Exposure • Tamber

Chapter 1: Failing Club

Amber watched nervously as her professor thumbed through her portfolio. She tried to act like she didn't care- but this was one class she actually did give a shit about. She ran a hand through her dark hair and began to chew on her bottom lip.

Her professor slowly flipped the page, tapping her chin with her finger slowly, before flipping another page. "They are good." Her professor spoke lazily, flipping the page again.
Amber smiled slightly, feeling a bit relieved. Coming from Professor Weathers, that was a huge compliment. She had work published in multiple magazines, as well as installations of her work in galleries across the country. If she said your work was good, it was.

"But.."

Immediately her smile was replaced with a frown.

Amber's professor shut the portfolio and handed it back to her, "It's lacking emotion."

Amber stared at her blankly.

Her professor sighed, "Look. You've got the skill. Technically, everything is great. But there is nothing behind it. They are just photos." She shook her head, "They are pretty. But I want more than pretty. I want to feel something."

Amber clenched her jaw. She had spent all semester working on getting those photos and in a few seconds her professor had completely dismissed them. Amber watched her professor walk out of the room, leaving her standing there completely frustrated. She had to figure out what her professor meant if she was going to convince her mother that she could actually make a living doing this.

She dropped the folder on the table in front of her and slowly opened up the cover, looking back over her own photos. Weathers was right. Lines, lighting and angles... they were all there. But they were just pictures.

Amber sighed and shut the book harshly. She didn't know what she needed to do to give it that extra thing. But she needed to figure it out.
Looking up at the clock she realized she had completely missed her first class of the day. What made it worse was the email she had gotten that morning from the professor of that same class asking her to meet with him.

Coffee.

If she was going to have to deal with anyone else that day, she was going to need coffee. A lot of it.

—

"College is hard." Tara grumbled as she dropped down onto the bench next to Mindy.

"Uh huh," They replied without looking up from their book.

Tara slid the straps of her backpack off her shoulders and set it on the ground, "Did you even hear what I said?"

"Uh huh," They repeated automatically.

Tara rolled her eyes before smirking, "oh look, there's Anika." She said cheerfully.

Mindy automatically looked up with wide eyes, "Where?" They looked around before realizing Tara was completely lying. They glared at her playfully, "very funny."
Tara chuckled and tilted her face up towards the sun.

"Now that you have my attention, what did you say?" Mindy shut their book and set it down on the bench, finally giving Tara their attention.

Tara smiled over at them, "I was just saying... College is hard."

Mindy rolled their eyes, "Come on Carpenter, you've been doing this for a year now. That shouldn't be a surprise."

"I know but seriously, this semester is killing me." Tara pouted and let out a sigh.

"Let me guess, Professor Macher's class?" Mindy grabbed their book and started shoving it in their bag.

"How'd you know?" Tara grabbed her backpack, catching on that Mindy was getting ready to leave their bench.