Chapter 81: Stereotypical

Things were going as Bruce had thought.

Try, explore, take risks... If you have an idea, press the shutter; if you don't have an idea, press the shutter too, start from practice.

Inspiration is often born from countless attempts and collisions, and Bruce's favorite moments to capture are often hidden among them.

When Anson moved, the whole picture came alive.

But.

Not enough.

Far from enough.

Such an Anson had no expressiveness at all.

An excellent model can often use body language, facial expressions and eyes to express emotions and show strength. A photo is a story, even a world.

Anson, who was moving, got rid of the stiffness, but was still trapped in the frame.

It was good-looking, it was indeed good-looking, but he still couldn't feel the vitality.

Could it be that what Bruce was worried about was finally about to happen?

A vase is just a vase after all?

In fact, even if it happened, Bruce couldn't be blamed. He had tried his best and was still trying, but seriously, it was unfair to Anson.

Anson's styling was indeed eye-catching, but the people who were on the same issue of the magazine with him were Hugh Jackman and Brad Pitt.

It was conceivable that all the topics and all the light would not belong to Anson.

Fate is often like this--

After a lot of hard work, Anson won a once-in-a-lifetime magazine shooting opportunity, and it was the coveted "GQ". He could almost touch the traffic and popularity with his fingertips, pushing his fledgling career forward.

But!

He encountered the pincer attack of Hugh Jackman and Brad Pitt. The tragedy that could almost be foreseen, I am afraid no one would remember that Anson was also on the June issue of "GQ", as if this had never happened.

So, is that it?

Just like thousands of vases in Hollywood that are constantly eliminated and updated; Anson is just an empty shell after all? Beautiful skins are the same, interesting souls are one in a million, is this the eternal truth?

Bruce felt a little regretful.

Involuntarily, he thought of the moment when Anson first appeared at the entrance of Pier 39, so vivid and lively.

"Bright."

This was Bruce's impression of Anson, a unique temperament.

Then, Anson in front of the camera at this time, although he had made great progress, still did not find that amazing feeling, the whole image was flat and boring, which made Bruce a little disappointed.

So what was going on?

Was it because that scene was purely Bruce's own wishful thinking, and the so-called brightness didn't exist at all; or was it because Bruce still hadn't found the correct way to open Anson.

"I should try."

Bruce thought.

Unexpectedly, Gretel asked, "Bruce, what did you say?"

Bruce then realized that he had actually said what was in his mind--

Should he try it? 

Because of his professionalism, Bruce also wants to take responsibility for his work. Since the project has started and the payment is in place, he should fulfill his duties, shouldn't he?

Also, because of Anson, even in a brief encounter, Bruce was deeply impressed by him. The entire working process was smooth and comfortable.

Thoughts surged in his mind.

Raising his head, Bruce looked at Anson.

Anson hadn't noticed the commotion here.

Because the shooting paused, a staff member came forward and used tissues to gently dab Anson's forehead and neck, absorbing sweat without ruining his makeup.

Anson was drenched in sweat.

He looked like a high school student playing basketball under the sun, his eyes clear, his smile bright, his whole body overflowing with vitality that even the sun paled in comparison.

Anson said something, and all three staff members around him laughed, the air filled with joy.

This was the Anson that Bruce wanted to capture.

Quietly, Bruce pressed the shutter again, recording this scene. Although it wasn't part of the planned shoot, it was more vivid than any previous photo.

Perhaps, Anson was the unique one among the cookie-cutter Hollywood stars.

He wanted to capture that.

Then.

Bruce's last bit of hesitation disappeared, and he became determined. He looked back at Glatt with a firm gaze.

"Glatt, how many times have we worked together?"

Glatt was puzzled, "Many times, Bruce, many times."

Bruce nodded, "We've worked together so many times, but I've never interfered with the stylist's work because I know that's not my expertise. It's best for me to keep my mouth shut, otherwise I'll just make a fool of myself in front of professionals. But similarly, in front of my expertise, others had better keep their mouths shut too."

Glatt was a smart man and immediately caught the implication in Bruce's words, "You intend to change the styling?"

Bruce took a deep breath and solemnly nodded in affirmation, "Yes, we must change the styling. Although I don't want to say this, but this outfit is restricting Anson's vitality."

The air became slightly quiet.

Because the shooting had stopped, the staff paused their work, and no one spoke. They could all sense Bruce's low mood.

Although Bruce hadn't said anything, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that he was still dissatisfied with his work.

At this moment, they overheard the conversation between Bruce and Glatt, and everyone held their breath, their eyes filled with a storm.

Including Anson, he also noticed the commotion here, and gazes were cast in their direction.

The seemingly ordinary conversation fermented in the air, the temperature quietly rising, the tension of shock and astonishment stirring up a tsunami of emotions in their minds.

They all knew what this meant.

For a magazine like "GQ", all the inner page shoots were not done casually. They needed to arrange the styling according to the theme of the issue and set different fashion combinations for different subjects.

Some clothes were sponsored, some were rented, but in any case, the designers and stylists would complete the matching based on the theme, and these combinations themselves were the core content of the magazine.

People flipped through "GQ" to get fashion inspiration and follow trends, while the text was secondary, only to be read when bored.

In other words, each set of styling was part of the magazine's content and had been discussed many times.

Like today, Anson was scheduled to shoot three sets of clothes, and all the styling from head to toe had been arranged, including the opinions of the stylists, makeup artists, and the editorial department.

Generally speaking, for magazine on-location shoots, the stylist didn't need to be present because everything had already been finalized in the editorial meeting and wouldn't change. The actual work was supervised by an editor like Glatt to ensure its smooth completion.

Of course, there were exceptions.

Like Hugh Jackman.

Like Brad Pitt.

For their shoots, the stylist and even the designer would personally go to the scene to ensure the effect of each outfit, and modifications could be made on the spot. Occasionally, even the editor-in-chief would appear to accompany these superstars during the shoot, making it a social occasion as well as work.

However, Anson didn't have such treatment.

But setting that aside, now, Bruce wanted to change the styling?

So, in the absence of the stylist, the photographer was trying to usurp their role?