Brandon handed me the box of film, opened at every fold to reveal the instructions inside.

"Keep it simple," he said.

And when I looked inside, bullet point number three said, "Keep it Simple-- As you compose a scene, consider the message, feeling, or mood you want your photograph to convey. Eliminate distracting elements and move in close to your subject."

I pulled my eyes up from under half-closed lids to meet his gaze. "Did you read this?" I asked.

"No." he replied, a smile creeping over his lips.

"Then listen," I said just before I began to read to him yet another helpful piece of chance.