Are you concerned about the coronavirus like I am? As someone with immuno-compromised family members to protect, I’m taking COVID-19 very seriously. That’s why I’m taking every precaution I can to protect the both of us.
On Scene
I can’t go inside your house or follow you to any highly-populated areas, but I can take your photos on your front yard or at a small park. If we move to any areas where you and your family go frequently (like a backyard) I can wear plastic bags over my feet before I get out of my car to ensure I’m not getting my germs anywhere. Yeah, I know I’ll get funny looks for that one, but I’d prefer to be safe than sorry!
With my telephoto lens (70mm-300mm) I can take great shots more than 50 feet away. (See images!) I’m keeping my mask on, covering my nose and mouth, at all times. I’m going to stay at least 6 feet away at all times until this pandemic calms down.
Keeping a 6-foot distance means that communication gets… interesting. Some clients don’t mind the yelling back and forth, but others opt to use our cellphones as a sort of “walkie-talkie system.” The client keeps their phone on Speaker mode in their pocket so we can maintain our distance and still communicate without getting sore throats.
My family and I went outside for about five minutes to take these photos. Nobody put any make up on and it was a little dark, but I think you get the idea! The images in the Sample Gallery are more like the quality you can expect.
Choosing Your Pictures
Normally, after the photoshoot is complete, I would meet you somewhere indoors (your house, a coffee shop, or what have you) where you could pick what photos you wanted me to edit. We can’t really do that while practicing “social distancing,” so I’ve got to figure out a way that you can view the photos without my being there in the most painless way possible. This is what I’ve come up with! (If you have a better idea, please let me know in the comments!)
Option 1
We could do a video call (via Zoom, Facebook, Skype, or whatever service you’d like) so you can show me the photos you want via a screen-share. This way you don’t have to worry about writing anything down!
Option 2
You could also e-mail me a list of the photos you want by listing the photo’s caption number. This is more work for you, but some prefer to look at the pictures without someone else watching.
Sample Gallery
I’ve been uploading clients’ photos to a password-protected page on my website where each photo is labeled with a number. Here is an example of a gallery you would see. You can click the images to zoom in. The number of the photo appears when you mouse over the thumbnails and when you scroll through the photo carousel. This is the number you would list if you choose Option 2.
Thank you for supporting your local photographers during this troubling time. For my part, I’m going to do all I can to keep this thing from spreading. Whether you need to update your profile picture for your resume/LinkedIn, to get those graduation photos, or to get those family photos you’ve always been meaning to get… I’m still here for you!
In the meantime, enjoy my crazy family. I hope they bring a smile to your face like they did mine. 🙂
