My worst driving skill

If I say every assignment of mine as been as smooth as a butter on bread, I am clearly lying to you all. If I say every client treated me professionally I am not honest. If I say I didn't learn and grow from the experiences I am definitely bluffing. As a freelancer in the early days of my career, I did the mistakes which come from an anxious mind, untrained attitude and the inability to trust people.

To inject it is still a little difficult to trust people but I have no choice than to calm the f**k down myself and let the flow take it along its pace.

I am here to share a few things which I did in my early days and I am sure many out there did the same and in fact, must be in the phase currently. There is no right or wrong way to go about freelancing and but there are few things I feel are basic and I wished someone would have helped me understand things better.

Communication:

Early days comes with an ego and an urge to specialize over things and one goes downhill from there, every time a client calls and if it doesn't fall your genre if you tend to say "No", you are potentially losing an opportunity to have something for yourself. Just because you feel you are good at something it doesn't mean you have to restrict yourself to that arena. Say yes to every opportunity and find a way to make it happen and when to say No, read along to know about it.

Be curious to know what the client is looking for and be humble to hear what they want from you and be patient to do things again and again.

The entire urge to bombard and get the best and do the best comes along the time so let yourself be in a learning curve as long as possible.

TRUST:

The urge to jump into a project and not keeping things over mail and often clients feel skeptical to keep it over mail led many to feel anxious about many things and up above remained the fact if they will pay one on time as per the telephonic conversation. The anxiety grows and the urge to ask for money is embarrassing, it is if one ask at the wrong time.

Many even do a mistake of not keeping the terms clear and let the client have a zone where they ask for more than agreed and with no written confirmation one gets handcuffed to do the job, that's the con of being early in the career.

Keep the information and terms and conditions as much as possible over the mail, an absence of response keeps the client in question, not you.

ANXIETY:

The overwhelming feeling of many things does rupture a lot many elements than you can imagine. Your subconscious mind has things to say and you are bound to hear to it and believe it than anyone else and there is absolutely no harm. One thing to learn along the way is anxiety is just going to degrade your image for future prospect so practice the art of being calm. F**k the calm out of yourself!

Instilling the art of meditating and building focus in your day to day work is the best thing you can gift to yourself.

CHAOS:

Creativity takes birth in chaos, a chaotic mind wanders enough to let you see things which others don't see and this is something you should not get rid of but learn to cage it enough for it to not overwhelm you when you don't want or need. Early days look like everything needs to be perfect and perfection is an enemy not a cure and frankly let the chaos be there in you in some way which helps you to bring the best out of you.

There is a clear difference between chaos and panic, the feeling of everything going out of hand to do happen in the early days but there is no cure than to breathe in and breath out and simply take things slow.

Potential Red Flags:

• When the client doesnt agree to come over mail. They tend to keep everything over a telephonic conversation.

• There is no clarity about the job description in terms of quality and quantity expectations and keeping the assignment as an open experiment.

• Raising questions to every terms and condition you have kept to work along.

• Asking too many options for one potential assignment on the job floor.

• A habit of bargaining for everything even after confirmation.

One of my personal experience dates back to 2014 and one of my initial commercial assignment where the client bargained and came to a mutual price, argued my choice of having my assistant and then later agreeing to it, Eventually flying me down and I was little taken aback with the fact of doing more than asked for and hanging me with my advance untill and unless I had to shamelessly ask for it in the middle of the work floor (don't do it). My chaotic mind led me to miss a piece of equipment back in the hotel which pushed the shoot time and I was guilty enough. I realized they pushed the agreement on the day one and I dropped a mail to state my position to do a certain aspect of the job and not been able to do other (always keep things over mail). Well eventually things went well and I ended up doing the job at my best.

---

Hii, I am shovona, a freelance commercial photographer who resides in the economic hub of India, Mumbai. As an artist, I undergo the above almost every day and I am here to support others to let them feel cool about anything happening in life.

Feel free to contact me for any portrait, corporate, food, product photography related queries or just drop a hi! at

shovonakar@gmail.com

#dailyblogger #mumbaiphotographer #freelancetipsandtricks #portraitphotographer #freelancer

Photography is not going to live long

Stating the above that photography is not a futuristic profession for many who are thinking to get into will do make you upset about reality. One needs to understand why I am saying so and there is a way to go about it even if you feel strongly about it, the fact is traditional photography is for those who wish to feed their soul, in case you are planning to feed your bank you have to work and think a little more different. I have written about it in the past and I feel strongly about it and I wonder often hence here is the other piece I wish to share.

In the past 10 years of being into photography, I have seen drastic changes from an application like photoshop restricted to computers to many you can access in your phone and i-pad making working station mobile. Yes, Google has restricted downloading those images for free but there are many stock photo websites that are quite pocket-friendly and give rights for commercial use in case your work is liked by some and wishes to buy it from you. There has been a drastic change from mere white balance to crazy color toning. A change in the shift from beautiful pictures to hyper-realistic surrealism and abstract is also well admired now. It is more about the concept than just the picture.

That now brings me to the agenda of the article. The present era is more about current social issues and how effective your work is to evoke emotions and bring change in the people and society. It is not tough but indeed forces one to be more sensitive and observant about it and around.

I have personally seen a change in the quality of retouching from buttery smooth to quality texture. I have seen a change in commercial concepts from selling it to the fair and lovely to the color.

These changes may sound minor but the artistic approach in the commercial world is undergoing a healthy yet very competitive change.

If you ask me what one should do to survive is very simple, think, observe and come with a fresh perspective about present situations around which are good enough to bring some impact.

As a visual designer, I have even felt a need to go to a formal institution but I will be honest I have learned most of my lessons in the practical, dealing with people is something no institution can teach you but technicality is all now available online in various subscription platforms. If I have to guide people who don't have money to go abroad and wish to learn, I can't stress enough on online education. Various amazing professionals are sharing their knowledge at the ease of your time and space. The era we are living in is the best mankind can see.

I am not sure how the future of visual designing is gonna take shape and different professionals are going to have a subjective perspective which is indeed fair enough. I being a commercial photographer and product stylist, my dual specialization has helped me to grab many assignments which have also led me to showcase what I have to offer. I am very much interested in film making and I so wish to combine all I have and share a fresh perspective to my clients and followers in the future. I don't shy away if I need to combine 3D artwork with photography if my project needs so, my present agenda is to prevent self from stagnation and let my creative juices flow and think more vivid than possible. As per the marketing strategy and building a brand for self it is going as complex and confusing as it was before, social media platforms will come and go and many will suit certain group of professionals and certain will not be exactly your cup of tea. The marketing strategy will be an ever-evolving and experiment topic for you. Certain aspects like sharing your work and letting people know your workflow will not gonna be old school for sure. Being there every day and let people know you exist is basics and it is going to be a part of your profession as long as you wish to be there.

There is something one should avoid is

JACK OF ALL AND MASTER OF NONE

To sum up the above, check the following below:

• Understand the basics of photography, Graphic design, logo making, film making, illustration or anything you wish to be.

• Invest in value equipment like computer, camera, graphics tablet, i-pad.

• Online education is a good choice to consider.

• Learn and study something about it every single day to keep self updated.

• Combine one skill with others to bring a fresh perspective to your clients, keep investing in the future.

• Learn and understand social media both which exist and the one upcoming, for now, understand Instagram, Youtube, and blogging.

• Keep self-informed about the people in your respective field and look out for one who inspires you.

• Understand the marketing strategy and what you should do to help your brand grow.

• Be open to possibilities.

• Be observant about things around you and explore your medium in and around it.

Hi, myself Shovona, a freelance commercial photographer based out of Mumbai India. I have styled images for various brands and work as a full-time freelance portrait, food, and product photographer. I also share various tips and tricks regarding freelancing and photography on my Instagram account.

#freelance #dailyblogger #photographer #productphotographer #portraitphotographer #futureofphotography #mumbaiphotographer