Modesty is not stupidity

Here's the deal: If you are a wannabe Software Engineer/Photographer/Would be groom/Know-it-all, then you should get your own camera and shoot your own wedding instead of wasting any artist's time. Because probably you may have a lot of time for no use, but an artist is working 24/7. Yes, its true, we work even when we are sleeping. We are dreaming and pipelining projects.

In case you are wondering, this suggestion is for free and I am not charging any consultation fee, so you can read on.

Many times it happens so, that you need a photographer for a specific reason, probably for as petty a reason (for you) as requirement of a "good" social media profile photo (This is know as portrait shoot for personal collection). Hence you scan the best of your preys, the world wide web. Scan your social media profiles for those godforsaken would be lady charmers/photographers you once added to your list of contacts and then contact with them.

Next stage is bargaining like you wanted to buy some 'নিষিদ্ধ জিনিস' (forbidden things, read pornography) from Chandni Chawk market. After a much ado, both of you agree on many terms which has a bottom line that the work will be done free of cost. So, the deal is done, you go and get shot, obviously by camera but to others it looks like it is done by a gun. Then after a repetitive begging and pampering the 'photographer' you get some photographs of a guy looks somewhat like you. You are satisfied or rather made yourself think so, because you din't pay the guy. Oh, WOW! That is great news. More of your enthusiastic friends follow.

Then comes a serious affair, a wedding in the family, probably of your own or someone else's. Because of your 'interest' in this form of art (Oh, really! is it at all art for you? Do you think so?), you have been burdened with the responsibility of finding a 'good' photographer. But to your utter surprise, none of your previous acquaintances working this time. Either they are not interested in your 'project' or they simply don't do 'The under-rated job of Wedding Photography'.

So now another round of scanning the local yellow pages, online classifieds and obviously your best friend, The Social Media (Drum Roll).

You make a list of all those poor creatures you are going to slaughter with your insulting bargaining techniques and even more insulting obtrusive questions. Then started the elimination worse than Nazis' work on Jews. The round starts,

-Do you use full-frame cameras? Ding, 1 point

-Do you use prime lenses or zoom lenses? Ding Ding, 2 points.

-So tell me how do you colour correct your files? Ding Ding Ding, 3 points.

-How long have you been in this 'line' (oh! sorry, did you mean profession?). Aaaannhhhh!!!

-No raw files! Are you kidding me? How am I gonna process my own photos and post them on ******** (certain social media website)? Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding, You won!!!! (Drum Roll)

Then comes the most insulting part. Oh! Mr. So-n-So, you are charging way too much. I know that. Please reduce some 15k from the fees. And you say with such notions that it sounds to me like, "What are you going to do, only click click click with your camera and then click click click with your computer. Then, Voila! My photos are ready for upload in ********"

The Answers I generally provide my clientele is a smile with polite 'No'. I try to be as modest as possible. Even at times I reduce my price to accommodate my clients. However, the problem starts when you start taking advantage of my modesty and take it as my stupidity. So if you are unable to hear it then, hear it now, No, Nine, Nada, Nehi, Na. Probably in as many as 100 other languages I can say that I will not give you any discounts. If you have a small budget, then please mention that in detail but don't expect me to provide you with a Lamborghini in a price of an Ambassador. Either you pay for what you want or you will end up getting what you are paying for. Not easy enough to understand? Read it again.

This sarcastic note is directed for all of you, who treat artists like some vendors at your local market selling tomatoes or potatoes. Don't disrespect the work of an artist and never bargain with them. If you bargain with them on their fees, then you are placing them on a weighing machine weighing hay or paddy. Art can not be priced, it can be contained. For its possession the possessor has to be equally responsible, literate and passionate. For example you may not understand cubism as an art and hence would wonder why would someone pay 1 billion Dollars to possess an original Picasso painting. But the person doing so has studied different forms of art and he probably likes it most. He is passionate enough to spend his riches on it.

So if you like my or any other artist's work, I would first request you to do a very nominal research on that particular form of art that artist is pursuing and then go about meeting the artist personally to discuss the opportunity of engaging him for your event/occasion. Give freedom to the artist and he will do wonders for you. However, if you start treating him like you wanted to buy some grocery of a particular kind, then from that point of time you shut your emotions and feelings for his efforts and endeavours which he refined by years of skilful study and practice. You ignore his judgement and capability and place yourself at a higher ground as soon as you ask him to provide all the photographs, raw. You insult his skill of practicing art when you ask him about how he does it. Ever went to a 5 star hotel? Try asking the chef how he cooked that steak or Mutton curry.

Again, too hard to digest? Then have some digestive tonic and read again.

Take care.