ears and i handed it back to him. I feel like I've seen a another part of him. He's shared this very personal album with me, I got to sit beside him and feel him.

"Harry... I'm speechless." I have no words to give him for how amazing I find him and his music. His words and the way he writes is unreal, and the passion he put into every single line is astounding. I don't think Harry Styles will never not blow me away.

"I'm terrified, to be completely honest." He said and he shook his head looking back to the view. He was tense and his jaw was clenched, he was so worried about how his album will be perceived that he hasn't stopped for a moment to think about what's really important.

"Harry, this album is... amazing. It doesn't matter if anyone likes it or not, what matters is if you are proud with the work you have produce. The only thing that matters, is if you're happy with what's in front of you." I told him and he nodded subtlety and looked to me. I looked to the skyline and pointed to a building. "See that light? That's a man sitting at his desk, a glass of whiskey next to him, piles of paperwork organized around his office, as he stresses himself out over finishing some bullshit assignment before his deadline." I said to him and he pointed off to a different direction and nodded once.

"That one? It's a family of 5. Husband and wife just tucking away into bed after getting their kids off to sleep and making sure the dog is fed and taken out. They're just about to shut off their lights and call it a day." He said and the image of this small family ran through my mind and made me feel warm and happy, I wonder if he pictured the breed of their dog too, in the life that he created for them.

"And that one." I said and I let my arm fall and I looked to him, he glanced quickly to see me looking at him before turning his gaze back forward. "That one is a young man, who just spent months working on a project for his job. He finished a while ago but tonight is the night it's presented... he has no idea, but he did an extraordinary job." I said softly and he looked back to me a smiled, I looked down to my phone and checked the time to see the clock displaying that it was finally midnight, and looked back at him with a wide smile.

"Harry Styles, you just released your first album."