Chapter
Next Morning.
In the morning, we awoke smiling at each other.
We agreed we were to be discreet about our romp, and after a quick coffee, the sexy sisters left for work.
I followed them five minutes later, the amount of time it took to get my car out of my garage.
I wanted to see the potential studio.
If it was suitable, see what it would cost to set it up, lighting, props, electrical points, a little office for editing and anything I thought I might need after viewing it.
When I arrived, Eve and Abigail met me at my car, all business-like.
I was glad to see them in business mode, but it was difficult for me not to imagine them naked in my bed.
Abigail said she would introduce me to her immediate director boss as I followed her to his office.
He was about my age, was fit, as the modern terminology goes, well dressed and fuckable in my newfound conquest assessment, and yet he looked harassed, and it was only eight fifteen.
Abigail introduced me to him as Neil Drummond and gave him an update on the proposed arrangement she had offered me but added in a retainer of five hundred pounds per month.
She stated they wanted, in return for paying market rates, the first option of selling my prints in their outlets.
She looked at me.
''As for the detailed discussion yesterday, I think this covers the conversation, Eliza?"
I just nodded and was pleasantly surprised at the retainer.
Neil said.
"That all sounds great to me. I hope you like the studio area and it is all fine. If it is, I will get an agreement drawn up for you to look over and sign."
We shook hands. I thanked Neil and left to see the studio area with Abigail.
As we got out of the office, Abigail said.
"Don't say anything about the retainer. I know I dropped it on you, but there is a reason I will explain when and if you agree to the arrangement.''
The original buildings of The Maltings are generally old industrial places, a lot of them in areas that people who visit there were not usually aware of.
We rounded the corner of a building, unlocking one of the two gates across an entranceway to a cobbled yard about twenty feet long and twenty-five feet wide. Facing the gateway in the end wall of the building was a newly fitted wall of glazed modern windows, two stories high, with a wooden door set in the centre of the lower glazed window. Abigail unlocked the door and entered the building.
"This is it. Your first studio, I hope."
Abigail swept her arms around the space that measured approximately sixty feet long and forty feet wide, she informed me, continuing, pointing upwards and explaining to me that behind glass panels forming the balustrade fitted across the width of the building, which was back six feet from the glass frontage was the remaining studio space, almost the same size as the ground floor, adding there are kitchen facilities, toilets, shower, etc. upstairs.
"At the back of the building is a loading deck, wide doors and a goods lift for access to both floors."
"Let's look."
She said.
I trailed her around and was made speechless by this place, knowing straight away it would make a fantastic studio.
I was excited but nervous as I took in everything.
Abundant daylight, through windows at each end of the building, good access, a clinical look, cleanliness, and plenty of power points suspended in two lines down the length of both areas.
"Well what do you think?"
Abigail asked.
"Yes! It is a deal, It is amazballs."
I smiled.
"Lets agree an hourly rate and I am good to go, just one thing I need to sort out."
Abigail looked concerned as I went on.
"I am committed to a visit to America, it's for eighteen days from the first of June as I am visiting my Daughter Mandy. Is that going to be a deal breaker?"
She visibly relaxed and shook her head.
"That is fine we can work around this."
Abigail was a clued-up young businesswoman.
"The rate for a commercial photographer is between four and five hundred pounds a day of seven working hours, plus studio cost, expenses etc. and we would expect to pay that sort of fee. Our payment terms are sixty days from the end of the month the work is invoiced. We do take a discount for quicker payment if suppliers offer them. Can we agree on a day rate along these lines Eliza?"
I suggested four hundred and fifty pounds a day to start with till I picked up speed on the work, maybe increasing the rate after three months."
We shook hands on the deal and hugged each other effusively, although rather chastely by comparison with the previous night.
We were both pleased with what we had agreed. I looked forward to setting up the studio and getting started.
I took a few snaps of the place of my soon-to-be studio with my mobile phone and suggested a coffee together if she had time.
We left the premises, locking up as we left my first studio.
Abigail said she would meet me in the cafe and asked me to order a coffee and toast for her as she needed to pick up some things from her office and tell Eve the news.
She found me at a table about ten minutes later, sat down and handed me a folder with leaflets of photographic lighting equipment, a draft agreement with rates and retainer written in by hand, a list of the company's internal phone numbers, a staff discount card, two sets of keys for the 'studio', the contact details of a sign maker and a note signed by Abigail and Eve welcoming me to The Maltings.
"Wow, you are keen and on the case, aren't you Abigail."
Astounded by her efficiency and enthusiasm, I thanked her profusely.
Our coffee and toast arrived, served by a young waitress, whom Abigail greeted as Mich and advised her to look after me as I had joined the team.
Mich said.
''Welcome aboard the good ship, Abigail."
That seemed an odd thing for Mich to say. Abigail just smiled at her broadly.
My phone buzzed insistently.
I had called Stephan as I got a table in the cafe, hoping to get some advice on lighting, and he was returning my missed call.
"Do you mind?"
I asked Abigail, indicating I wanted to take the call. She shook her head as her mouth was full of toast.
I connected with Stephan.
"Hi handsome."
The endearment brought quizzical looks from Abigail.
He hesitated before answering.
''What do I owe the pleasure of your call? You are not about to cancel our voyage of discovery, are you, Eliza?"
I chuckled and explained I wanted advice on studio lights and why. Stephan asked where the studio was and said he would be here in about half an hour as he was in Woodbridge, picking up something for his boat.
I indicated where the building was and then finished the call.
I tucked into my toast, and Abigail smiled at me questioningly.
"An admirer?"
"A friend and fellow photographer, with a studio in Shottley."
I smiled back.
"He happens to have a boat and a yacht too."
I laughed.
At my studio, I opened the gates to the yard and unlocked the door to the soon-to-be studio as Stephan rolled up, driving a British Racing Green Aston Martin, top-down, him looking suave, grinning when he saw me and at finding the right place.
He was out of the car in a flash, giving me a hug and a kiss.
"How exciting, that you are opening a studio, what a great location, this is the studio?"
He said excitedly, as I nodded.
We went into the space arm-in-arm.
He has looked around in wonderment, exclaiming the place's advantages, interspersed with some "wows" and some "my god, wonderful" and such like.
I excitedly told him about the whirlwind offer, the discussions, and how quickly it happened and explained that it would give me a purpose in life coupled with expanding my hobby.
''I need advice, and who better than a fellow tog and friend of the only bit of family I have.''
''If you have time, will you point me in the right direction, Stephan?''
"I have just driven up from London this morning and have not been home yet.''
''I may have something in the car that might help you come with me,"
I looked at him, wondering what he meant, as we went to the car boot, which he opened.
I was surprised to see all neatly boxed. Five Elinchom flashlight heads with stands, cables, a beauty dish, snoots, cowls, and leads. The car boot was not large but was full of lighting gear and his camera case.
"Wha.... what, how, why do you have all this, err? You didn't know till I called you?''
Stephan explained he had the lighting gear in his car as he had been to London to photograph a fashion model in a big old house, so he needed the lights for the photoshoot.
The upshot was he insisted that I have them to use while I sourced what I needed for the studio.
I offered to pay for the hire of his gear. He shook his head and said.
"You can sit for me for a few shots as a thank you, as that would give me greater pleasure than a payment.''
I said I would. At this point, I didn't want to sit for Stephan. I wanted to sit on him and kiss him.
Stephan and I unpacked the lighting and set it up. He gave me a few tips for lighting, furnishings, people, the colour temperature of the lights, and the camera settings for the lights. Generously, he loaned me his studio light meter and flash triggers to fire the lights. We tried out his settings with one of his cameras. All good!
It was mid-afternoon by now. Being busy setting up the flashlights, we found time had flown by.
He rang an accountant friend and got a registered company for me from a few choices of off-the-shelf company names offered.
I settled on buying a company registered as East Coast Images Limited, trading as Suffolk Photography and Studio.
Having Stephan's help and advice had me up and running.
I felt I was flying, excited by it all.
I still needed various insurances, a bank account, an accountant, stationery, a desk, and a computer with editing software loaded.
Enough for today.
We were both hungry, so I asked Stephan if he would allow me to cook dinner for him at my cottage.
