And so, the first artist photo photoshoot meeting began.
“I looked up various compositions on my end. Here, take a look at these.”
Saying that, Azuma-senpai swiped through professional artist photos (Ar-sha) on her smartphone to show us.
“There are so many patterns. There’s the one where everyone stands in a line without instruments, the one where they’re holding their instruments as if they’re performing, and the one where someone takes a shot from the side while they’re doing something other than performing... If we were in a photo studio, we could put some meaning into the background, but I’m torn on what fits us best...”
“Wow, there really are a lot of options...”
Ichikawa said, leaning in to look at the screen with admiration.
Azuma-senpai nodded deeply.
“And you see, for me, I really want to push amane as a ‘youth band.’”
“““A youth band...?”””
In contrast to Azuma-senpai’s sparkling eyes, the three of us didn’t quite get it.
“What exactly is a youth band?”
“Well, it’s a band that plays the sound of youth, obviously.”
“Ah, okay...”
Whether Sako was satisfied with that answer or had simply given up because she knew she wouldn't understand any further, she backed down for now. (The latter seemed more likely.)
I didn't quite get it either, but Azuma-senpai’s passion was clear.
“So, this might seem a bit simplistic, but I think it’s better to have something that’s easy to understand as a symbol in the background. That’s why I was thinking... how about taking a photo of the three of you holding your instruments in front of a classroom chalkboard?”
“I think the composition is good, but why only three of us...?”
Ichikawa tilted her head.
Beside her, something else was on my mind.
“I mean, I’m really sorry, Osada-san. We should have talked this through and decided before calling you over...”
When I bowed my head, Osada-san waved her hands in front of her chest.
“No, no, not at all! More importantly, Azuma-senpai, aren’t you going to be in the photo?”
“Yeah, because I’m the manager.”
Azuma-senpai replied to the puzzled Osada-san.
Sako shot her a suspicious look from the side.
“No, you’re a member. The four of us are doing everything together.”
“That’s right, amane is all four of us, including Yuri, you know?”
As the members pressed in on her, Azuma-senpai gave a troubled smile.
“Umm... Of course, I’m happy you guys feel that way, and I have no intention of saying I’m not a member at this point. But even so, I don’t need to be in the photo. If someone who doesn’t stand on stage is in the photo, the people who come to see us will be confused, right?”
Hmm...
I could see where Azuma-senpai was coming from. It wasn't illogical.
However, in her case, I couldn't help but feel that more than logic, it was influenced by a dislike of being photographed or a lack of confidence in her own appearance.
Is that really okay...? Just as I was about to ask,
“I see...”
Osada-san spoke up.
When I looked, she was staring at the four of us with a thoughtful expression.
“...?”
And eventually, she clapped her hands and said, “I’ve got it!”
“Then, how about having Azuma-senpai take the photo of the three of you?”
“Eh, me? No, the quality will definitely be better if Osada-chan takes it. I don't have the skills...”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! Skills are something I can handle just by doing the settings before the shutter is pressed. The emotional part is much more important!”
Wait, is it okay to say that? Aren't photographers all over the world going to be mad at you...?
While feeling bewildered, we decided to take the photo in a classroom for now and moved to an empty one.
On the way, Osada-san said, “Please wait a moment!” and stopped by the Photo Club room to pick up a few things that looked like equipment.
When we arrived at the classroom, we moved the teacher's desk next to the cleaning tool locker and the three of us stood on the platform.
Ichikawa had her acoustic guitar, Sako had her bass, and since I couldn’t exactly bring a drum set, I held a bundle of sticks in my hand.
Actually, it’s kind of embarrassing to think about being photographed like this...
“Azuma-san, please use this camera.”
Osada-san handed Azuma-senpai a camera she had apparently brought from the club room, which was different from the one she had around her neck. It was a cool-looking camera with a bit of a retro feel.
“Is that a vintage one!?”
Ichikawa leaned forward from the platform. Come to think of it, she did like old things...
“No, it looks a bit classic, but the inside is a digital camera. Regardless of the functions, it just looks good, ehehe.”
“Hmm...? It looks good, huh... Regardless of the functions?”
Across from us, Azuma-senpai tilted her head as she looked at the camera.
“Azuma-senpai, could you try holding it for a moment?”
“L-Like this?”
As Azuma-senpai awkwardly held the camera, Osada-san slipped her small frame between the camera and Azuma-senpai’s body, adjusting the settings while looking at the screen and moving Azuma-senpai’s arms.
I see, so she’s setting it up so Azuma-senpai literally only has to press the shutter. Even so, I thought it wouldn't make much difference if Osada-san just took it herself...
She was also looking at Azuma-senpai from the side and adjusting the angle of her face. I don’t know much about it, but maybe there’s some kind of golden ratio for a photographer's posture.
Osada-san, of course, gave us instructions too, like “Hasu-senpai, please step forward a little more” or “Ichikawa-senpai and Konuma-senpai, please swap places.”
After making adjustment after adjustment,
“Okay, this is perfect!”
Osada-san smiled, stepped back a bit, and stood leaning against the window.
“Eh? So, I just press it like this?”
“Yes, don't move your face—or rather, don't look over here. Ichikawa-senpai and the others too, please only look at Azuma-senpai’s camera! Also, Azuma-senpai, you can’t take it with such a bewildered face. Please give me a smile that has a sense of excitement mixed with seriousness!”
“T-That’s difficult... I mean, does my expression even matter?”
“It matters a lot! Please don't underestimate photography!”
Eh? Osada-san, you’re the one saying that? I feel like you were just making statements that underestimated it a moment ago...
“Anyway, smile! Smile!”
I couldn't see her clearly since she was at the edge of my vision, but it seemed she was moving her whole body to tell Azuma-senpai to lift the corners of her mouth.
“I get it... Okay, I’ll try taking it, okay? Now, one plus one is...?”
““That’s so old...”” “Two—!”
Two people from Ichinatsu Town with fed-up faces, and the Archangel who honestly played along. How cute...
The shutter clicked once, but,
“Azuma-senpai and everyone else, please don’t move from there. I have to do the same adjustments again.”
Osada-san’s correction came immediately.
I thought for sure Osada-san would go to check the camera screen, but she quite bluntly started over, saying, “Let’s just consider that a test...”
“So, Azuma-senpai, when I say ‘Ready, set,’ please say ‘Say cheese.’ Otherwise, you won’t smile, Azuma-senpai.”
“Alright, alright, so that’s what you’re picky about...”
I felt like either Osada-san’s ‘Ready, set’ or Azuma-senpai’s ‘Say cheese’ would have been enough, but since I’m an outsider to this, I decided to keep quiet.
Azuma-senpai took a breath and then said,
“Okay, here I go... Ready,”
Matching her, we all raised our voices together.
“““Cheese!”””
In that instant.
At the same time Azuma-senpai pressed her shutter, another camera made a ‘clack’—a much heavier sound.
“Eh, Osada-chan!?”
Azuma-senpai, who couldn't look away, spoke while still holding the camera.
“...Yup. You can relax now, everyone!”
Osada-san said.
When the three of us relaxed and looked over, the Photo Club president was smiling like a mischievous child.
“Ehehe, I got a nice shot, everyone!”
“W-What do you mean?”
“Look at this!”
Osada-san ran over and showed us the screen.
The four of us leaned in to look, and all four of us let out a sigh of admiration.
“This is good.”
“I see...”
“This is truly an artist photo for amane!”
“She got me...”
On that screen was the image of the three performing members of amane, and Azuma-senpai facing them, pointing her camera at them.
“The four of you together make amane, right? The three who perform, and Azuma-san who works hard to make those three shine—doesn't that make one band?”
So that’s why she chose this composition... I was once again impressed by Osada-san’s quick wit and understanding.
“Since you’re together, and since you have such a wonderful relationship, it would be lonely if you couldn't leave a record of it, wouldn’t it?”
As Osada-san smiled gently, Azuma-senpai leaned back against a nearby desk as if overwhelmed.
“Osada-chan, you’re amazing...!”
“I’m not amazing! It’s not that, it’s more like a way of giving back... I was really moved by the school festival. I still remember the lyrics.”
“Ah, the ones from ‘My Song’...?”
At those words from Azuma-senpai, Osada-san smiled again.
“That song was wonderful too! But the lyrics that gave me the most courage were... from the song before the encore, I think. The lyrics were: ‘I’ve decided now that I’ll become the strongest’ and ‘I’ll play this song with everything I’ve been through until today.’”
“It was... those ones...?”
Those were the lyrics to ‘Kyousou,’ which Azuma-senpai had written.
“So, this is my way of giving back. I’m really glad I could take a photo of the four of you like this!”
The music amane created moved Azuma-senpai, moved me, and moved Sako.
And what the four of us created together moved Osada-san.
And the photo Osada-san took would surely move someone else again.
It might be something small, but even so, our emotions chain together, and though it might be humble, it changes someone’s life.
“Thank you for giving me courage that day!”