Pinhole, Higher Learning
Copyright© 2024 by Fanlon
Chapter 11
After we turned in our film, I was ready to go home after a long week. I didn’t know what all was planned for the weekend, but I hoped some of it would be taken up with getting supplies for the darkroom.
“So, what did Jeff want in there?” Jerry asked.
“He was probably just apologizing for being an asshole,” Angie said.
“Nothing like that.” I smiled at Angie. “He just asked if I wanted to join some photography club thing,” I answered, matter-of-factly.
“He what?” Jerry and Angie both looked stunned.
“Jeff asked you to join the club?” Samantha and Alyssa echoed at the same time.
“Yeah, what’s the big deal?”
“You have no idea what just happened, do you?” Jerry still had a shocked look on his face.
“Should I?”
“Uh, yeah!” my whole team answered together.
“Dude, it’s not just some club. No one really knows all that much about it because they don’t just let anyone in; I know that much already. I don’t know what you did, but whatever it was, be thankful you did it. Trust me.”
“Cool.”
I was interested in the club once Jeff invited me. After talking to Jerry and the girls though, I couldn’t wait to find out what this club was really all about.
Monday, I showed up to Professor Zarnick’s class excited and ready. I was the first one there and debated on whether I should head back out to the foyer and wait for my team to show up. I didn’t, instead taking the same seat I had on the first day. Second row, as close to the doors as I could get.
I watched as people started filing into the room, passing me by on their way to their seats. Some of them smiled or nodded at me, others just ignored me all together. When Jeff showed up, he bee lined it right to me. He didn’t say anything, just offering me a folded piece of paper. I looked at it and back up to him, but he was already climbing the stairs towards the back of the hall.
“What’s that?” Samantha asked.
“Oh, it’s from Jeff.” I stuffed the paper into my backpack at my feet.
“Good idea, hide that before Jerry—” she cut off mid sentence and I paused with my bag half zipped, looking up to see what was going on. “Too late.”
Jerry was only a few steps away tailed by Alyssa and Angie. I quickly finished closing my bag and used my right heel to push it under me so as to not draw attention.
“Whispering secrets before class, hmm?” Jerry pinched his chin, giving us an appraising look.
It was obvious now to me that Jerry was dramatic. If the clothes hadn’t given it away, the way he overacted everything only cemented it further. Prime example, his pose last Friday.
“Just sit down.” Samantha rolled her eyes. “Not everything is about you, and you don’t need to be the center of attention all the time.”
Jerry just laughed and took a seat next to Samantha as Angie and Alyssa took the next two seats down the row.
Professor Zarnick showed up, and the whole class went silent as he took position in the front of the room.
“Today, we are going to go over lighting, and, more importantly, how to use it to convey specific moods...”
Just before the class ended, Professor Zarnick announced that we would each have an individual critique of our portraits from last Friday.
“We’ll start with you, Josh. We’ll get yours done first because you don’t live here on campus. Come see me in my office right away.”
I got up from my seat, suddenly extremely nervous. My hands were visibly shaking as I picked up my backpack. Not wanting everyone to see how terrified I was, I hurried out of the classroom and into the hallway. Thankfully, Professor Zarnick was already making his way down to his office and I hurried to follow him. I thought I heard one of the girls from my team call out to me, but I didn’t even pause in my haste.
Professor Zarnick walked into his office, letting the door shut as he went. I wasn’t sure what to do for a moment as I just stared at the closed door in front of me. I raised my trembling hand towards the doorknob but stopped short. I took a deep breath, curled my fingers into a fist and knocked three times. It wasn’t a loud knock, but hard enough that anyone already inside would know I was at the door.
“Come in!” I heard Professor Zarnick call out.
I opened the door to find a small room with two desks. The room was large as far as offices go. It was well-appointed with artwork hanging on the walls, where there weren’t bookshelves stuffed full of various volumes of books.
The first desk was along the wall by the door. It was the smaller of the two. The back desk, Professor Zarnick’s, was clean aside from a tray that held a manilla folder with a stack of white papers inside. He was standing next to a large desk chair watching me.
“Come in, Josh. Have a seat.” He pointed to one of the two chairs that was facing the desk.
I did as he asked and sat down, dropping my bag at the side of the chair and clasping my hands together in my lap.
“How was your first week in a college setting?” Professor Zarnick smiled, and I relaxed, slightly.
“It’s different. I mean...” my words trailed off; I didn’t know what else to say.
“I know what you mean. I remember when I got to college well.” He leaned forward, softening his voice. “I can only imagine how big of a shock it was for you. After all, you’re still a high school student.”
I chuckled nervously, and my face flushed at the sound I made which got Professor Zarnick laughing.
“Let’s go over your submission from last week.” Professor Zarnick grabbed the folder from the tray and started sifting through various portraits until mine was uncovered. “Here, is this how you intended it to turn out?”
I leaned forward and took the offered portrait. As I looked it over, I leaned back into the seat. Right away I knew the pose wasn’t right. The shadows I had thought would be there, weren’t. Everything Professor Zarnick has talked about today in class should have been right here in front of me. Sadly, it wasn’t. At least not to the degree I had planned and envisioned as I took the picture.
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