Return of the Genius Photographer

The place I hurried to was a bookstore.

The moment I stepped in, I was greeted by the rich scent of books.

I took a deep breath, savoring the smell, and headed straight to the back of the store.

I was here to find books related to photographer Jung Woong.

‘Research comes first.’

As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. To take great photos, preparation is essential.

First, I needed to decide on a subject.

Second, I had to clarify the purpose of that subject.

Third, I had to figure out what best conveyed that subject and how to capture it most effectively.

Photography is essentially the culmination of these preliminary thoughts and the reflection of the photographer’s deliberations captured by the camera. A photographer who isn’t prepared won’t be able to take good photos, nor even press the shutter, even when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself.

That was why I had come to the bookstore. The task Jung Woong gave me was to create a photo that could be displayed at his exhibition, but more than that, it had to be a photo he himself couldn’t take.

It wasn’t an easy challenge, but I decided to simplify my approach: I would treat Jung Woong as my client and aim to deliver a photo that would surprise him.

To do that, just like I had done before, I needed to understand my client—Jung Woong, in this case—what kind of person he was and what his preferences were.

Luckily, this client was a photographer. And what better way to understand a photographer than by looking at the photos they’ve taken?

Although I had some memories of Jung Woong from my past life, the person I knew then and the one now were bound to be different.

‘There’s so much…’

After circling the bookstore twice, I had gathered quite a few books—photo albums and autobiography by Jung Woong, critiques of his works, and more. The amount was overwhelming.

The good news was that since he wasn’t someone who appeared frequently in the media, I didn’t need to look for things like interviews. But the problem was that I already had more than enough material. The sheer number of photo albums was staggering, with albums categorized by year and theme.

Considering that every photo in these albums had been meticulously chosen by Jung Woong himself, I couldn’t help but wonder how many photos never saw the light of day. I had known he was prolific, but seeing the volume of his work was truly impressive. No wonder he was considered the best in the industry.

‘Well, I can’t just sit here and read all of these. I’ll take them back to my studio.’

If I tried to go through them here, the entire day would be gone. Besides, I had enough money to buy them all and bring them to my studio, where I could take my time reviewing them.

It would also be convenient to have them on hand for quick reference if inspiration struck.

Just as I was about to leave with my stack of books, I heard someone call my name.

“Woojin? Is that you?”

I turned around to see an unexpected person.

“Young-ho? What are you doing here…?”

I was genuinely surprised. Out of everyone I knew, Young-ho was probably the last person I’d expect to see at a bookstore.

“What? Surprised?” he asked, smirking as if he could already read my thoughts.

“Yeah, I never would’ve guessed. What brings you to a bookstore?”

“Why else? I’m here to check out some books.”

He waved the book he was holding as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The book had “Cooking” written on the cover in large letters.

“A cookbook? Why are you reading that?”

“I was just curious. You know, thinking about what I might do to make a living later.”

It wasn’t just a cookbook he was holding. He also had books on writing techniques, computers, and other career-related topics. It seemed like he had been giving a lot of thought to his future recently, which explained why he’d been studying so hard at school.

It was a noticeable change from the Young-ho I remembered from the future.

“Look at this punk, thinking ahead. That’s admirable.”

“Geez, sometimes you sound like such an old man.”

Young-ho responded, as if he found it ridiculous. After scanning me up and down, he spoke again.

“You look… pretty overwhelmed.”

It was only natural for him to be curious. I had crammed as many books as I could into my bag, but there still wasn’t enough space, so I was carrying a hefty load in both hands. Not only was there a lot of them, but they were heavy, making it a struggle. Young-ho’s timing couldn’t have been better.

For the first time, I was genuinely glad to see him.

“Perfect timing. Help me carry some of these, and I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“No thanks.”

Of course, that’s what friends are for when you’re struggling… Wait, what?

“Come again?”

“I’ll help you if you call me ‘hyung,’” he said, chuckling. It was clear he saw this as a golden opportunity to mess with me.

“Seriously, when else will you call me hyung?”

“Forget it. I was planning on using my money to treat you to something nice, but if you don’t want it, fine.”

“Wait! Hold up! Hold on a second!”

When I turned around without the slightest hesitation, a flustered Young-ho quickly grabbed my arm, panicking.

“Hey, I was just kidding! Don’t leave me hanging like that…”

Stopping me in my tracks, he took a few of the books from my hands and continued.

“Alright, then just treat me to a meal and grant me one favor.”

“A favor?”

His attitude had definitely shifted to something much more respectful now. What kind of favor could he be asking for?

“My sister is entering some kind of competition, and she needs someone to take pictures for her.”

“Sister? I didn’t know you had a sister.”

(T/N: I didn’t know you had a sibling moment.)

“Yeah, I’ve got a younger sister. Don’t you remember?”

Digging through my memory, I vaguely recalled someone. I hadn’t really crossed paths with her much, so saying I “knew” her was a stretch, but…

From what I could recall, she was the opposite of Young-ho, someone who was quite studious.

“Anyway, I mentioned that I have a friend who’s good at photography, and she asked if you could help out.”

Young-ho scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed to ask for a favor.

“What kind of competition is it?”

“I’m not sure about the details. Something to do with design? Or drawing?” he said, shrugging his shoulders, clearly unsure.

“If you agree, I can ask her for more information. Or you could talk to her directly.”

“I can’t right now, though. I’ve got something important on my plate.”

As much as I’d like to help a friend, the timing was just off.

“It’s no rush. She said she still has plenty of time. The competition is about a month from now.”

“A month? Alright, then let’s talk again closer to the time. I should be free by then.”

“Great! Hand me more of those books. I’ll carry them for you.”

Once I agreed, Young-ho eagerly grabbed more books from me, clearly happy with the arrangement.

Not that I needed him to go this far… but hey, since he offered, why refuse?

After sealing a promise that might happen sometime in the future, I led the way with Young-ho toward my studio.

*****

“Hello! What brings you here today?”

As soon as I stepped into Jung Woong’s studio building, the receptionist who greeted me the first time recognized me immediately.

“Oh, you’re that student from before, right?”

“That’s right. Hello.”

I bowed my head in greeting, and Young-ho, who had followed me in, did the same. With both of us awkwardly balancing books in our arms, it was probably a funny sight. However, the receptionist simply smiled, seemingly understanding the situation.

“Are you heading to your studio?”

“Yes.”

“Here, take these.”

The receptionist handed both me and Young-ho badges.

“Everyone wears these inside. It’s to differentiate between guests and staff, so don’t forget to wear them.”

After handing us the badges, the receptionist gave us a quick reminder.

“And be careful not to wander into anyone else’s studio by mistake. Some people can be quite sensitive while working.”

I nodded, fully understanding the warning.

Jung Woong’s studio, true to the size of the building, was filled with numerous small rooms that photographers used as workshops, alongside various spaces designated for shooting. Other photographers often rented these spaces, making it a popular location. The facilities were top-notch, and the fact that Jung Woong worked in the same space only added to its appeal.

Rumor had it that this entire building was originally a private space exclusively for Jung Woong, but aside from his personal floor, he eventually opened up the rest for others to use. It only further cemented my respect for him.

“Your studio is on the second floor, so just head up there.”

“Got it, thanks.”

Following the receptionist’s directions, I soon arrived at my own little studio. In one corner was a wooden desk with a desktop computer, and in another was a bookshelf filled with space for my work materials, along with a whiteboard attached to the wall. Though it wasn’t a large room, it had everything I needed. With a little bit of rearranging, it was just the right size to shoot small-scale projects, like cosmetics.

I had mentioned it before, but I always preferred cozy studios like this one over vast spaces. It was perfect for focusing. And just by the look of the desktop, I could tell it was much better than my own ancient computer, which took forever just to boot up. I’d been thinking of upgrading, but now that I had this studio, I could probably delay that purchase a little longer. After all, even an old computer grows on you after a while.

I hadn’t really thought about it until I stepped inside, but now that I was here, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. I had assumed that getting my own studio would be something far off in the future, but now it was a reality. Having a dedicated space outside of home to solely focus on photography felt like a weight had been lifted from my creative wings.

“Whoa… What is this place? It’s awesome!”

Even Young-ho, who had been cautious and slightly intimidated up until now, couldn’t help but express his amazement as he entered. It seemed the tension had melted away.

“Wow, you’ve really made it, haven’t you?”

Young-ho, who was barely old enough to have had any reason to visit a photo studio, let alone a place like this, was clearly impressed. Even as a complete photography novice, he could tell this space was something special.

“Enough, you fool. Just help me sort out the books.”

Ignoring his comments, I started organizing the books we had brought. As I placed the books and unnecessary items from my bag into the room, it really started to feel like my own space.

Just as I was about to turn on the computer to start some work, I was interrupted.

“Hey, aren’t we leaving? It’s already time for the last bus.”

Checking the time on his phone, Young-ho spoke with concern. We had spent more time at the bookstore than expected, and now that we had just barely unpacked, it was already time to head home.

Honestly, I would have loved to spend the night here, immersed in my work. But staying out overnight was a different matter….

I hesitated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons—spending the night working versus facing my parents’ wrath the next day. But eventually, I stood up.

“Yeah, let’s head home.”

There’s always tomorrow to get started on my work. After all, I had resolved to take better care of my health, which meant no more all-nighters.

With that decision, I packed up and left the studio with Young-ho. Outside, the darkness had already settled in, and the streetlights illuminated the way as we walked toward home. A hint of regret lingered in my steps, like breadcrumbs scattered along the path, reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel.

But as I left behind my small regret on the streets, I promised myself I’d be back here as early as possible tomorrow.

Meanwhile, at the same time, a rumor was beginning to circulate in Jung Woong’s studio.