#Digital SLR Camera

[raven-runes]

above the rim two eyes appear

half moons, they peer below

the well has nothing to reveal

the waste, nothing to show

her middle finger down she dips

in the chalice, old and chipped

on her cheeks, the muck she smears

then sighs, then yawns, then — tears.

stripes of woe

stripes of war

wild, the world is hers

~Tadhg Ó hErodáin

Photo 30.09.24 Canon EOS 600D

Poem c. 2016

[creation-plus]

Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera

The Sony Alpha a6400 is a high-end mirrorless camera designed for professional photographers and advanced enthusiasts. It comes with a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and Sony’s latest BIONZ X image processor, which offers superior image quality, high-speed autofocus, and fast continuous shooting. Sony Alpha a6400 is a versatile camera that is capable of shooting stunning images and videos in…

[amatsuki]

galaxy brain meme but it’s:

🥚 i should buy a new point-and-shoot camera

🐣 i should buy my first mirrorless camera

🐥 i should dig out the family slr from the 1970s and watch youtube tutorials to figure out if the battery is even working and if it’s got film in

[sserrated]

Oh boy.

New DSLR day.

Will still mostly be shooting on my canon eos 600 SLR & Ricoh KR-10m SLR but I cannot wait to take this out on a shoot.

[ziess12]

Visionary Vistas: A Panorama of Camera Lenses in India

Delve into a Myriad of Photography Lenses in India for Stunning Visuals

Immerse yourself in the world of photography lenses in India, where creativity knows no bounds. Explore an extensive range of photography lenses in India, meticulously crafted to capture every detail with unparalleled clarity. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an amateur enthusiast, our diverse selection of photography lenses in India caters to all skill levels and preferences. Elevate your photography game with top-of-the-line photography lenses in India, designed to bring your artistic vision to life. From wide-angle wonders to macro marvels, our collection offers endless possibilities for capturing breathtaking visuals.

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Deciphering Clarity: Binoculars vs Camera Lens

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Discover Excellence: Best Professional Binoculars in India

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[electronicbox]

Canon EOS 1500D 24.1 Digital SLR Camera (Black) with EF S18-55 is II Lens

[sunrisecamera]

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital SLR Camera Body

Buy Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Digital SLR Camera Body online from Sunrise Camera. Offering at the best price with great picture quality and features. Shop now!

[cameracious]

Film Camera Evolution

The history of photography has been marked by numerous technological advancements, and the evolution of film cameras is no exception. From the earliest experiments with light-sensitive materials to the advanced features of modern film cameras, this article explores the major milestones in the evolution of film cameras.

Early Experiments

The earliest experiments with light-sensitive materials date back to the early 19th century, with the invention of the camera obscura and the daguerreotype process. These early cameras used light-sensitive plates to capture images, but the process was slow, complex, and not widely available.

Roll Film

In 1888, George Eastman introduced roll film, a flexible, light-sensitive material that could be wound onto spools and used in a handheld camera. This innovation made photography more accessible to the masses, and Eastman went on to found the Eastman Kodak Company, which became one of the leading manufacturers of cameras and film.

The 35mm Camera

In 1913, Oskar Barnack, an engineer at the German company Leica, developed the 35mm camera, a compact, lightweight camera that used 35mm film. The 35mm camera was a major breakthrough in photography, allowing photographers to capture high-quality images with a portable camera that was easy to use.

Single Lens Reflex (SLR) Cameras

In 1933, the Kine Exakta, the first successful single lens reflex (SLR) camera, was introduced by the German company Ihagee. SLR cameras allowed photographers to see exactly what they were capturing through the lens, which improved accuracy and composition. SLR cameras went on to become the dominant type of camera for professional and serious amateur photographers.

Color Film

In 1935, Kodak introduced Kodachrome, the first commercially successful color film. Color film revolutionized the field of photography, allowing photographers to capture the full spectrum of colors in the world around us.

Automatic Exposure

In the 1950s and 1960s, cameras with automatic exposure were introduced, allowing photographers to set the desired aperture and let the camera adjust the shutter speed to get the correct exposure. This feature made photography more accessible to casual users and helped to popularize photography as a hobby.

Digital Cameras

In the 1990s, the first digital cameras were introduced, which used electronic sensors instead of film to capture images. Digital cameras allowed photographers to instantly view and edit their images, and eliminated the need for film processing.

Conclusion

The evolution of film cameras has been marked by numerous technological advancements that have revolutionized the field of photography. From the early experiments with light-sensitive materials to the advanced features of modern film cameras, each new development has expanded the possibilities of what is possible with photography. While digital cameras have largely replaced film cameras, the legacy of these early photographic pioneers lives on, inspiring and informing the work of photographers around the world.

Source: History of Camera – From Camera Obscura to SLR

[thesargasmicgoddess]

I've been meaning to ask this question but never have. The quality of your photos is just amazing; not simply in the subject (the beautiful and stunning you) but the image quality, the lighting, and the colours.

My question is what do you use to take these photos? Is it a digital SLR, a phone app in particular you'd recommend, etc. And do you ever use post production to improve contrast, crop the frame, blur backgrounds, etc?

I mainly would like to say that I'm always seriously impressed with what you post here, and thanks!

Aww thank you!

I just use my phone. I find that the cameras on phones are such amazing quality nowadays, it's sufficient for what I need it for. Currently, I have a Galaxy S23 Ultra (sorry iPhone peeps, I'm an android girl 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️) and I just use the camera, no app.

We do have a few digital professional cameras, but my husband just likes to use those for landscape photos 🤣🏔🌄🏞

I have a pretty specific style and I think post-production is GOLD--but I don't mean filters and beautifying effects. I'm a stickler about framing, lighting, background (it makes me crazy to have a cluttered background), sharpness, and saturation. If it's b&w, then I tend to prefer high contrast. Shadow and light are just amazing props.

And the context. The story. The authenticity of the photo. That's all super important to me too.

I think attitude is important. I don't shoot unless I feel inspiration. I actually used to shoot a lot more, but since life has been very busy, I don't force it. I do it when it makes me happy or if an idea really needs to be played out to satisfy my curiosity/creativity.

There's currently a beautifully edited shot that I'm mulling over posting for Halloween. It's full nudity, which I dont post much at all. But I usually will post full nudity when I just think the photo is stunning.....so we shall see 🤔

I sometimes wish I had a camera person because some shoots are just hard to frame and execute by yourself.

Here's an example of one of my favorite sets. The framing, lighting, background...just a favorite all around.

[omnipotent-omnicube]

saw a post mentioning the cameras that show up in some of link click and felt compelled to ramble abt symbolism

here's what i'm talking abt btw

i'm gonna be completely honest and say that first off i thought it was just a stylistic choice to include an older type of camera. however i had only initially seen it in the wallpaper and wasn't really aware that it had shown up multiple times so that's why i kinda thought of this

so the camera that shows up a type called a twin-lens reflex camera, or a TLR for short. it's named for it's double lenses ("twin-lens") and the fact that it has a mirror inside ("reflex"). it was used for quite a while, but they dropped in popularity with the development of single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, (and later digital single-lens reflex cameras, or DSLR)

this is what a real-life TLR camera looks like:

the way they work is quite simple -- there's two lenses of the same focal length (which determines how much the image is magnified).

the top lens is in front of a mirror at a 45 degree angle, and the viewfinder is on top of the camera. you look down through the viewfinder, and you see what is visible through the top lens

the bottom lens is in front of the shutter, so when the shutter button is pressed, the shutter releases and the film behind is exposed to whatever light shines through the bottom lens, thus capturing your image

here's a diagram:

now TLRs come with their disadvantages -- pretty much any kind of camera does. one significant disadvantage, which isn't present with an SLR camera, has to do with the parallax, or the displacement or the image due to different lines of sight. have you ever crossed your eyes and seen double? that's an example of parallax

when you take a photo with a TLR, the image that you see vs. the image on film is different because there are two different viewpoints: the top lens, which is what you see, and the bottom lens, which is what the film captures. this often ends up making the photo slightly lower than where you thought it would be. in a more extreme circumstance, there could be something only visible through the bottom lens -- like, say, a fly lands on it. you wouldn't be able to see the fly through the top lens if it's sitting on the bottom lens

now, back to symbolism. there are three things that this can symbolize or imply: 1), how we are being kept from the truth and 2), a different timeline, and 3), the varying perspectives between cxs, lg (and possibly li tianxi, by extension)

point 1. like i said, with a TLR you can't truly see the final image whilst photographing. as the series goes on we continue to realize just how much is being hidden from us. what we are seeing is real (within the link click universe); we're not being fooled by the narrative. this narrative does in fact exist, but it's not the true narrative -- the true narrative is what is seen through the bottom lens, what is captured on the film

point 2. the two lenses represent two universes or two timelines. both what is seen through the top and the bottom lens are true viewpoints; the only difference is one actually dictates what is set in stone -- from a timeline perspective, the definitiveness of the film could represent the key nodes. after all, whatever light is captured in the film cannot be taken back, and whatever key nodes is passed cannot be reversed. by extension, while there is a difference between the two views (and the two timelines), they cannot differ too much. after all, the lenses are still very close to each other. the lenses are bound close together by their structure; the timelines are bound close together by their key nodes

point 3. this is more related to parallax. because of the two lenses, there is parallax, a displacement. one lens is one person's view, while the other lens is the other's view. the story uses parallax as a metaphor -- the easiest way for me to explain it is how in season 2 episode 6, when reviewing the case with liu lan and li fan's deaths, captain xiao remarks that it was a domestic violence case where liu lan killed li fan (and was later killed herself), while cheng xiaoshi, after living through the event as li tianxi, reveals that the truth that liu lan was being abused and attacked li fan out of defense. that represents a type of outsider/insider metaphorical parallax. in a broader sense, currently, we have seen the majority of the series through cheng xiaoshi's POV, with only a few moments of lu guang's actual POV. every time we come close to seeing his POV, it's yet again obscured. we know a lot about cheng xiaoshi -- we know the extent of his ability (or, at least what he knows abt the extent), we know what he experiences in the photos, we know his past. we hardly know anything about lu guang. because of that, the story itself is experiencing a displacement of views -- we only see it from cheng xiaoshi's view, and therefore cannot fully determine what the story is about. because of cheng xiaoshi's unawareness of the full story, we're reaching a blind spot with his view. the only way to overcome this is by seeing lu guang's view -- then, we can view the full story, and eventually, the truth

anyways sorry for rambling. i had to be a nerd about photography for a little bit

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

If you're like me and happen to like water drops on plants, I highly recommend taking a longer look at the fresh vegetable section on your next grocery run. :)

Photos are mine, unedited. The two near the bottom were taken with a phone camera in a different store. All the rest were taken with an Olympus handheld camera whose brightness I turned down. Sadly that camera broke in the cold a long time ago. Haven't have a phone camera that's ever worked as well. I have a digital SLR, but that's an expensive piece of equipment that was my college graduation present. I don't take that out unless I've planned for it.

This one's not in the grocery store; it's from the first time I helped make borscht with my grandmother. :)

[satoshi-mochida]

DreadOut Remastered Collection launches January 16, 2025 - Gematsu

DreadOut Remastered Collection will launch for PlayStation 5 and Switch on January 16, 2025, publisher Soft Source Publishing and developer Digital Happiness announced.

Here is an overview of the collection, via Soft Source Publishing:

About DreadOut

DreadOut is a third-person supernatural horror game where you play as Linda, a high school student trapped in an old abandoned town. Equipped with her trusty smart-phone and an SLR camera, she will battle against terrifying encounters and solve mysterious puzzles which will ultimately determine her fate. Help her overcome the challenges that will stand before her. Survive the Dread! When a group of high school students went astray from a field trip, they came across something totally unexpected. A town long forgotten trapped in a peaceful state of slumber. What they did not realize was what lurks within. And what seemed like an innocent stroll turns into disaster as the secluded town reveals its dark and terrible secrets. The presence of sinister forces from beyond their realm of existence. It all comes down to Linda. She will experience stirrings of unfamiliar powers, emerging from within her. These new found abilities might just be the only way she can save her own life and those of her friends.

Explore a haunted environment in an Asian-Indonesian setting.

Battle against terrifying beings from a supernatural realm.

Solve mysterious puzzles that block your path.

Switch between first person and third person view.

Engage in a thrilling storyline.

Play Act 1 and 2 of Linda’s terrifying journey along with Act 0 (previously released as DreadOut Demo).

Get access to Linda’s unlockable wardrobe.

About DreadOut: Keepers of the Dark

DreadOut: Keepers of the Dark is a new standalone horror game that takes place in the DreadOut universe. In this missing chapter, you will help Linda face the challenges of the DreadOut world with even more dangers lurking within. Follow the event in which Linda was transported by The Mysterious Lady in Red into The Mirror Realm. A portal of worlds that connects it to eight haunted dominions where 13-plus horrific ghosts are ready to greet her in the most terrifying way possible. They will stop at nothing to thwart your main objective: To survive! So, get your smart phone and SLR camera ready and choose your path wisely. The doors you open will decide the outcome of Linda’s fate.

Battle against 13-plus specially designed ghosts originated from the twisted minds of our beloved backers, meticulously implemented into the DreadOut universe.

Work your way through 8-plus supernatural realms in a nonlinear fashion.

Two brand new levels previously unincluded in DreadOut.

Solve mysterious puzzles obstructing Linda’s escape to liberation.

Explore in third-person view and battle in first-person view.

Find out more about Linda’s journey and dive deeper into DreadOut’s grand scheme of things.

New storyline that will shed some light into Linda’s mysterious journey.

Watch a new trailer below.

Release Date Trailer

[takahirokatoh]

To all visitors to umineko stage ep.4

This is an automatic translation so there are probably a lot of strange parts (umistation lol), but please read on. There will be a curtain call photo session from September 6th to 8th. Taking photos will be limited to the camera function on smartphones and cell phones. Digital and SLR cameras are prohibited. And there will once again be a raffle for prizes at the venue. After the show, the winning numbers (seat numbers) will be posted in the lobby. Don't forget to check it. It's very hot in Japan, but the air conditioning will be on inside the theater so you may feel cold. Please bring something to put on over your clothes.

…Rehearsals are in the climax now, but I'm nervous about the approaching typhoon. Well, bad weather is common at the Umineko stage, though.

[analoguemagic]

Welcome

Thank you for visiting my analogue photography blog. I am a photographic student, blogger, Lomographer and black and white film photographer based in East Lancashire, England, UK. I mainly shoot outdoors, often naked. It is natural and organic. I prefer life that way; old school and traditional.

My home town lies amid a wild Pennine landscape which can seem grim and forbidding at times. The post-industrial nature of where I live lends itself to urban landscape photography but natural landscapes are there to be found too.

I shoot on two Minolta SLR bodies: a 1990's Minolta Dynax 7xi with either a 35-105 lens or a 70-210 f4.5-5.6; also an SPxi with a 35-80 Power zoom (my carry around camera). I shoot Kentmere 35 mm film almost exclusively, mainly 400 ASA. I home develop in Ilford PQ Universal to give my shots the gritty graininess which suits the landscape around me. Lately I've begun to experiment with Caffenol - watch this space!

My main gallery is on Lomography so if you like what you see here, check out my art by following this link.

My Lomography home is https://www.lomography.com/homes/pennine_girl

Please like, share and re-blog if you wish. All photos reproduced here are entirely my own work and my copyright. I do not routinely re-blog the work of others.

Thank you to my photographic tutor and husband; professional photographer Martin Williams for the (digital) images of me, on this, my analogue page.

Robyn Jane Williams

[colubrina]

I remember the time I read a whole book about a student photographer and I, the kind of freak who went through a medium format film stage, was bopping along enjoying the composition descriptions until the author referred to a 'film DSLR' and her whole book ground to a halt in my brain and I was like... you have literally no idea what you are talking about, do you? (DSLR stands for 'digital single lens reflex' - you literally cannot have a film DSLR. those are just SLR cameras.) I always wonder what totally dumbass mistake I make in my books because I don't even know enough about the subject to know I should look it up.

[akaridream]

after dark pt. 2: rooftop (hawks x reader)

tags: hawks x reader

cw: cursing, hawks is a flirt, afab reader, mentions of drugs/alcohol, smut in later chapters

taglist: @inkthgoat ​ @pnsduck @mysideeffectsofyou

masterlist

You nearly cried when you saw half a million yen in your bank account Saturday morning. You spent a few extra minutes in bed, grinning at the ceiling and thanking the kami for Hawks. You couldn’t help but think of the smile in his voice and the playful spark in his eye. I should thank him again, you thought. You reached for your phone just as a text came through.

Hawks: morning! the transfer should have gone through by now, lemme know if you got it

You: Yes, I got it. Thank you again, the amount is extremely generous for three weeks. I hope my work lives up to it

Hawks: i’m sure you’ll be worth it :) so for monday, i was thinking we should meet up near the psc hq with enough time for you to give me a quick crash course on taking photos for evidence. I’ve got an ear piece for you too, so we can be in constant contact while we’re spread out

You: Yeah we can do that. Do you have a DSLR?

Hawks: lol what is that

You: Are you serious

Hawks: nah haha its the 21st century, i know what a digital camera is :D i don’t have one though

You: omg good grief Hawks

You: Most cell phones can take pretty good pics these days, so I’m sure yours will be fine. Or I can teach you how to work the SLR and I’ll use my phone since I know what I’m doing

Hawks: ooo I kNoW wHaT i’M dOinG

You: Wow, the attitude. I could always just take your money and run

Hawks: could you tho? i bet i could track you down

You: I could go off the grid and you’d never find me

Hawks: eh, you’d get bored and lonely. plus i have my ways

You: Maybe bored, but I doubt I’d get lonely. Snowy owls are solitary

Hawks: not always ;)

You couldn’t help but blush. His cheeky banter made you wonder how he could be so comfortable with someone he just met. You crafted, then deleted, then rewrote, then deleted your reply again, trying to find the line between professional and playful. He was right, after all, and spring was on its way.

You: I should have known you were going to be a handful, Hero.

Hawks: ;) ;) ;)

You rolled your eyes and blushed again. Goofball, you thought. You just might reciprocate the flirting, once your work was done.

You: Text me when you have something important to talk about, Bird Brain

Hawks: aw c’mon, i’m just teasing ya

Hawks: how does 3:30p monday at the family mart a block east of the psc sound? we can grab some snacks, hang out on the rooftop and take some practice shots

You: No offense, but you kind of attract attention, so going anywhere in public in the light of day with you is going to be a no for me. Nighttime shooting is more involved than shooting in full daylight, that’s when I think we’ll need to practice. How about tomorrow after sundown?

Hawks: you just can’t wait to see me, huh?

Hawks: but yeah, I can make that work. same place, 8p tomorrow. and i’ll grab snacks beforehand, all by my lonesome :’( what kinda stuff you like?

You: Sounds good to me. Nothing spicy. Other than that I’m really not picky. Something salty and something sweet I guess

Hawks: no spice? bummer

Hawks: i’ll hook you up tho. see you then!

You felt childish sitting on the roof with your feet overhanging the side of the stories-high building downtown Fukuoka. The busy street below bustled with life, but no crimson feathers to speak of yet. Your stomach was convinced you were on a roller coaster, slowing ticking up and up and up towards the crest of a great drop. No professional dealings had ever gotten you in knots like this.

What if I’m a bad teacher? What if he’s a total moron and doesn’t understand anything I say? What if I trip over my words? What if I forget something super important and his photos turn out horrible? What if he forgets to take off the lens cap?

Your anxiety and the bracing breeze sent a chill through you. You pulled your thumb sleeves tighter over your knuckles. Cold weather was your comfort zone, but something in the air felt… Different.

You pulled your camera bag onto your lap and fiddled with the settings. The night cityscape from the top of the building made for a nice shot, and it might ease your nerves to practice what you wanted to say in your mind before Hawks arrived. You stood, knelt, leaned, trying to get the composition just right when you sensed a presence behind you.

“Ayo! Getting started without me?”

“Geez, tell the entire neighborhood we’re up here!” you griped, turning off your camera.

Hawks laughed, took off his flight goggles and slid his headphones off to hang around his neck. “Not like we’re doing anything nefarious up here anyway! How ya been?” he asked, sitting down to lean against the half wall ledge next to you, konbini bag in tow.

“Fine, just getting a couple shots of the skyline,” you said before stowing your camera. “How are you?”

“Oh, you know. Same old stuff, chasing cliche thieves and villains. Come check out what I got for ya. Whatever you don’t like I’ll be happy to eat. Cool jacket by the way. Custom made?”

“Oh, this?” you gestured. “I modified it myself actually. All I did was take some cheap track jacket, cut a hole in the back and surged the edges. Well, and I dyed it black.”

“Let me see the back,” he asked, gesturing for you to turn around. You turned shyly, spreading your wings out to compliment the work you’d done. Hawks smirked, impressed. “Very nice. You sew then?”

You tucked your wings back in and sat next to Hawks. “I like to make or modify stuff for my wings at least. Tailors are expensive, plus sometimes I get the itch to do creative stuff.”

“That’s really cool. I may have to commission you for some of my ideas!” he said, pulling out a veritable buffet of konbini goodies. You chuckled.

“Geez, are we expecting guests?” You grabbed a pack of umaibo, one of your favorite crunchy snacks.

“Nah, I’m just a growing boy! Hero work burns a lot of calories, and I haven’t had a break since lunch!” he said as he tore into a famous Famichiki. He offered a second to you. “Saw these right next to the register and couldn’t pass ‘em up. Something about konbini fried chicken warms the soul, ya know?”

You took it, smiling. “These remind me of middle school.”

“Yeah?” he asked. “How so?”

“There was a Family Mart between school and home, I used to grab them all the time,” you said. “Glad you don’t mind being a cannibal.”

He laughed. “Right? People call me that all the time! We can’t help that we’re birds of prey!” His laughter warmed you. Or was it the hot food?

“I always wonder what school was like,” Hawks continued. “I was home schooled. Well, sort of. I never went to regular school at least.”

“You didn’t go to UA?” you asked. “I thought that was pretty much a requirement for pro heroes.”

He shook his head. “Nope, not for me at least. I might have liked to go there, but…” He looked into the distance. “Growing up wasn’t the best for me.”

You tilted your head and looked at him. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

He shrugged and sighed. “Eh, s’just how it is. Things are good now. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about stuff like where meals are gonna come from anymore, you know?”

You frowned. “Damn, it was that bad? I hate that.”

He polished off his chicken and stole some umaibo from your open bag. “Yeah, it was shitty but it didn’t last forever. But enough about me anyway. What’s your family like?”

“Mom was pretty quiet and Dad was super busy, so pretty typical family, I guess. Although I do have a twin brother.”

“Ooh, that’s cool. Where do they all live?”

“Up in Hokkaido,” you said, stealing back your umaibo.

“Damn, that’s far. Anywhere near Sapporo?”

“Mom’s near Date where I grew up, a couple hours southeast of Sapporo. Don’t really know where my dad is these days, and my brother’s way out in the middle of nowhere. He hates the city even more than me.”

“You hate the city?” he asked, leaning towards you.

You nodded. “Too much going on. The noise, the lights, the swarms of people… It’s a lot. My hometown was pretty quiet but there was no opportunity for work there. Sapporo would have been alright probably but… I just wanted a big change I guess, so I picked Fukuoka. So here I am, just trying to cope with my quirk.”

You surprised yourself with how much you said, chalking it up to Hawks’ comforting presence and being a good listener.

“Crazy that you moved across the whole country. Does your brother have a similar quirk?”

“Yep, almost exactly the same. His wings are pretty much pure white, almost no speckles like I have.”

“Ah, interesting,” he said. “You guys close?”

You gave a cynical chuckle. “Definitely not. I’m not really close with anyone.”

He tilted his head. “Not with anyone? Really?”

You shrugged, trying to avoid his eyes.

“No best friend?” he asked.

“When I was in school. But not anymore.”

“No boyfriend?” he asked incredulously.

You laughed darkly. “No, definitely not.”

Hawks furrowed his brow but smiled playfully. “You mean you’re not a total ball-busting heart-breaker?”

You snorted. “Hell no. Try chronically single.”

He chuckled. “I may be high on the public approval charts, but I’m afraid I suffer that fate too.” He tossed you some Winter Melty Pocky. “My excuse is that I’m always too busy, but I wouldn’t mind making time for someone special. Maybe someday when things settle down and villains don’t run the streets some angel will sweep me off my wings.” He had a wistful look in his eyes as he tore through another snack.

“Yeah, I guess I wouldn’t mind that either,” you said.

Your mind drifted back to your middle school days as you opened the Pocky. Your first kiss had been stolen by a rambunctious boy in your class who was dared to play the Pocky game. The popular girls turned him down, but you, not knowing the true intention of the game, waited patiently with the biscuit in your mouth. As his lips crashed against yours, you were confused, not lovestruck as you wanted your first kiss to be. The only kiss since then was a brief make out session at the only college party you ever attended. He tasted of cheap beer and tobacco, a combination that still makes your stomach turn. You never spoke again once winter break arrived, but at least the occasion was consensual.

As you munched on the bitter chocolate, you wondered what Hawks might taste like. You caught yourself and squeezed your eyes shut. Am I insane? I just met this guy two days ago!

“So, the other day you said you don’t trust heroes. Any particular reason why?” Hawks asked.

Your face grew tense. “A few. The hero market is pretty over-saturated these days.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, that might be true. But how does that affect your trust in them?”

You crossed your arms. “I’m not convinced there’s enough crime to go around. I think a lot of them probably take care of a couple high-publicity jobs and go home after an hour’s work.”

Hawks eyed you. “Have you looked at crime statistics recently?”

“Not since college.”

“You might be surprised at them. I’m not trying to say you’re wrong, but crime rates have changed a lot with quirks getting more common.”

“Yeah, and while quirks are a fine explanation for the crime increase and the overabundance of heroes, I’d rather it be police stopping crime. Doing it for the notoriety defeats a lot of the purpose in my eyes.”

“What’s the difference though?” Hawks asked, turning towards you. “Isn’t it good that crime gets stopped, period?”

You shook your head. “Doing something good just because you know people are watching? Seems a little hollow. To me, it’s more about integrity. Heroes should work behind the scenes more and focus on doing the right things when no one is looking.”

He nodded. “I completely agree. So how do you know they aren’t already doing that if all you see are their TV appearances?”

You opened your mouth to reply, but once you met Hawks’ golden eyes, your words died in your throat. Damn, you thought. He’s exactly right. He seemed to know it too, but he didn’t boast. He only continued to search your eyes, his lips upturned in a soft smile.

“So, what do I need to know for your camera?” Hawks asked as he opened a bag of spicy chips.

“First thing, you had better not get any of that spicy dust on it, or I’ll toss you off the roof,” you quipped. You might not mind a touch of spice, if it came from his lips.

“Your threat would be scarier if I couldn’t fly,” he said, attempting to steal one of your Pocky sticks. You swatted the back of his hand playfully.

“Uh-uh, if you wanted some Pocky you should have gotten two, bird brain,” you said, pulling out a stick and waving it to tempt him. “These are my favorite.”

Hawks pouted. “Aw, but spicy chocolate is so good!”

You briefly thought of putting the biscuit between your teeth to tease him with it, just like the old Pocky game, but you could never work up the nerve to be so bold. Instead, you held the stick in front of his mouth and rolled your eyes.

“Geez, if you’re gonna whine about it.”

“You sure?” he asked, holding your eye contact. You rested the Pocky against his lips. He smiled and gently bit the biscuit in half, then chased it with a spicy chip, then ate the other half of the Pocky. He hummed in delight as he licked the flavored dust off his fingers. You scrunched up your nose.

“That is so gross,” you said, laughing.

“Mm, the chocolate on those is even better than the regular ones! Definitely a good combo. You sure you don’t wanna give it a try?”

“Absolutely not, especially after you just licked your fingers!”

He gave a menacing smile and extracted a chip from the bag, loaded with spicy dust. “Come on now, just one won’t kill you.”

“Ugh, no way!” You pushed his arm away, giggling. He easily overpowered you and brought the chip dangerously close to your face. “That smells like fire, oh my gosh Hawks!”

You playfully shoved at each other, laughing as you tried to get the diabolical chip as far away as possible. Hawks feigned weakness and you grabbed his wrist, aiming the chip back towards his mouth. He chomped it, then lunged for you Pocky, snatching it out of your hand.

“You cheater!” you squealed, grabbing his other wrist and struggling with him for control.

“Ah! Damn girl, you’ve got some sharp claws!”

You looked at your hands, noticing your naturally black nails digging into his skin. You released him, suddenly guilty over the half moon marks left in his flesh.

“Oh, geez, sorry!” you yelped. Hawks just smiled and took out a piece of Pocky.

“No worries, I’m tough. I can handle a battle scar or two,” he said, holding the Pocky to your lips. “See, didn’t even break the skin.”

You took the Pocky with your teeth and turned away, cheeks warm. “Maybe I should have for stealing my treat.”

“Didn’t your parents ever teach you to share?” he asked with a gentle elbow to your side.

“They taught me to fend for myself! Now are we gonna goof off all night or we gonna get down to business? We do have work to do tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I just like making you laugh.” His smile made his eyes wrinkle. Your heart stuttered and you couldn’t help but smile too. He’s so pretty…

“Oh, but speaking of work, here’s the ear piece.” He pulled a device from his pocket and handed it to you. “Connect it to your phone and tomorrow while we’re on surveillance, we can talk to each other.”

You examined the compact device. “And what if I get sick of hearing you?”

He grinned and shrugged. “You can always turn down the volume and see how long it takes me to notice you aren’t listening.”

You laughed. “Alright, sounds good. Now, let’s get started with some camera stuff. Do you know what aperture is?”

Hawks pretended to rack his brain. “Hm, that company from the Portal games?”

“We’re gonna be here all night, aren’t we?”

He shrugged. “Only if you want to.”

next (part 3)