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As a freelancer, we often come across clients who either have genuine budget limitations or they literally don't want to spend. Such calls will not end up being your potential client but they are practically different, let me explain to you how.


Hi, I am Shovona Karmakar, a freelance commercial portrait, food and product photographer, and a product stylist based out of Mumbai India. This is my second series of Booty call 1, these are a part of the real-life conversation with altered names to keep the privacy intact. The agenda is to let you know the red flags for many not to do the mistakes I did. Well, still there is no guarantee people will not try to have a new way to fish you.


Have you ever got a call from a client who gives you a verbal temptation of giving you regular work in exchange for your service at half the price because all it is seeing is its own profit? This technique is pretty old and many who are just starting in their career are prone to fall in the net, it is indeed not their fault because all they are looking for is some kind of opportunity to prove themselves and even sustain themselves. The following is a lesson down the line as you grow in your career.



Sam: Hii, am I speaking to Shovona?


Myself: Hii, yes I am shovona, wondering whom I am talking to?


Sam: Hey Shovona! I am Sam, an owner of an upcoming e-commerce brand, we deal with baby and toddler garments age from a month till 8 years old. We are presently based out of Mumbai and we are looking for a photographer and a product stylist for our upcoming shoots.


Myself: Hey Sam! Thanks for calling, it sounds great, wondering if you can tell me more about what exactly you are looking for?


Sam: Shovona! We are an upcoming brand and we are planning to do shoots once every week as we have around 100 products and more coming every month and we wanted to shoot all of them for our social media precisely Instagram. As we are a startup we wanted to do it as pocket friendly as possible yet we are looking for quality output. We have been doing all the shoots to date by ourselves but presently we feel we need someone of your calibre to come onboard and help us along the way.

I came across your work online and do liked your sense of aesthetics and hence thought to approach you.


Myself: Thanks for the consideration. 100 garments sound a lot. I was wondering how many products do you want to cover precisely and what kind of budget do you have and what kind of styling do you have in mind.


Sam: I don't have any budget in mind but wondering if we cover 40 products a day to start with and what kind of fees do you charge, do you charge per product or per day basis?


(Conversation to date does talk a lot about client psychology, and you have to understand it is not wrong on its parts, they are simply trying to either understand the market or trying to find someone who fits their bills. They do have a basic budget in mind if you ask me how? It's India, we all have a budget in mind. Every small and big brand is there to make money and it is going to be very weird to understand that they don't have an upper limit to what they will like to spend on their marketing ventures. Even you have a budget in mind when you look for a house to rent it out keeping your priorities in mind or when you go to a mall looking for a nice music system.

There is always a budget limit, the space for exceptions is less but there is their existence.)


Let's move on...


Myself: Hey Sam! 40 products a day with styling is a little unpractical keeping in mind the amount of time it will require to light and do the other needed to set the composition ready. At an average, we limit ourselves to shoot not more than 6-8 images a day with styling as one still shoot shift consist of only 8 hours, we can extend the shift with an additional cost.


Sam: Shovona, wondering do you charge per day or per-product basis and what all your fees will include?


Myself: Sam, I am a freelance advertising photographer and few of my brands are Samsung, Morning Star, Cadbury and more, and we charge on per day basis, my fees don't include any of the needed equipment, everything we need for the shoot from the studio, lights, styling products/props, and more are charged individually and on per day basis. My fees just include my creative service needed for your imagery requirement.


(You will be wondering why the person is asking for "per product charges", it is because there are people in the industry who do full-time e-commerce shoot and they calculate their estimate based on the number of products as they don't provide anything additional quality service than just shooting them against a white background.)


Sam: Oh! I understand now, sadly I don't want to spend more than 40k INR for 40 products and I am open to buying the props and equipment down the line if needed.


(Voila! he just told you his budget, as I said everyone has a budget especially in India. He is looking to spend 1k INR per product which includes everything from props, equipment, studio space, digital correction. Honestly, It's a tough-luck if he gets someone.)


Myself: Hey Sam! I am glad you connected me and I am happy to be a part of your venture, sadly I can't help you much in the given budget, in-case you wish to rethink both in the aspect of the number of images and your budget we can connect further.


Sam: Oh! ok... as I am going to use the images only on Instagram and the shelf life is not much I don't find any sense in spending such a huge amount. We have been shooting all these while and I am pretty sure it is not going to be as exhaustive as you are saying. I cannot pay you what you charge but can you suggest someone who can give us the same output and not bill us the same amount.


Personally, these are not my target clients, and these are definitely not a client I wanna work on a regular basis, you see he is simply interested in his profit, he has money as he has expressed his interest in buying props and equipment down the line but he is not ready to pay you your fees. His other query of suggesting someone within his budget strongly states how precise he is about his expense.


Myself: Sam, I wish I can suggest someone but keeping your budget in mind I can't help you much.


Sam: What you think what should be a decent budget for such shoots?


Myself: (I was a little awestruck, this question does irritate me a bit keeping in mind he just expressed his desire not to spend much.) Sam, I don't know as I have no idea what kind of styling and visual expression you are looking for, things can go from lakhs to corers and there is no limit to creativity.


Sam: (he finally gave up) Hey, thanks for your time, have a good day.


Sam was either looking for someone who fits his bills or he was just trying to understand the market, people do give random calls to understand aspects like work style, fees and more for future consideration. It is going to be tricky to come to any conclusion of what exactly he is looking for but nevertheless he was not able to crack his deal with me, frankly, it was not a deal at all. He does challenge my working style which I have simply followed of what other professionals do at a standard was little itchy but you see that is how people tend to provoke you to see any possibility to bend you according to their ways.

The biggest challenge in freelancing is finding a midway to do the job and to do justice to it. It takes a lot of rejection and errors on ones part to understand what works for one and how to make it work for one.


There are different kinds of people, good people, kind people, clingy, generous, and smart. As a freelancer, your service is as good as your personal investment in terms of upgrading your skills and psychology about the subject you wish to master on. Alike any job we deserve a promotion and sadly as we are our own boss hence we need to leave things down the line to crave better opportunities and payscale. You cannot cling to the same client forever who doesn't respect your skills and style of working. As they proportionally use our service for their profit we need to do the same and it's entirely ethical. There was a time I have worked for a client as low as 2.5k INR a day all-inclusive against a work which helped me build my initial portfolio, down the line, they refused to pay me any more than that and I gradually shifted towards better opportunities. Well, that's is freelancing.


Clients who have genuine budget limitations do comes back to you if they really see value in your service and hence they are worth to chase for.

Clients who don't want to pay at all is not worth any run or bargain.

The business has various aspects and everyone is right in their space, we humans are selfish and this aspect helps us to keep us alive. Similarly, you are running a business and you too indeed have a right to say NO! if they don't fit your profit margin.


The only thing I learnt from this conversation is it is good at times to tell people where you stand and what you are worth of. It is not about blowing your own horn, it is more about letting people know how much your journey is worth it.

Stay tuned for a more real-life conversation to understand the red and green flags in freelance life.


Feel free to connect me for any queries and questions you have and any portrait, food, and product-related photography and styling. I am presently based out of Mumbai, India and have a cross-functional company production still and video content for various marketing needs.





 
  • Nov 27, 2020
  • 6 min read

IT IS A REAL-LIFE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH ONE OF MY CLIENT WHO ENDED UP GIVING ME THE ASSIGNMENT or not, IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO FIND OUT BY THE END OF IT.


If you are someone new to my blog let me introduce myself to you, I am Shovona Karmakar, a freelance advertising photographer, product stylist and a cinemagraph artist based out of Mumbai, India. I started freelancing back in 2014 and if you wish to know HOW? Kindly check the link below





Back in 2014 when I abruptly lost my job and started my own I was looking for anything to pay me somewhere enough to sustain and I came across this lady Susan (The name is been changed) who then worked as a creative director for a matrimonial site for whom I ended up doing a job and maybe she thought to extend my potential for her future ventures. Susan ended up joining a lingerie brand which is moreover an eCommerce store back then, she even shifted her base to Bangalore from Mumbai. We ended being on good notes and even exchanged a few personal things which made me feel safe being with her.


Susan: Hey! Shovona, the video you made it for the site turned out so good, glad we met and glad you ended up working for us.

Myself: Hey! Thank you so much for trusting me with this job, which means a lot to me. I just needed it.


Susan: I wanted to share something with you and I see enough potential in you to collaborate and walk a long way, I have this company with my bae and we are starting an advertising venture back in Bangalore, to add I am joining this new company in Bangalore itself as a senior creative director.

Myself: That sounds fantastic and I am so keen to work again with you. Is anyone calling me for the job of your new office?


Susan: Yes, I will ask my workmate to call you sometime, let me present your portfolio to them for consideration which I don't think should be a problem.

Myself: Sounds great! Looking forward to it.


Well, it all sounds like a great client and vendor relationship and I am sure you don't find anything fishy, well there is nothing fishy as it is general human behaviour to think about itself and justify itself. I was all glad to come across this person and I am sure many people will not agree to my article yet I find as the need to let you all know the red flags and be as away as possible. People who respect your work will respect your way to do.


Susan: Hey! Shovona I hope you are doing well. Apologies I was so caught up with my family and bae and work. I am finally settled in my new job and so excited to make you a part of it.

Myself: Hey! I understand, glad to hear from you again.

Susan: My mate Rahul (The name is been changed) will be calling you in a few days, are you in Mumbai or traveling?

Myself: I might be going to Kolkata to meet my folks, but will be back home in a few days. Whatsup?

Susan: I presented your folio to them and they were glad to make you part of it, wondering if you will be willing to travel to Bangalore for weeks to do the job.

Myself: Hey! why not, you know I do travel with work.


My very first commercial assignment was a well to do an amalgamation of production, talent and hospitality hence I knew the basics I deserve if and when I travel for work.

As a freelancer, I always travel with my assistant for every commercial assignment it is a general norm followed everywhere in the world.


I remember I was at the Kolkata airport waiting to board my flight and then my phone rang.


Rahul: Hello! Am I speaking to Shovona, Susan gave me your number and said you are willing to work for us. Let me know how much are you expecting.

Myself: Hey, thanks for calling, yeah I was wondering if you can help me with a brief what I exactly need to do and I charge around 25x a day plus traveling, fooding and boarding, I can only do photography as editing will be extra.

Rahul: Ohh, ok, that is little on the higher side for us, can we negotiate?

Myself: What kind of budget are you looking for?

Rahul: Susan gave us the idea that you will be willing to shift to Bangalore.

Myself: Oh, sorry Rahul, I am a freelancer and I am based out of Mumbai only, I work with various brands and I don't think I will be willing to go fulltime with anyone now, as I run my own company.

Rahul: Oh, I see, seems there is some misunderstanding, let me connect to Susan and see if we can figure it out.

Myself: Thanks for understanding, will be looking forward to hearing from you.


Well, I was little startled post the call as I knew Susan understood my freelance status and was calling me to work as a freelancer not as a full-time employee. I was a little disappointed as I knew and had a gut feeling it is not going in the right direction.

It was been a few weeks and I didn't hear anything from them and I thought maybe they are not considering me for the job anymore and I didn't bother to follow up.


And then one day...


Rahul: Hello, Shovona, Rahul this side, I hope you are keeping well.

Myself: Hey Rahul, thanks for connecting me back, wondering if you have any update?

Rahul: We had a conversation with Susan and the respective team and we can only pay you 60k for two weeks including your photography, equipment, assistant, fooding, lodging and traveling. Let me know if it works for you?

Myself: Hey, that is pretty unpractical for me as every client pays for TBL (Travel, boarding, and lodging of two) I can still adjust my assistant fees along with mine.

Rahul: Well then it sounds a little difficult for us to hire you.

Myself: That is totally fine, thanks for considering.


Well, boom! I thought so and I was emotionally hurt and disappointed, you see early in those days of your venture you are too attached to your work, getting to know someone kind to you and you get a trust factor and then if the person tries to exploit you with your skill, it is little something you are taken aback with.


I then thought to connect to Susan to understand the situation and what happened was worth a lesson to learn

I tried calling Susan multiple times and she ended up hanging on me stating she is busy.


And one day finally, I guess she picked up my call by mistake... God knows!


Myself: Hey, Susan, all good at your side I hope?

Susan: Whos is this?

Myself: Hey, Shovona this side.

Susan: Yeah tell me what you want? be quick I am very busy.

Myself: Rahul called me and I was a little shocked to know the compensation, sadly it is very unpractical.

Susan: You are very unpractical and you stabbed me at my back, I trusted you so much. (actual words)

Myself: Pardon?

Susan: I saw so much potential in you and I wanted to give you a platform to explore and experiment, we would have ended up doing some awesome work together and you just stabbed it. What do you want?

Myself: Totally taken aback. To be clear the compensation and the amount of work you were asking for is a little unbalanced, post everything I was ending up with nothing in my hand, not even bare minimum to pay my rent in Mumbai. Every client has paid for TBL and there is nothing weird about it. I do state I am a freelancer and not looking to shift my base to any city.

Susan: You could have ended up eating canteen food in our office and lived in a girl's hostel, what's the worry?

Myself: Well that's is not how I work especially if I am traveling.

Susan: Then why bothering calling me, struggle like others do and don't come back asking for opportunities.

Myself: Sure, Got my lessons. Thanks for everything.


Well her bae tried connecting me for a future venture but finally I ended up cutting off from her and her bae.


So! I don't know the lessons you can learn from this conversation but I learned one thing is the people who deserve respect they respect you to be what you are

Stay tuned for more real-life conversation to understand the red and green flags in freelance life.



Feel free to connect me for any queries and questions you have and any portrait, food, and product related photography and styling. I am presently based out of Mumbai, India and have a cross-functional company production still and video content for various marketing needs.







 
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© 2024 by Shovona Karmakar - Portrait, Product  Advertising Photographer and 3D | CGI | Mumbai, India | shovonakar@gmail.com | +91 9769562163

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