#MarkOfProfessionalism: Adaptability in the booming world of photography

Presenting you the final piece in our series of #TheProfessional where we discuss the best practices for a professional, new careers and path breakers and the ethics involved in unconventional jobs and the modern corporate world.  Hailing from a family of practitioners of fine arts, Gaurav Sawn seems to have artistry and creativeness at the core of his DNA. It is no wonders then, that today, despite not being academically trained, Sawn is one of the very reputed and much in demand professionals in advertising photography, all at the age of 26! A Bachelor of Mass Media graduate from Mumbai, Sawn fell in love with this art while interning with celebrated fashion and advertising photographers – Joy Datta and Amit Ashar, who are also his inspirations. Sawn enjoys shooting a wide range of subjects - from people portraits to nature, from luxurious cars to fashion, and he has been in the industry for seven years now. In our attempt to explore the ethos of professionalism pertinent to the discipline of professional photography in today’s time and age, here is an excerpt from Firstpost’s rendezvous with Gaurav Sawn: Tell us about the challenges you have faced to reach where you are today? I think the biggest challenge I faced was that of ‘self –doubt’; especially due to lack of experience and confidence when I began. And self-doubt is the reason most people fail. I overcame self doubt by trial and error. I wasn’t afraid to fail because I was young and had nothing to lose and hence it was easier for me to overcome it. In times of failure, I try my best do the best job I can do in the given circumstances. It teaches you to be better prepared. What does professionalism mean to you and in your line of work? I think punctuality and respect for time. Whether it’s reaching on time for a meeting or a shoot or delivering images before the deadline, punctuality is of prime importance in my line of work. What’s the biggest risk that you have taken in your career? The biggest risk I have taken was not enrolling in a professional photography course. I chose to intern with experienced photographers instead. Everyone has a different way of learning and I think this was the best way for me. What situations or environments seem to make you most creative? I love new challenges and if I am put in a new environment every time it brings more creativity out of me. You see, ability to adapt is very important in my profession. Not even one shoot is the same as the last. Lighting, composition, locations, art direction, etc. all changes drastically and that’s what keeps me excited. There are days when I am shooting just one subject and then suddenly there are times when I am dealing with almost 50 people in the same frame. Do you think learning on the job is as good as/better than a formal training? Photography as a career was never a planned decision. I kind of just happened to start assisting after my studies and it grew into career. If I had to go back in time I would have loved to do a more detailed course or a specialized diploma in a genre of photography. However, having worked with Joy Datta and Amit Ashar, both of who have styles unique and opposite to each other, it has been a great learning curve for me as I got to experience both worlds. They have taught me more than I could’ve learnt through any course. How do you keep up to date with the changing trends in photography? I love reading everything and anything related to photography. In my leisure time, I am almost always reading up on new cameras, new techniques and working on more efficient ways to do my job. How do you define job satisfaction? Job satisfaction is a very personal thing. I think, in any field, if you know you’re working to your full potential and are getting rewarded for it - that defines job satisfaction. The day you feel like you are not working to make a living, you have succeeded. For more in the series, check out the ‘Other Stories’ box below.