mirzapur to Mumbai

We all hear the stories of how the underdogs, celebs coming from small state and making it big in this massive surreal city.

This city is not for everyone but its indeed is for everyone who wish to embrace its chaos.

I shifted here in 2013 and never regretted the choice I made, yes I had my downs but I never felt to leave the city, never felt to go to back to my folks. You love and the one loves you back when you accept it with all its cons and pros, its like any relationship. There are situation when I feel the lack of opportunities but I am lucky to be safe and alive to dream. I am one of the few lucky being who not only made a journey to Mumbai but it turned out I made a living out of my passion.

Yes I had a job when I came here but the job was short lived, my boss was not exactly fancied me in his office and soon I had to quite abruptly due to his habit of being lost in his surreal world, back in 2014 the days were very disturbing, I ended up with a job which didn't pay me past 3 months. To save the space I got I let it on air-bnb and let myself found peace in stations.

Honestly I come from a very small city Mirzapur, yes being a Bengali I am supposed to be from Kolkata but I have spent majority of my life in Mirzapur than else till date, my schooling was like any other normal child but due childhood where getting bullied took a major chunk of my life which forced me to be inside my home took off all the confidence I wish I had. The journey from Mirzapur to Mumbai is important because it was just a dream for me, I just fancied being in a big city, never ever thought it will come true. You see making a living is not as important as being a part of the chaos, being a part of the problems this city has, being a part of everything which makes the city Mumbai.

There is a secret to this journey which many are not blessed with, a good financial support and a set of super supportive folks. This city is expensive and the expenditure starts from the rent to the food to the travel. Every aspect of living is linked with some cash flow. As I have mentioned I didn't exactly took birth with a silver spoon in my mouth but I am lucky. My luck is my folks. My luck is who gave me birth to the brother who shared the childhood with me.

Now if you are one who don't share the same don't be upset, its sheer you and only you who will define your existence in this city. Its indeed your consistent effort and calmness which will define if your meant for the chaos or not. Money is not exactly the issue, it will come if you look for, if you go beyond defying any job above your ego. You will make friends, you will make a new family to live with all it needs an open mind and a self with no expectations.

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Hey, Myself Shovona, a commercial product, food and people photographer. I have indeed a journey of 2 decades from Mirzapur to Mumbai. I had my share of frustrations, happy moments, friendship and breakups. This city has made me what I am and I am sure my journey has just started. All I learnt if I dream with an honest heart there is nothing which will not come true. If I can do it anyone can.

Thanks for reading...

see your tomorrow!

#fashionblogger #mumbaiblogger #dailyblogger #commercialphotographer #productphotographer #photographermumbai

5 hurdles I had to pass through to be a full time freelancer

I am not a person born with a silver spoon, well not exactly false as my family was always well to do, hardly remember a day when my dad denied to any of my needs unless it was totally impractical which was rare... thanks to my pre-matured brain. haha..!

I will not say I always had my bank account well stuffed but its was never in a bad shape either. So in short I had and having a pretty normal living.

The decision of being a freelancer was not easy for me, I abruptly left my job which was indeed neither paying me well nor doing me any good. I started my company back in 2014 under the name of SHOVONAKAR Visuals and things were never rosy. My family were helpless as they didn't belong to this industry and I just had no clue how to go about it and totally unclear about what is coming ahead.

Here are my 5 things I faced being a new bibe

LETTING PEOPLE KNOW I EXIST: When you come from a background which has no connection with your industry its indeed difficult to start, I was clueless about how to reach people and let them know I exist. I still carry the difficulty to connect to people. I at times remain way to honest which either scares or bore people away and I am totally happy to declare so, no one is perfect! The way I thought to let people know is to have an online presence and with no skills to build a website of my own I had a tumblr blog which acted as my portfolio which eventually came handy to an extent.

BUILDING MY WEBSITE: I must share I got fooled by many folks who promised me a website in just 1000 bucks and I learnt it a hard way that nothing comes that easy. As time passed and got some self earned bucks in my pocket I finally decided to build one on my own terms, I remember my very first website over adobe portfolio was the most silly presentation of my work but it was better than having nothing. I am presently using wix and it has given me enough flexibility to mould the way I wish.

CONNECTING AGENCIES: Well I am not a big shot that people will call me day and night giving me collaboration proposals. I finally decided to connect to people who indeed look for photographers. Art directors in this case. I do wanna share a point as I dreamed hard to reach my goal, the more people came into my life who helped me to reach there. Various platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn came handy.

The sad part is the industry is so saturated its indeed frustrating to break in, I took a hell lot of time to understand how things goes and I don't wanna rant but meeting any never came out to be fruitful, being a woman do added to my hurdle but I accepted the fate as it is.

MARKETING SKILLS: You see marketing in India is difficult, its complicated. Its a mere game of favoritism and how cheap the offer you place in front of your client. Value for money is not calculated much in terms of quality of work rather its quantity. Online and offline marketing is two sets one needs to master, its indeed a good idea to keep all the doors open. Offline is all about how good are you with people but keeping in mind the saturation existing its difficult to break ones bond to place yours. Online marketing is fairly a second vendor job but when you don't have enough fund then the who game is in your hand how you place yourself online. Social media is the key but playing it well is above all that matters.

NEGOTIATING AND BALANCING THE WORK PRESSURE: Not denying to the fact I didn't freakout on the no. of changes my initial clients game me. It was very demanding and confusing. You see getting into commercial industry is not long lasting as people get emotionally involved with their work and its important to let go as soon as possible. I learnt a very hard way to maintain a balance where I bring my client come to mutual terms. Mind games is a constant affair and living in peace is important.

SO here are my top five things I learnt the hard way about going about freelancing.. If you think I missed something and you wish to add.. feel free to comment below..

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Finally I am a freelance commercial food, people and product photographer and a cinemagraph artist based out of Mumbai India. Feel free to connect for any queries..

Thanks for reading..

See you tomorrow!

#freelance #freelancephotographer #productphotographer #foodphotographer #mumbaiblogger

Freelance life 5 things you need to understand

I am living a freelance life past 5 years now which has taught me various aspect of life. Working inside a cubical is fun and safe but the life you can live is not within there. I left my job which was indeed not stable itself in 2014 abruptly, mainly because my boss was too unorganized and it started reflecting in my nature and it was very demoralizing.

Whatever may be your reason to start your own, there are few things one need to know not prior leaving your stable table but what you are gonna go through as you enter the new world of mind games and financial unbalance and emotional trolls.

Here are top 5 things you are gonna go through if you plan to go freelance:

FINANCIAL INSTABILITY: Its a very subjective matter keeping in mind if you were not ready to jump into the well or you were. Many plan to have ample saving to go though the ups and down in far easier way. If your are not the lucky one, you should be ready with it. The very fact to remember is life will move on unless a second big bang happens. The best way to go through is to enjoy every good and bad, liked and not so liked opportunities coming your way but remember not to sell yourself off for cheap.

EMOTIONAL TROLLS: The over all freelancing is all about dealing with people on one to one basis. People will troll you not directly but there are many way people tend to make you feel low directly and indirectly. Creating a thick skin to filter them out is a good practice but be thin enough to give self space to improve and self analyze. People who are not connected to you may or may not affect you when passing their thoughts over your work and lets be honest work is all you have at the point of time and you worship it above your belief and faith. People who are connected to you personally will hurt you the most, you look up-to them and that's where the issue occurs. Depending too much on else's acceptance is not the way to go with a freelance life. Have your own set of believe and stick to it. Alter as needed but stick to it.

THE UNHAPPY PROJECTS: Many confess they have more unsuccessful projects than the one made them proud. The game is valid to the super successful too. The very phase will be on as long as your playing. Having a ha-trick is tough and that makes the game more interesting. More you hang on the easier it gets. Funda is to try and keep trying. Those unhappy projects will let you introduce to your real freelance you living inside and let you determine if you are really meant for it or not. Many factors do determining such instances starting with you yourself, in-case you were not 100% honest to it, too many people giving away their thoughts and you indeed have to honor all or simply the idea was not well thought. Don't bang yourself with it, not worth than working over how you can make it better the next time, injecting an attitude in yourself to stand on your guts and making else believe in you.

THE CONSTANT FEAR: If you had a work experience in the past you most probably know a lot about yourself in many aspects of working professionally, many who had no option than starting their own life with a constant fear or failure. The fear of loosing everything earned, the fear of being taken down or in short and simple fear of not working out. This fear keep one checked if you think otherwise. Have a portion of it always with you but never let it overtake you. Trust me every day and every experience counts what you do wrong is not feeling it within, not letting it give a chance to teach yourself worth something.

MENTAL INSTABILITY: Mental health matters a lot and undermining the importance is foolishness. A lot of your success rate will depend on your mental instability but sooner or later it too will effect. Your ambitions and your goals will constantly push you, ask you for numerous sleepless nights and days when you have too many things hovering inside your head. Slowing down from time to time is a way to keep it checked, I personally start my day praying and asking for strength to keep it cool and calm. Encouraging self to go out and soak some sun and take cooking as a break is my way of distressing and it works for me. You indeed have to find your way to sort your mind from time to time.. hour to hour.

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Hello, myself Shovona, a #freelance #commercial #photographer and a #cinemagraph artist based out of #Mumbai, #India. Living an unstable life was never an agenda or any dream though I am proud to be living such and letting the experiences introduce my true self to me.

#portraitphotographer #foodphotographer #productphotographer #mumbaiblogger #dailyblogger