Dating a YouTuber?!

Chapter 29: Finishing my course portfolio

I had never been busier than September 2014 and I was partly happy that it was over. I had gone to lectures for the photography course twice a week and our teacher was very strict. She had a harsh tone that I didn't appreciate but damn, was she good. She had an absolute brilliant eye for detail and caught things on the photos that I wouldn't even have thought to look for. 


I had been very invested in the course and done all of the additional reading and exercises that gave us access to. I tried to stay in the background of the auditoriums, partly because it felt safe and familiar and partly because our teacher scared me a bit. Every week everyone had to hand in a photo and we would go through them and Mrs H as she was called, would then point out different flaws and things to consider when taking photo.

She never knew which students had taken which photos and every time she pulled up one of mine, I wanted to hide and disappear into my chair. By the time the course was up, we had to hand in a portfolio with ten photos for examination. We weren't allowed to write any comments besides the photos, as they should be able to speak for themselves. 


We were just finishing up the final lecture and I could swear that I heard a sigh of relief from my fellow course-goers. I sat in my seat looking at my portfolio. I hadn't had problems filling it with photos. I took over a dozen photos every day. Sometimes I would pass an interesting looking building or snap a photo of Nate or Emma or some of the beautiful nature London also held. I had chosen nine so far but felt as if I was still missing one last that should be different and special. 


"Miss Clover," said the harsh voice that I had listened to for weeks. 


I nearly fell off my seat. She had never called upon students using their names and I had thought that she hadn't bothered to learn them. I certainly didn't expect that she would know mine. 


"Oh, sorry. I'll be on my way," I said realising the auditorium had emptied. 


"No, hold up a minute and come here," she told me. 


I daren't disobey her. I could feel my heart beat in my ears and was afraid I would faint on my way to her desk. 
"Show me our portfolio," she demanded.

I hesitated. "You shouldn't see it before the exam, should you?" I asked with a shaking voice. 


"An external censor will look at them as well, now hand them over," she said and I felt my hand shoot forward to give her my portfolio. 


"I've only chosen nine photos so far," I said quietly.

She flipped the portfolio open and looked at the first photo. I had been to the stables near Hyde Park and photographed one of the horses in his stall. I had always loved horses and had gone riding a few times after I had moved to London. Now I didn't go riding that often anymore but I often visited the stables when I needed to relax. Horses were gentle giants and I always felt safe around them.

The next four photos was of London and Brighton scenery, then one of Zalfie hugging, one of Emma looking at her reflection and finally Nate trying and failing to put his hand over the lens. I had handpicked every photo because each expressed a feeling and I felt as if they were alive in their frames. None looked like the other and they were arranged in an order of the lighting; from darkest to lightest.

I fidgeted with my fingers as Mrs H watched with her sceptical eyes.

"You didn't chose a single one of those you presented?" she asked. "I really liked the one of the old man."

I furrowed my brows. How could she even remember that photo and how could she know that it was mine? It was the photo I had taken of Nate's grandfather sitting alone at the table at the wedding. I had loved that photo but I just got a too sombre vibe from it and it didn't fit with the collection that I had created in my portfolio.