Kirty Khanijou, the photographer turned entrepreneur, single-handedly runs KKSTUDIO & MINIATURES. Managing a team of professional photographers is no piece of cake. Let's take a glimpse into her diary entry to see what a typical day looks like. Stay tuned for a special announcement below!
15/05/18
“It’s 10 am on a Tuesday morning. My day begins at a leisurely pace with a ritual of scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and various other social media. I prefer to do so while enjoying a proper breakfast and a cup of coffee. I know I’ll be having to eat on-the-go later so I ensured a sit-down meal this morning.
Today’s agenda does not involve any early morning shoots. When I’m photographing infants, I always schedule them in the earlier slots to make use of natural lighting. On those days, I am out and about very early.
Lesson number 1: You don’t always have a set routine. You have to be flexible and ready to roll with it.
A lot of misconception exists about photographers. For instance, that the bulk of our work consists of taking photos. This definitely isn’t the case. And when you’re running a business, the amount of work is amplified. There are a million of little things that need to be done. I have a couple of hours before a meeting, so I take some time to catch up on work.
Some days I’ll work from my home office, a coffee shop, or even outdoors. I decide I need some fresh air and work from the garden this morning. My to-do list is long and overwhelming. I prioritise, complete a few, and then leave the rest for later on.
A typical to-do list looks like this:
Updating KKSTUDIO social media pages
Do some speedy edits for a client
6 photo books in the pipeline
Ensure backdrop reaches venue before an event
Schedule delivery of photoshoots in thumbdrive
Speak to our designer
Arrange a staff meeting for later on in the week & prepare the agenda for the meeting
Organise promotional material for the upcoming Masala Wedding Fair*
Look at what new equipment to get
Learn new skills on YouTube
Lesson number 2: You have to be tempted to avoid procrastination.
At about 2 pm, it’s time to leave for the meeting. I’ll have lunch on-the-go, but at least I get to avoid rush hour traffic. As a wedding photographer, I often eat from the buffet when I go on shoots. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I do get bored from time to time. Anyways, I’m going off on a tangent.
Lesson number 3: Perks do involve avoiding traffic sometimes and dining well.
The meeting is with a couple from abroad. I always make it a point to personally meet the couple before the wedding to establish rapport and understand their vision. I’ll then have to make the necessary preparation and brief my staff. Another thing to add to my to-do list!
I have free time now so decide to take a rest. Today has already been a mega-productive day. I take a look through Eatigo (I swear by it!) for any good deals. On off days, I love to try unusual food combinations at various hidden gems in Bangkok. Some of the dishes I’ve had at Simple are Pork Curry Risotto, Quinoa Krapao Kai, Truffle Salmon Benedict, etc.
Thinking about it already makes my mouth water. But for now, it’s onto the next shoot which starts at 8 pm. It’s quite late so I’ll have to drive back home at about 12 am. I’ve gotten used to the odd hours with photography, but for those used to a set schedule, it can be quite a discomfort and a disruption to your sleep cycle.
Usually, if I’m done early, I like to go for a swim or for a walk in the park to wind down. I find that this is especially necessary on days that I’ve been in front of the computer for 8 hours straight just editing photos. Other days, I also cook as a way to relieve stress.
But today’s busy schedule and late night shoot leaves no room for this. I quickly watch some Netflix before bed, do some online shopping, and dream about my next holiday. Planning a trip keeps me motivated and charged for another full packed day tomorrow. I can’t wait.
Lesson 4: You have to find a way to keep motivating yourself. Because if you don't, no one else will.
Some of my recent travel images (Follow me on INSTAGRAM)
Love,
Kirty Khanijou
