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[atypical_echo]

You’ve reached Mark, for some reason. It’s 2022 apparently, last I checked - just text me. Or, you know, leave a message if you must.

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[atypical_echo]

They deserve some credit. People might want some of their guidance. Not me. I can't afford it, clearly. Poor artist is a state you rarely grow out of.

[It's going to be worth it. If only it wasn't also a bar, Mark would be a regular. As it was he returned to the table with his camera bag and took out a lens to get it on his camera.]

I'll start with the bar. General rule, any liquor bottles you have with really obvious labels and logos, could you turn them away from the bar? I know it will take some time, but it's the easiest and quickest way to avoid any accusations of advertising.

[robintohood]

[Jason nods and walks over to bar to turn the bottles]

Yeah, I get it. Don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Thanks for letting me know.

And hey, maybe you'll hit it big too. I'm making sure your credit's all over these photos.

[atypical_echo]

[Mark wants to laugh at that.]

Nah man, I doubt it. Weddings and christmas cards and family news letters for me. I'm trying to see if I can get that wonderful playhouse to let me do some promo work for them too. But hey, every step counts, right?

[He'd help with the bottles, but he's not touching those. Instead he needs to get the lights moved so he can do some flash tests.]

[robintohood]

It's better than nothing at least.

[It takes several more minutes but Jason steps back once he's done with with the bottles]

How's that?

[atypical_echo]

Looks great.

[Tempting. They look tempting. So he fiddles with a setting.]

You should move, let me get these flash tests done, make sure I'm not blinding us.

[robintohood]

[Jason nods and steps away from the bar to let Mark do his thing]

[atypical_echo]

[Good. Mark starts to take a number of flashes, adjusting the light levels until he's got something he likes.]

Nice. This is totally good. Now let's see what pictures I can get before the voice of Joanie in my head says 'Mark you're hyperfocusing'

[robintohood]

["Joanie?" Interesting...]

Well, you got plenty of other things here to focus on if that helps. Come on. I'll show you the private rooms.

[Jason leads Mark towards the back of the first floor]

[atypical_echo]

Hold on.

[He does grab more than a few shots of the bar, ones he's certain he likes, before he goes to follow Jason. They can carry things when needed.]

Don't worry about it. What my sister doesn't know won't get me lectured.

[robintohood]

What? You got a habit of taking a million shots or something?

[atypical_echo]

[Mark winces, which he figures should be enough of an answer.]

There may be a bit of a history.

[robintohood]

Well, you got me to guide you around at least.

[Jason opens the door to one of the cheap karaoke rooms]

[atypical_echo]

Yep, it's a relief. And you probably aren't legal to serve until you op-

Oh wow.

[That's a good room. Dammit Jason don't tempt him to be a regular over how great this looks.]

This is so cool.

[robintohood]

Thanks. I figured the cheap rooms have to be simple but still nice enough for people to enjoy.

[atypical_echo]

They're going to enjoy this. Damn, you're just a born business man.

[Good thing he brought his camera. He flips on the light and takes some shots that way, and then another few with the lights off.]

Let's get one with the screen active, if it's ready.

[robintohood]

Thanks. And sure thing.

[Jason turns on the screen and leaves it on a colorful screensaver]

It's been interesting getting the place set up.

[atypical_echo]

How long have you been working on the place?

[Another few shots, and a few moments of reviewing his shots on the screen of his camera.]

[robintohood]

A few months.

[Actually, less than two but that might raise some flags if he says that]

The hardest work was renovating the whole place.

[atypical_echo]

I can only imagine. It's not my area, but I had friends who were even bigger architectural buffs than me, and they could go on about their dream projects, and it sounded like years.

[Finished with the shots, he nods.]

Alright then, what next?

[robintohood]

The mid-tier rooms and the VIP rooms.

[Jason leads Mark to the next set]

So how long you've been a photographer?

[atypical_echo]

Wow, I wonder how much comfort level change you're running for those.

[He follows obediently.]

Fell in love with it in high school, much to my father's disappointment. Oh well.

[And he can't even talk about his literal degree in it, because it wasn't in this world.]

[robintohood]

Clearly it has its perks though.

[Jason opens the door to a mid-tier room.]

[atypical_echo]

[Well, this one is going to be harder to shoot.]

What, getting an early tour of what I hope to be the hottest new place in town? Yeah, that would be a perk. But I didn't go into photography for that.

[robintohood]

Of course. So why'd you get into it?

[atypical_echo]

Other than not being the science person? I don't know. The arts called to me. The first time I played music I knew I wasn't going to be hard sciences. And then I got my hands on a camera in an elective class and realized I could show people from my eyes.