Chapter 307 Career
Zhou Xiao felt that collaborating with Hui Anxin before the official shoot was a good thing. This was especially true after the almost nonexistent adjustment period, which allowed her to clearly sense her unique qualities.
Amidst the giant butterfly Christmas tree and the onlookers, Hui Anxin confidently and calmly showcased her "key points." She seemed to understand better than anyone else how to make the Christmas tree behind her even more dreamy within her own presentation. This modeling instinct was fully demonstrated during the second day's shoot.
In the WP guest bedroom hall, a French-style relief fireplace roared with fire, the occasional crackling of oak logs lingering. Above the fireplace were a host of Christmas trinkets: a lit candle encased in a clear glass, a set of snowflake-shaped glasses, red and white candy canes casually inserted into tall glasses... and, of course, the ever-present tumbler Santa Claus.
"Snap" With the sound of burning firewood, a thin hand suddenly stretched out into the picture, and the candy cane on the fireplace with its "back" to the camera was turned back to the front by the slender fingers.
As the camera slowly pans upward, a smiling girl with curly hair appears. Beneath her voluminous, 1980s Hong Kong-style hair, she wears a pair of dramatic gold butterfly earrings, which perfectly complement her fiery red lips.
A dark green slim-fit blazer features romantic butterfly pleats on its lapels, paired with a creamy white polka-dot shirt, a red silk bow tie, and matching trousers. The perfect blend of business and casual, their style feels almost etched into the very fabric of the outfit.
Next to the fireplace stood a tall Christmas tree, its colorful embellishments crowned by the bright yellow monogram "WP." In this small, Christmas-themed room, Hui Anxin had changed into seven or eight different outfits, this one being her final one for the day.
The WP Christmas collection adheres to the classic red and green color scheme. Through the designer's clever pairing and reference to 1980s Chinese decor, the two create a striking visual contrast. This year, this element is incorporated into women's suits. Stylish, fluffy long hair, polka dots, and a bow symbolizing a "gift" add a touch of elegance and playfulness.
Both parties felt that they wanted more than they had to endure during this shoot, but Tang Zhao, who was sitting in front of the monitor staring intently at the screen, was so excited that he almost left nail marks on the cork armrests of the chair.
"This lens language is so beautiful!" Tang Zhao couldn't help but murmur as she watched the photos Zhou Xiao captured. Now she finally understood why Zhou Xiao was so popular in the industry.
Logically speaking, as a supermodel, Hui Anxin is very easy to photograph. Of course, this only applies to the average person. A model's long arms and legs, coupled with their training and experience, make any casual snap look good. This was evident when passersby posted photos of her yesterday, which garnered widespread praise online.
But for professional photographers, the pursuit at this point is no longer just about looking good. How to balance the model's characteristics with the characteristics of the product is a major challenge for photographers.
Standing before the surveillance camera, Tang Zhao, filming with her phone raised, looked like a passerby. Almost every photo that appeared on the screen captivated her with Hui Anxin's positive smile. All of this stemmed from the power of Zhou Xiao's lens.
For Hui Anxin, today's shoot was relaxing and reassuring. From Zhou Xiao's reassuring words yesterday to the entire day of filming today, she deeply felt the power and skill of a female photographer.
After Zhou Xiao called it a day, everyone in the room secretly lamented how quickly time had flown by. Even Hui Anxin, the model in the spotlight, felt reluctant to leave.
"Teacher Xiao Zhou, why didn't you show up earlier?" This was her biggest regret after the two-day shoot. And now that it was over, the next collaboration seemed like a distant prospect.
At the front of the studio, Zhou Xiao, who was lowering his head to put his camera back in place, couldn't help but smile when he heard the other person's words. "Haha, it's not too late to show up now," Zhou Xiao said as he walked over to the monitor, reaching out to hold the mouse and moving it back and forth, responding to Hui Anxin's thoughts.
"Yes, yes," Tang Zhao nodded repeatedly from her chair, gleefully looking at Zhou Xiao beside her. She seemed to have completely forgotten there were outsiders in the studio, and her expression and posture clearly spelled out her desire to continue working together.
Zhou Xiao chose not to accept this striking message. The reason was simply that Tang Zhao's product shoot coincided with XS's. Just a few days before arriving at the WP Hotel, Zhou Xiao had signed the electronic contract sent by XS. Like WP, it was a Christmas-related shoot.
"Teacher Tang, please see if you have any questions. If not, you can leave first." Zhou Xiao looked at Tang Zhao on the side and asked.
The brand didn't send anyone to inspect the shoot this time. Judging from the conversation between Mr. Yuan and Zhou Xiao over messaging apps, Mr. Yuan seems to trust her immensely. He even insisted that her impressions be the primary consideration for all decisions.
This was a response that showed considerable confidence in Zhou Xiao. But this was Party A! Furthermore, the filming was taking place at their headquarters. She even began to wonder if Mr. Yuan wasn't actually in Shanghai...
"No problem!" Tang Zhao didn't get angry when his invitation was rejected. Seeing Zhou Xiao tidying up, he helped out with familiarity. After being in the circle for a long time, meeting such a young face was really comforting.
Photographers like Zhou Xiao, who possess both technical skills and a good temper, are truly rare in the industry. Tang Zhao's success stems from his experience with many photographers who have both bad personalities and bad tempers. In such situations, technical skills and character often have little to do with each other.
…
In the WP Hotel bedroom, Tang Zhao, who had returned to her room, was still curled up on the sofa, flipping through the photos Zhou Xiao had taken of Hui Anxin over the past two days. These photos were all raw photos she had obtained from Zhou Xiao after signing a confidentiality agreement.
"It's just like the rumors say, shot so quickly and so well!" Tang Zhao was more impressed the more she looked at the raw photos. She had experienced countless photographers, but when compared to Zhou Xiao, she felt that no one was as good as him, whether in terms of skills or character.
Tang Zhao, still lost in thought, had no idea that upon waking up, the industry had undergone a profound change. This change stemmed from a bombshell announcement from the official XZC magazine blog in the early hours of the morning.
——A certain blog——
@XZC Official Weibo V: Finally! I can't help but share our joy with all of our fans of "XZC" magazine! The cover of our September issue in China has been unanimously voted the best cover by the global editors-in-chief of "XZC" who met over the past two days! @戴林菲V @周笑V [hugs]
[picture]
The picture is the cover photo of Dai Linfei shot by Zhou Xiao
[hhhh I couldn't help but look at the time of the post. I could really feel the excitement under my skin. He looked really happy! Congratulations!]
If this photo doesn’t win an award, I’ll doubt the judges’ judgment!!!
[Holy crap, this cover even outshines the original "XZC"? I checked it out, and the October original features a couple who won some major awards for Best Actor and Best Actress... OMG, it actually outshines [Shocked]]
This photoshoot is really good, but can you guys stop being so lame later on? @XZC官博V Look at what you guys have been shooting these past two months, it's like heaven and hell [laughing and crying] I can't stand it. After all, it's a top women's magazine...
[Sister Fei is awesome! Beauty is the primary productive force! Thank you, Teacher Zhou Xiao, for promoting the beauty goddess's looks to the world!]
【……】
…
XZC headquarters.
A mixture of joy and anxiety filled the air. Everyone had been waiting for this day for a long time. Some had even stayed at the company since last night, awaiting the "final verdict" from the editor-in-chief.
In the early hours of the morning, the building, which should have been pitch black, was ablaze with light. Unable to contain their anticipation, everyone stayed in the office for half the night.
When the excited voice on the other end of the line came through, when they heard that their selected cover had received unanimous approval from headquarters, everyone's tense nerves suddenly relaxed. In the silence, the deputy editor spoke up, "This is good news! I'll post on Weibo and let everyone who likes XZC know."
The young woman running the account was so excited that she accidentally made several typos while typing the words for the blog post. But no one laughed at her. Lu Shanshan, sitting in the conference room, felt a sense of unreality as she watched her slightly trembling hands.
After the blog post was published, the entire building fell into an eerie trance, the only sound remaining was the occasional "ding dong" of someone refreshing a blog page. After an unknown amount of time, a faint voice finally broke the silence, "Can we still hang our magazine cover on the wall?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to the wall where the "XZC" global excellent cover was hung. After today, "XZC" headquarters and other branches would finally be able to hang their Chinese cover again after a long absence.
"Oh my God, it's been so many years!" "Finally, I'll have a wall cover made by my own hand." "To be honest, my palms are sweaty!" "Who isn't? They're sweaty." "..." The building instantly became bustling again and was filled with sounds again. At this moment, everyone was sincerely happy about it.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the noisy crowd, "Excuse me, has anyone informed Dai Linfei and Zhou Xiao?"
The scene was quiet for a moment, but this time, voices of mutual blame were heard. "This is not my responsibility. Don't look at me. I don't know." "Xiao Lin, did you send it?" "I don't care about this either." "..."
Lu Shanshan, who had been in high spirits, rubbed her head in a throbbing panic upon hearing these words. The excitement of winning the best cover for the September issue had begun to subside. These seemingly accusations of mutual blame were actually directed at only her.
Calmly opening her phone, Lu Shanshan found Zhou Xiao's account in her address book and sent him a congratulatory message. As for Dai Linfei, although she probably didn't need to send any more messages, Lu Shanshan still sent one to him.
Perhaps others didn't understand, but there was no doubt that those with discerning eyes within the magazine could see it. This was perhaps the most glorious moment in the final stages of XZC, and I didn't know whether I should be happy or disappointed with this perfect ending.
I don't know how the anchor's contract renewal negotiations with the headquarters are going. Lu Shanshan unconsciously poked her cheek with a pen and wondered, will they continue the cooperation because of this best cover? Lu Shanshan, sitting at her desk, didn't know.
The tea room was filled with the clatter of machines grinding coffee beans. A yawning clerk complained to his fellow chores about how the "bigwigs" wouldn't drink instant coffee. Though he felt a moment of genuine joy at the honor, the thought of being limited to menial tasks extinguished his interest.
…
Zhou Xiao was woken by Lu An's call. When she saw the time on her phone was 4:30 AM, her sleepiness vanished. A call at this hour? It must be something serious.
Without giving it time to think, she immediately answered the phone. However, the moment Zhou Xiao picked up the phone, all she could hear was the other party's hearty laughter. It was as if she was having a hysterical attack. No matter what Zhou Xiao asked, only laughter came from the other end.
Zhou Xiao held up her phone in silence for a moment, then hung up. She remembered hearing Dai Linfei say that when her agent, Lu An, got drunk and excited, he'd randomly call someone to "share his joy." So, she was the chosen one this time?
Since she'd been woken, Zhou Xiao simply opened her phone and started looking. If nothing else, her curiosity was piqued. Whatever had made Lu An so happy must be related to Dai Linfei. If there was no information online, she might as well ask her directly.
The chat interface was already awash in red dots, many of which were from friends and colleagues who usually stayed up all night. Zhou Xiao clicked on two messages and pieced together the key information amidst the exclamation marks.
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