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    • SHOVONA KARMAKAR BLOG
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      • Nov 27, 2020
      • 4 min read

    Freelancing basics 101

    There is a familiar say "slow and steady wins the race", well that's what my father kept telling me and though he never had any business of his own, he did deal with many to understand the basics. It is been 10 years and I guess I have done enough mistakes and took enough chances to be good enough to share what I have learned with you.




    My childhood dream was not to be a creative artist rather I wished to join the national defense. I am born outspoken and situations down the line have made me a rebel. I at times feel I am floating in an ocean and the water is taking me places without my wishes and yet make me hit the right rock to keep the passion alive. Ok! no more emo talks and let's get straight to the point and I am pretty sure you all are eager to understand how to be better at freelancing. I before share the 101 steps let me clarify every freelancer has its own journey, conscious and subconscious, all the below are from my due personal experience. You are free to stop here or feel free to read ahead and I hope you get a few pointers good enough to incorporate.


    You don't earn in the initial years

    The reality of earning a handsome amount against a day or few days job is not something you will see in the initial years, it took me 5 years to be well aware enough among producers and clients who considered me for the job. When I started back in 2014, I was more concerned about brands I can work for and quoted enough to cover my rent and a few basic needs. Quality variation in the portfolio was my main intention. Survival remained a question for long.

    As time passed and I came across people who helped me to grab better clients with quality budgets. Every industry runs around many people who have their own specific specialization, one needs to reach out to have a team in mind to be capable of a bigger assignment.


    Getting personal with work

    It is in human nature to be very personally attached to its craft and skill and it becomes the whole of you. I have personally taken so many work rejections and made myself enough crazy. It took me years to understand that there are many other factors untold than our work befitting the job. Anger, having various highs and lows and getting desperate is something you are going to go through and how you deal with it will matter a lot. I have made sure to turn up with one image a day and sharing it over media platforms to be seen many who may or may not consider me for a job. Passive presence makes a lot of sense.


    Human behavior

    If you think understanding your better half in a relationship has taught you everything about how one behaves and why one behaves then you have not yet started with the basics. I have learned so much how people react and how they react as against when dating a person.

    Negotiation is a skill you learn along the way or hire someone good enough to do so on your behalf but let's be practical, how many can hire someone and how practical it is to have one. Negotiation has not to be done with every possibility, you need to learn and understand when to negotiate and when to be under the clause of "Non-negotiable" how much to cut down and when to step your foot down. I encourage people to observe how local businesses negotiate and learn to understand the terms they put it down.


    Financial dependency

    I have read enough, seen enough and been myself one of them who do depend on folks for survival. I reside in Mumbai in a not so pocket-friendly corner, and I do go little out of cash from time to time. I don't have much to say about it except it is ok, do justice to the money and cut down your expenses where ever possible. We Millenials need to understand the concept of saving and the sooner you get into the better are chances you handling any crisis with ease.


    An unstable social life

    There is nothing more dangerous than being lonely on the path of becoming a freelancer. It so happens the best of the people who made big in life are often lonely. We humans and we tend to live in a tribe, as a communal animal we need to have a basic human interaction on day to day basis. Sadly there is a truth many are able to handle it well and many tend to sink into depression. As we grow people get their priority sorted and tend to live in their own world. Having a schedule is important above everything and I can't stress enough to the fact you will be your own friend down the line.



     

    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




    #freelancecommercialphotographer #mumbaiphotographer #womanphotographer #product

    #food #portrait #advertisingphotographer


    • FREELANCE LIFE
    0 comments
      • Nov 27, 2020
      • 2 min read

    Kosha Mangsho


    food photography and styling mutton curry
    Mutton Kosha

    Every bong crave for some yumm kosha mangsho.. medium raw mutton curry. A simple delicacy easy to cook but this time laziness has to take a step up. The procedure is simple but it needs some patience and love to make it the finger licking good.

    Few things which I feel you need to procure is the Arqa rose petal garam masala from #foodhall, I loved the aroma of the spice mix and I knew it how to make the best out of it, worth the try. So this coming weekend try your hand over this and let me know how you liked it.




    WHAT YOU NEED:


    Mutton or Lamb (bone or boneless): 1 kg

    Cumin powder: 1 big spoon

    Coriander powder: 1 big spoon

    Turmeric powder: 1 big spoon

    Red chilly powder (optional): half a spoon

    Salt to taste: (I used Himalayan pink salt)

    Mustard oil: 3 big spoon

    2 Potato diced into 4

    Tomato : 2 roughly diced

    Onion : 2 roughly diced

    Green chilies : roughly 4 to 5

    Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 big spoon

    Red Chilly Flakes: half a spoon

    Arqa rose petal garam masala: half a spoon

    Green coriander leaves: roughly chopped

    Curry leaves



    PROCEDURE:


    In a big bowl marinate your mutton with cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, red chilly powder and mustard oil and keep it aside for half an hour and so.


    In a mixer grinder add the onion, green chilly, tomato and grind it to paste. (that's the lazy part)


    Take your cooker and put it over high flame and let it get completely dry, add mustard oil and once its hot add the diced potatoes carefully and fry it till light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and the marinated mutton and curry leaves and mix and toss it nicely. Post few minutes add the curry paste to it and mix it well. You have a choice to let it get cooked at a slow heat for a long time or you can pressure cook it for one to two whistles. Add the Arqa rose petal garam masala and mix it well.


    food photography and styling mutton curry
    Mutton Kosha


    Garnish and serve it with red chilly flakes and chopped coriander leaves. A dice of lemon juice is optional but do makes a difference. Roti or rice on the side makes it a complete meal.










    Thankyou so much...

    Hope you liked it and see you tomorrow.



    Please.. please.. please follow me and share it with your lazy buddies..!


    #foodblogger #foodphotographer #food #mumbaiblogger #lazyblogger #mumbaiphotographer #commercialphotographer #mumbaifooddiaries

    0 comments
      • Nov 27, 2020
      • 1 min read

    Pine and apple cinnamon smoothie


    Its winter on the way and all want something nice to cheer uo the morning... Here is my lazy menu. A nice cuppa apple, pineapple and cinnamon smoothie. Its filling, its yumm.. its little controversial but a good way to use the left overs.



    WHAT YOU NEED:

    APPLE, peeled and diced roughly

    Pineapple diced roughly

    Cinnamon powder to taste

    Brown sugar to taste

    Salt to taste

    Black Pepper to taste

    Yogurt a cup


    Procedure:

    Its can't be any simpler than this.. add all the above ingredients in a blender and just switch it on to your desired consistency. Adding some whipped cream on top is worth the effort if you can.. Serve it in your fav glass or beer mug.



    visit: https://www.instagram.com/marinate_and_style/


    Hope you enjoy!


    See you tomorrow.. :)
















    #foodblogger #foodstylist #smoothie #food #mumbaiphotographer #foodphotographer #dailyblogger

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