Battered by job losses and salary cuts, photographers in Mumbai have come together to create their own networks and cooperatives to generate work by launching a first-of-its-kind online platform.
It will provide the space for freelance photographers to exhibit and market their work to newspapers, digital news services, ad agencies and even NGOs.
Led by the Mumbai Press Club, the online platform ‘PicsWire.com’ is a cooperative project which promises to serve as an easily accessible marketplace for those seeking professional photographers for short or long-term assignments. Renowned photographer Raghu Rai on Monday launched the project.
“This project is based on no profit no loss principle. A vendor can come to this website, choose the photograph, pay the price and use it for the intended purpose. Out of the payment, 70% will go to the photographer and rest for the maintenance of the site,” said Praving Kajrolkar, senior freelance photographer and club’s committee member who along with senior photographer Kirti Parade will manage the project with the help of a team that includes a few IT professionals.
Mr. Kajrolkar said that pandemic witnessed a number of publications shutting down due to which photographers were impacted the most. “While publications pay one time to a freelance photographer for a photo, this platform will allow the photographer to sell his work multiple times to whoever is interested,” he said. While general photo will be available with ₹413 including GST, a special fee will be set up for exclusive ones.
A legal agreement has been signed with freelance photographers who will be contributing to the site by which they cannot submit the photograph which has been shared already with a news agency or publication house.
“Initially, starting with Mumbai-based photographers, the club intend to expand the project to a national footprint in the coming months,” said club’s secretary Rajesh Mascarenhas.
