My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 189: Men need to be in charge, just poke and release the air frequently

You also need real skills.

If this was just an ordinary roadside photo studio that couldn't gain any bargaining chips in the national competition, Wei Dong wouldn't even give it a second glance.

But before, Weidong was just asked to walk around and take a look, without any in-depth understanding.

There was still an hour or two before lunch, and Manager Zhang kindly took me to visit the workshops in the back and upstairs.

It was completely different from what he thought the photo studios were, which were the only wedding photography studios that would still exist 20 or 30 years later, even though Weidong had only seen that kind of photography on the Internet.

The front of the photo studio is not big, just enough to display a few fixed background scenes.

But the backstage area is not small, with a darkroom for developing photos, a medicine pool, an enlargement workshop, and then a film-producing room crowded with a bunch of experts.

There are colorists who are worried about losing their jobs. Since the early days of photography, there were no color photos, or color rolls were extremely rare, so they could only use oil color on black and white photos;

Flower Spot King is specially used to fill the spots left by moisture or dust on negative photographic paper;
The most outrageous thing is the king of retouching. It’s really hard work, time-consuming and eyesight-consuming, to tamper with the film!
Even if it's not the 135 film for home cameras, the negatives from the photo studio are not that big. It can create dimples for an average-looking lady.

This is just artificial beauty. No wonder city ladies save up enough money to take expensive artistic photos.

That is to say, behind the photographer that Weidong thought there was at most a photo developer, there were actually a large number of such developers each doing their own job.

Manager Zhang proudly introduced that it was similar to the Queen's Restaurant across the street. It was precisely because of the period when Jiangzhou was the temporary capital that all the masters from all over the country were concentrated in Jiangzhou, so this kind of skilled talents had a heritage that was unparalleled in the country.

Moreover, the photographer is more dependent on the cooperation of all aspects of the team, so once an ace team is formed, it is difficult to dismantle it and return to his hometown to start a business.

During the past two or three decades of public-private partnership, the master-apprentice inheritance system has been continued, and the technology has not been interrupted.

Wei Dong vaguely remembered something at this moment: "You guys only take pictures?"

Manager Zhang quickly produced the studio's business license and said, "We actually have a wide range of business scope, but we're very cautious. We're protecting ourselves from potential regulatory violations. We've been through so many ups and downs over the years."

Weidong took a closer look at it, and damn, this old photo studio was actually defined as a "crafts and arts factory"!
But come to think of it, this workshop employs so many craftsmen, and the photos they make are truly works of art.

The business scope of this arts and crafts factory therefore included: "Photography, news photography, design, production, publication, and agency of various types of advertisements, retail and binding of books and periodicals, sales of photographic equipment, paper, cultural supplies, related electronic appliances, professional contracting of building renovation and decoration projects (Grade II), sales of decorative materials (excluding hazardous chemicals), sales of cotton, linen, chemical fibers and their products, operation of pre-packaged foods, accommodation, teahouses..."

Just seeing all kinds of advertisements for design, production, publishing and agency made Weidong numb.

The advertising agency rights of the magazine affiliated with Pingjing are just an empty shell. A careful examination shows that the agency rights are definitely only for the "Convenience Guide". How can it be qualified to be the agent for the advertising of Zhuanertai?

It is because the management in this area is not strict now, or because people deliberately let the water flow to raise fish to see the effect, that clever people can take advantage of loopholes and cheat people if they have the qualifications.

But the qualifications of this photo studio are real, and it is a legitimate advertising company.

Wei Dong pointed in surprise: "Can this actually be advertised?"

Manager Zhang was still confused: "Yes, many of the signs on the street outside were designed by our craftsmen. We also edited and created the advertising posters. We can only enlarge them to octavo size at most. How to add words and how to create photos and text on book covers are all our jobs."

Weidong finally understood. In the days before computers and Photoshop, all this work was done by these kinds of photo studios. "How many photo studios like this are there in Jiangzhou? I mean, the ones with advertising qualifications."

Manager Zhang said proudly, "Jiangzhou? There are only two in the whole of Shuchuan. There's a time-honored brand in Rongdu that's far inferior to us. But there's also a qualified Jiangzhou municipal art and advertising company that forcibly pried two apprentices from us!"

He pointed across the street and said, "There's also a family portrait photographer upstairs in the Queen's Restaurant. They were poached from us, but they only have photography qualifications, nothing else."

Jiangzhou City currently has only two advertising qualifications.

Only when you look closely at this time can you find that all the qualifications are actually expanded after photography and commercial photography, including book covers, product packaging, and even because this company has been using Hans' Leica, Japan's Nikon cameras, and Citi Kodak film since the Republic of China period, it also has certain import and export qualifications!
No matter how much we emphasize that listening to foreign channels and watching overseas TV is prohibited, it cannot stop these top-notch photos from being taken, and the use of sanitary napkins cannot cover up the gap.

In fact, over the past few decades, the photo studio has had a stable channel to purchase goods from Hong Kong, otherwise it would not have been possible to produce the high-end photographic paper, film and lenses needed for the photography of so many leaders out of thin air.

Because of the experience in building interior scenes, they obtained the qualifications for decoration and renovation. Otherwise, if they were to build scenes for public meeting places such as conference halls, if something went wrong, the photo studio would be blamed for operating without a license.

The general manager is a very cautious person, so he carefully collected all the relevant qualifications and did not step out of line.

Especially the accommodation and teahouse. Because of the space on the second floor and the basement, photographers invited from other places were used to stay overnight in the past, and they were inspected.

Private enterprises are very cautious.

No wonder this place has become the city’s designated production site for standard images of people going abroad. It turns out it has all these qualifications.

Weidong confirmed that he had found a treasure: "Okay, we will invest in this building. Ten or twenty floors are no problem. You can report to the owner on the specific division. If you want more than the ground floor, you can give me a small share. I will mainly use this qualification. Maybe I can even expand the photo studio."

Manager Zhang couldn't help but say yes repeatedly, without saying it explicitly, but looking after such a run-down photo studio and following such a new and energetic situation like Weidong, the professional manager in his thirties must know that the future will be very different.

After coming out, they pulled Weidong over to take a few photos. It's not difficult for those who know how to do it. A few experienced technicians worked together, and the lighting engineer personally checked and adjusted it. It only took a few minutes.

Dong Xueqing happily stood behind Weidong and held his shoulders, while the little baby sat innocently on his father's lap for the photo.

Just thinking about it makes me feel that the final effect will definitely be perfect.

Shen Cuiyue refused to take a photo again, and she didn't want to provoke Feng Chu's temptation by taking a group photo.

After letting Weidong pay the price as usual, he casually asked as they walked out to the restaurant across the street, "Why don't you take any solo photos?"

Shen Cuiyue glanced at the little ear that was sticking up over there and explained casually: "I am not satisfied if I don't make an expression, and others are not satisfied if I do. Forget it, I will take the photo when I am qualified. I am not in a hurry."

If Weidong were to come to this 14-story "foreign-funded" building again at this time, a "commercial complex" that includes a hotel, restaurant, rooftop teahouse and portrait photography, he would not be able to help but look at it again and again.

From the hotel lobby on the first floor, to the elevator settings, to the restaurant on the third floor, he also asked Shen Cuiyue about her feelings about the hotel and teahouse here.

Shen Lao San was perceptive: "We are going to do this?"

Weidong chose a table by the window, from which he could see the photo studio opposite.

He pointed across and described, "These five shops in this row are actually the land deeds that the photo studio acquired over the years. I guess it's just like the Queen's Restaurant back then. Some of them ran away, and the ones that stayed took them over for free at a low price. Maybe they also wanted to help preserve it. As a result, there's still some area behind them, and they want to demolish it and build a building."

Sure enough, while Dong Xueqing was still blinking and savoring the delicious cold dish, Shen Cuiyue was already quietly clapping: "Great! They definitely don't have much money, we'll pay for the repairs!"

Make Weidong laugh: "How do you know they have no money?"

The Jianghu girl expressed her disdain for the photographer: "Second Master has been across from them for decades, what's there that he doesn't know? Only rich men do this business, relying on taking photos for wealthy businessmen and getting tips. In the past 30 years, have there been any wealthy people taking photos? Leaders come to take photos to give face, just like today. You're giving them respect, otherwise they'd be begging to take more photos for us."

Alas, craftsmen really have no status, even wandering people look down on them.

Besides, he was born into a con business, so he had good observation skills: "Look at their camera equipment, they haven't changed in years, and the props and scenes are just so-so. It's a wonder they've been making any money all these years. Maybe they're just relying on secretly hiding some money... Hehe, our family was like that back then too."

Fengchu listened and kept it in mind.

Let Weidong nod: "Give them the first floor, and build another dozen floors above. This building has many floors, so it should be taller and more magnificent than this one!"

Dong Xueqing suddenly said, "We have the 18th floor of the Post and Telecommunications Building. I heard it cost over 7 million."

This is the first bucket of cold water.

Shen Cuiyue followed up by saying, "Why build such a big house? This is what happens when you flaunt your wealth and glory and end up getting punished."

One is because they have been poor, and the other is because they have been defeated and fallen.

This just happened to burst the inflated feeling that Weidong had been feeling recently because everything was going well in Shangzhou.

He understands this.

But how can you not feel drifting when you are in it?

Even with the compliments that Manager Zhang just gave me and the respect he showed me as a former farm boy, if I didn't get carried away, I would be a non-human being.

Wei Dong suddenly broke out in a cold sweat: "Yes, why did I cultivate so high, just to be picked on by others for no reason? Thank you, thank you. Come, I'll toast to you two."

Pick up the watermelon juice at hand.

The two girls also happily raised their glasses and clinked glasses with him.

However, Feng Chu took a sip and went back to eat. Jiang Hu Mei signaled Wei Dong with her eyes not to swallow it all at once, as there was still room for the goldfish.

Putting down the empty cup, Dong Xueqing picked up more food: "Brother-in-law, this tripe noodle is delicious."

The name is obviously reminding me to watch.

Shen Cuiyue picked up some food for her and whispered, "Some men always think women shouldn't butt in at times like this. He's the best at this. He listens even if what he says is right."

Dong Xueqing was still on guard: "Don't say everything, that's enough."

But what is inherited is really different, even if it is just some experience and tricks from a den of thieves.

(End of this chapter)