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7 Questions with JATIN CHONKAR

Name: JATIN CHONKAR

Current title: Proprietor

Current organisation: JATIN PHOTOGRAPHY


A photographer’s job goes beyond taking just pictures – and being a photographer I understand this quite well. I have an inherent ability to realize and capture compositions as per the client’s requirement. From doing fashion & beauty photoshoots to table-top photography with creative lighting and using correct techniques for capturing industrial photography, I have done it all.
Understanding that a photographer needs to have a technical hold in today's world, I am comfortable operating photography equipment, large & medium format camera and related software that are used to process quality photographs i.e. Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One (PhaseOne software) and Canon image processing software. In fact, I own a Canon 5D MarkII and PhaseOne medium format camera.
As a passionate photographer, I work continuously to learn new things in order to make my work professional.

7 Questions with JATIN CHONKAR

1. What have you found most challenging as an Entrepreneur?

Life is all about challenges and being an entrepreneur I love challenges because success is no fun without facing challenges. 

The most challenging thing I found being an advertising person are the deadlines. Clients always required the job to be completed yesterday so creating images then post production also keeping in mind their buyers so creating the mood as expected or better than that. But it's fun to work like that and that keeps us two steps ahead from the competition.


2. How did you become an Entrepreneur? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Photography was my hobby which turned into passion and I am still passionate about creating interesting images which tells a story. 

It can be a brand or a human, a creature or even a dead object like stone, it can be anything which was my last year campaign too. I won the Inter Collegiate “Best Photographic Campaign” award in the final year of the College and then never looked back. Attended all the Pro workshops, later undergone 3 years of intensive training, as assistant to a well known photographer. 

When I was confident that I am capable of handling projects I started my own company JATIN PHOTOGRAPHY in the year of 1995.


3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I have a practice to plan my days one or two days before that keeps me to streamline all my appointments, client visits and marketing, relationship calls on time because fortune lies in follow ups.

My workplace is 17kms away from where I reside that is why I spend lot of time in travelling (approx. 1 hour) so in that time listen to soothing music which makeup my mind fresh also gives me the energy to work all day, or if I have important calls to make I do it that time.

I always keep my office timing unless I am having a very important shoot which needs to be delivered urgently.

At the end of the day I analyse my day, learn from mistakes for not repeating again and promise for the new beginning on the fresh new day. 

I never carry forward the weakness or negativity to the second day but at the same time I always keep the positivity.

I would also like to say that we meet so many people every day. I have a habit of observing them, taking all those positive things and leaving the negativity from them.

Apart from this I can not keep a fixed schedule because being a photographer I don't know where I will be for the next photography assignment in studio, factory, out station locations or in some other country.


4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Believe in Yourself, Dedication to Work, Face The Problem, Focus on the goal, Motivator, Strong Intentions and Resolutions and Stay Disciplined. These are the few significant leadership lessons I have learned.

Over the experience I have also learned that always involve your team in decision making. That way we build good relationship with our staff and they become more responsible, and also respect their values.


5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

I am not a good reader at all so I hardly read any books but I listen to other leaders when they are talking. I always keep my eyes and ears open. I keep observing that helps me a lot. I feel if we want to become a good leader we should always keep the door open to grasp knowledge. I also believe every person and animals (be it a pet, street animal or wild) have some good qualities which we need to learn from them that will help to become a human being.

In my childhood my grandmother used to make me sit and listen to Bhagwat Geeta, which Lord Krishna has said, that has made a huge impact on thoughts and the way I think and I personally think that books can make good leaders.


6. How do you build leadership capacity in your Organisation?

Discipline, Positivity, Focus on your own goal, Inspire, Creativity, Trainings, Dedication, Face the challenges, Motivational talks, Work as a team, Build the trust.


7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Entrepreneur so far?

I am from the service industry so for me my client and my commitment comes first. There are few incidents but I will like to share one of my stories while shooting for Mahindra & Mahindra. Their international operations team, they always prefer to work with us for all their international brand launches.

We were shooting a Mahindra Scorpio utility vehicle at their factory in Nashik which is roughly 167kms from Mumbai. This was a very important and urgent shoot because the vehicle was supposed to be dispatched the very next day for the launch. We reached Nashik one day prior so we could start shooting early in the morning.

The helipad was set as location, my team was ready with the equipment and getting vehicle ready for the shoot. As per plan to complement morning light we set up the lights, diffusers and reflectors on its place. For the top angle we asked for a truck because I wanted to go on a height and there was no other way I could reach on height with my camera. My assistants helped me to climb up on the top of the truck. While adjusting camera angle I got so involved that was moving backward unknowingly I stepped out from the top of the truck and fell down (roughly from 15feet) landing on my back. I was indeed in a triple pain could not move myself but camera was safe. Client was worried as vehicle was with us just for 3/4 hours. I was aware of the seriousness so immediately took a few painkillers and started to shoot within 30min.

With the pain and my restricted body movements we managed to finish the shoot in the next 3hours. I returned back to Mumbai with that in the evening after a 4/5 hours of road journey, and very second day I went to the studio, finished all images with the system work and delivered them to the client. When I visited the doctor for treatment I got to know that I had a big impact on my lower back. It took me 7days to recover from the injury.

Client was happy with my commitment and timely delivery.

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