Fashion stylist interviews top Fashion Photographer

When did you first think of becoming a professional photographer? And where did the idea come from?
Since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated with photography. It did not matter what and how I was clicking at that time but I just had to click. Once on a vacation in Goa, I clicked a lot of pictures. After returning from the trip, I attended a workshop for photographers led by a famous photographer. I also met the organizer of the workshop. He asked me to send a few pictures. What happened next was a pleasant surprise. Few of my photographs were published in their magazine.
That’s when I realized this could be more than just a hobby, and since then I haven’t stopped.

In a city like Pune, how difficult is it to choose a profession like photography?
It’s difficult unless you want to shoot weddings or similar events. In terms of fashion, unfortunately, nothing much is happening in Pune. It is dominated by real estate and jewellers. The best you can work on is some hoardings, catalogues, or e-commerce shoots for upcoming fashion designer brands. But very few brands are ready to spend on professional shoots in Pune. The whole industry in Pune is stuck because of this new thing called “Collab”. Everybody is obsessed with fashion photography and with this obsession, they ignore understanding which segment can be their best asset. In Pune, I think food photography has a good opportunity as the number of restaurants is high and people are always ready to spend on food pictures. So these food junctions need good pictures for their social media, swiggy or zomato or website.

Is there a specific school or course you recommend to gain technical knowledge of photography?
Oh, there are so many these days. Back then we hardly had any options. If you ask me, I am completely self-taught. By the time I started with professional photography I was already a father. So I had financial responsibilities because of which I had no time to take any course. But recently I have seen some good courses on udemy. Personally, I feel Youtube can be your best teacher. But again it’s more about practising than learning like any other art.

Has your profession changed you or anything about your life in a better way?
As a people photographer, I’ve learned to read people and understand the psychology behind their personalities. Also, my communication skills have improved. No one teaches you these skills, you learn them with experience. This profession gave me that.

Can you share a few tips for the aspiring photographers from Pune?
A lot of people don’t start until they have all the money, equipment and team. They basically think about everything else except photography. Even some of my interns kept giving excuses for not working. However, I don’t believe that it is necessary. If you are passionate enough, you can shoot with a mobile phone also. I actually did a fashion series on my phone with the models in natural light. So I feel practice and patience is the only key. Start shooting with anyone from your family, friends. You do not always need a fancy model or expensive equipment for that.

Can you spare some advice for photographers about how to charge clients?
It’s very complex. One should take time and think about the client, their requirement and the efforts that you will be putting in. You cannot have a rate card that will work the same for every shoot. So for a beginner, I think if he/she is doing a portfolio shoot or portrait series, he/she can charge from 5k per shoot. There should be a determined number of edited pictures that you will be giving out. You cannot charge the same to all clients, do some research before sending the costing.

According to you, what’s the darker side of this profession?
Every art is subjected. Even Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Mona Lisa is no big deal for some people. Anyone who has to put their creative work in front of the public gets criticism. This can be challenging at times. I have experienced it so many times. Eventually, you have to put all that behind you and keep going. What should matter to you as a professional photographer is if you and your client are happy with the output, that’s it.

How can a fresher connect with you to learn from you?
I am very active on Instagram DMs and my email address is images@sameerbelvalkar.com I Have held a few weekend photography workshops before the pandemic. We will hold one more basic and one advanced workshop soon.

Give some special tips on photography for our readers

Don’t shoot against the light.
Identify the source of the light.
Don’t physically come close to the subject for the close-up shots. Stand at a distance and zoom in for a close-up shot.
When you are clicking pictures of people make sure they are not standing facing straight to the camera. Let them stand a bit diagonal to the camera and have shoulders or faces turned towards the camera. It gives a nice posture and doesn’t make them look flat.
Have a sense of humor. Talk to the model for them to understand what you want and how they are looking. Make them comfortable and give them compliment for a good picture.
Try not to use the filters. Everyone is beautiful and their flaws make them unique. So do not hide behind the filters. Just find the right light in the right place and that’s it.

Which of your contemporary photographers do you look up to?