This time last year I was worried about shooting in the Texas heat. Who would have thought that a year later the world would come to a halt and change the way we live our lives. Now we have No Shirt, No Shoes, No Mask, No Service (apparently pants are still optional), many businesses are closed and unable to operate, and I spend more money on paying people to bring food to my house than I thought was possible.
Yet here we are. Wether we like it or not, things are different and we have to adjust to our circumstances if we want to keep moving forward. Photographing people is no different, or is it?
What’s Different?
With COVID being here, like the unwanted family member who just won’t seem to leave, we have to adjust and make the best of the situation. Fortunately for me, photographing people hasn’t really changed much. When you compare the regulations of social distancing to a photo session, they are actually more similar than people realize. Let me explain:
COVID-19: Stand 6ft apart from other people
Photographer: Stand over there away from me
COVID-19: Put this mask on your face
Photographer: You know what would look good? Put this prop in front of your face.
COVID-19: Don’t touch other people
Photographer: Don’t touch my camera
Weird isn’t it? It is almost the same process as we’ve been a custom too. The basic principles of photographing people are stand over there and I will take your picture. In all seriousness though, there are some changes that should be made to protect my clients and myself.
Session Guidelines
While most of the services I offer as a photographer are the same, being aware of the COVID-19 situation, as well as any future pandemics that arise, we are shifting our focus on social distancing and how that will affect the services we offer.
Portrait / Family / Engagement Sessions: Many portrait sessions are done in-studio and on-location. If in-studio shooting is preferred, we will be limiting access to only those actively involved in the shoot. ie. Hair/Make-up artist, Stylist, Client. We will ask that all guests please stay home. If those involved in the shoot are unable to maintain a 6ft social distance, we are requesting the use of masks for all involved.
If you choose an on-location setting, all parties must abide by venue rules/guidelines, as well as local policies put in place regarding COVID-19 protocols.
Product Photography: All product photography clients will mostly be un-affected by these changes; however, any interactions with clients and staff will need to adhere to social distancing protocols when interacting with each other.
ShootProof’ed
I wish I could say that I made changes to my business just to keep my clients safe during this pandemic, but the truth is, I made this change to improve my business long ago. Specht Designs has partnered with ShootProof to bring quality services to my business. I’ve highlighted some of the features I use through ShootProof to maintain social distancing and keep my business going.
CONTRACTS: All contracts are created and sent electronically and you are able to sign the contracts digitally from your PC, Tablet, or Phone. No in person touching required!
INVOICES: Your invoice will be sent to you electronically, and you can get a detailed invoice of all items purchased and you don’t even need to leave your house!
PAYMENTS: Using cash is so 2019, now you can pay your deposit and invoice straight from your electronic device and you can do it in your pajamas! I won’t even know! (BTW: I still accept cash too, call me old fashioned )
PHOTOS: Once we’ve made it through the photo session, I will hand deliver all of your photos straight to you electronically from my house to yours using magic! (ShootProof really IS magic). After our shoot, I will create a custom proofing gallery for you, send you all the information, and you can choose your photos and order prints directly from your gallery through our high-quality print lab. They will be processed and shipped straight to you!
If there are any questions or concerns about products that you would really like to get your hands on before ordering, we can arrange to meet in person using social distancing measures to keep everyone safe. We strongly prefer to keep everything electronic, but I am willing to make adjustments to keep my clients happy!
With so many things to worry about, capturing memories should not be a stressful experience. Let me handle all the details, and you can just come and “stand over there” and I will take care of the rest.