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Posts Tagged ‘pandemic’

Texas report details the harsh realities, risks of being a wedding photographer during the COVID-19 pandemic

17 Dec

A recent report of out South Texas reveals the harsh reality of being a wedding photographer in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In an article titled ‘Texas Wedding Photographers Have Seen Some $ #!+’ shared by Texas Monthly, reporter Emily McCullar tells the story of a wedding photographer who was diagnosed with COVID-19 after it was revealed the groom of the party had tested positive for COVID-19 and didn’t inform the wedding photographer.

The photographer, who remains unnamed throughout the article, was informed of the groom’s positive diagnosis by a bridesmaid in the party. But not before the photographer had spent ‘an hour or two inside the unmasked wedding party’ taking photographs. The photographer said ‘[the bridesmaid] was looking for me to be like, “Oh, that’s crazy,” like I was going to agree with her that it was fine.’

That wasn’t the case though. The photographer suffers from asthma, a serious comorbidity factor that can increase the risks of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Additionally, the photographer has three kids and a husband at home that she didn’t want to infect, should she end up COVID-19 positive.

After discovering the groom’s secret, the photographer and her assistant left. Texas Monthly notes ‘her exit was tense.’ ‘The wedding planner said it was the most unprofessional thing she’d ever seen […] Bridesmaids accused her of heartlessly ruining an innocent woman’s wedding day.’ The photographer even recollected a bridesmaid telling her ‘I’m a teacher, I have fourteen students. If I’m willing to risk it, why aren’t you?’

After leaving, the photographer ‘canceled her Thanksgiving plans with family, sent her kids to relatives’ houses so they wouldn’t get sick, and informed the brides of her upcoming weddings that she’d be subcontracting to other shooters,’ says Texas Monthly. Sure enough, a few days after the wedding, the photographer started feeling symptoms and eventually tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The photographer said the couple whose wedding she was photographing ‘didn’t care’ about the diagnosis and ‘didn’t offer to compensate her for the test, nor did they apologize for getting her sick.’

The article goes on to point out that this incident is far from an isolated one. As you browse through the hashtag ‘#TexasWedding’ on Instagram, there are a handful of images that show groups of friends and family celebrating matrimony with what appears to be little regard for protocols suggested for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, a disease that’s confirmed to have killed over 302,000 individuals in the United States alone.

A screenshot of a few images that show up when you search ‘#TexasWedding’ on Instagram. Faces have been blurred for privacy sake.

The report details statements from other photographers, who share their experiences trying to shoot weddings throughout the pandemic. A reoccurring theme is a lack of masks, proper social distancing and little means of sanitation options, such as hand sanitizer.

As for the original wedding photographer, she recalled a heartbreaking conversation she had with a bridesmaid at the wedding:

‘I have children,’ she told a bridesmaid, ‘What if my children die?’ The bridesmaid responded, ‘I understand, but this is her wedding day.’

The report notes that not all wedding anecdotes it came across from photographers were as reckless as the featured one, but even in the anecdotes that featured more responsible weddings, nearly half of the guests were unmasked, including those who had high risk factors. While Texas reduced the size of wedding gatherings — from 500 to 250 individuals — there’s still plenty of risk in having that many individuals together at a single venue.

Vaccines are being distributed around the globe, but according to experts on the matter, it will still be a while before anything gets back to ‘normal,’ whatever that may look like. And until then, this unfortunate reality is what many wedding photographers (and other professions) will have to face as the death toll continues to rise, particularly in the United States.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photographer turned his front door into a large format camera to capture portraits during the pandemic

15 Aug
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made social distancing critically important. While creating distance is good for our physical health, it is difficult for photographers, especially portrait photographers. To overcome this challenge, Kyle Roper, the producer behind The Skyscraper Camera Project, transformed the front door of his home into a large-format analog camera. This has allowed him to safely capture portraits and launch a new photo series, Door Frames.
A look at the makeshift front door camera form inside Roper’s living room.

Given ample time at home and the desire to continue creating images while observing social distancing restrictions, Roper converted his front door into a camera obscura using magnetic dry erase board, gaffer’s tape, cardboard boxes, a dark cloth, c-stand, clamps and sandbags. For photo paper and film, Roper uses Ilford RC IV Multigrade Photo Paper, Ilford Direct Positive Paper and Ilford Ortho 80 Plus. His lens of choice is a Nikkor-W 300mm F5.6 lens in a Copal shutter.

An overview of all the elements of the front door camera.

Roper states that he was inspired by his friend, Brendan Barry, an artist and camera builder we’ve featured many times before. Roper was also inspirited by the work of Dorothea Lange and Francesca Woodman. The former is a particularly interesting inspiration given Lange’s famous documentary and photojournalism work for the Farm Security Administration during the Great Depression.

The conveniently-located window in Roper’s front door.

Of Door Frames, Roper says, ‘When you have nothing but an abundance of time, you take the time and slow things down. You find that these antiquated processes can reveal and create such beauty.’ Below is a collection of portraits Roper captured with his front door camera:

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In order to communicate with his subjects outside, Roper speaks to them from inside his home using a speakerphone. Roper then affixes his photographic paper on the image box using the magnetic dry erase board and captures an image with his Nikkor lens wide open because his photo paper is ISO 3 or 6. Once an image is captured, Roper develops it in his bathroom, which he has converted into a darkroom.

Prints in the process of being made in Roper’s makeshift darkroom.

To view more Kyle Roper’s work, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Image credits: All photos used with permission from Kyle Roper

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Report: B&H furloughs 20% of its staff amidst COVID-19 pandemic

05 May

According to a report from the New York Post, B&H Photo furloughed ‘about 400’ of its 2,000 employees last Wednesday, more than a month after the iconic photo and electronics superstore was forced to shut its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New York Post cites ‘sources close to the company’ and managed to obtain a memo sent out to employees by B&H human resources director Izzy Friedman. The New York Post writes:

In a memo to affected employees, human resources director Izzy Friedman said B&H “waited as long as possible” before making the cuts, and noted the company had been paying and providing benefits for affected workers “through the Passover holiday break, and beyond to make this easier.”

B&H was likewise waiting to “evaluate the various stimulus benefits available,” but was forced in the end to furlough workers because the “crisis has continued with no clear end in sight,” Friedman added.

The New York Post also spoke with a B&H employee, who said the company’s call center is ‘busy as hell [filling orders for] computers, movie cameras and accessories for setting up a home office’ amidst the global stay-at-home directives in place around the globe. As it stands, customers can still place orders online and pick up orders pick up products curbside, but the inside remains closed at this time.

We have contacted a B&H spokesperson for confirmation of this news and other details. We will update this story with additional details if we receive a response.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Adobe Announces $1M Community Fund to Aid Artists During Pandemic

05 May

The post Adobe Announces $ 1M Community Fund to Aid Artists During Pandemic appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Adobe community fund creative residency

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Adobe has announced a new Creative Residency Community Fund, designed to “help visual creators stay on track and achieve their dreams.”

The Fund is an offshoot of Adobe’s annual Creative Residency program, which supports several artists over the course of a year. But creatives have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, leading Adobe to look for additional ways to support artists in need.

And so the Creative Residency Community Fund was born. With the support of the Fund, artists can undertake a project of their own or complete a project commissioned by Adobe.

Adobe Community Fund

The Fund has been given $ 1 million USD to offer creatives support through mid-2021. Several application deadlines have been established over the next year, and artists will be notified on a rolling basis of their acceptance into the program.

Successful applicants will receive a sum between $ 500 USD and $ 5000 USD to support the project. Applicants will also receive a Creative Cloud membership, in addition to “career guidance workshops.”

For those who are interested in applying, the details can be found on the Adobe website. Note that you must specify up-front whether you’d like to be considered for the personal project or the commissioned project. Your application will ultimately go before a selection committee, which will determine both the success of your application and the funds you’ll be allotted.

Creatives can apply from all over the world, though Adobe does require English proficiency (excepting Japanese applicants). Applicants must also be 18 years or older.

As for the type of project that will be successfully funded:

Adobe explains that they “always consider great projects of all types if they showcase Creative Cloud capabilities,” but will focus on:

  • Video
  • Photography
  • Photo art
  • Graphic design
  • Illustration
  • 3D
  • Motion design
  • Product or interface design

So if you’re a creative that’s looking to complete a new project, go ahead and apply! The first application deadline is June 1st, though you’ll also have an opportunity to apply in September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.

The post Adobe Announces $ 1M Community Fund to Aid Artists During Pandemic appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Lensrentals survey: 19% of professional photographers are considering a career change due to COVID-19 pandemic

23 Apr

Lensrentals has published the results of its COVID-19 pandemic survey that’s attempting to gauge how the ongoing pandemic has been and will continue to affect the work and outlook of professional photographers and videographers (defined as making the majority of their income from photo and video work) around the world, many of whom are self-employed.

Over 1,000 self-labeled professional photographers and videographers responded to the survey, which was specifically designed ‘to focus on the main source of income per participant to gain an understanding that will align with the unemployment resources for each state,’ according to Lensrentals. While many of the resulting data points from the survey were —such as 96% of respondents stating their income and/or work has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic—there was one stand-out data point.

According to the results of the survey, 18.6% of respondents said they are considering leaving their respective industries due to the loss of income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, 18.4% of photographers and 20.4% of videographers who took part in the survey said they are actively considering leaving their line of work. Seeing as how it was simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, it’s difficult to gauge how likely it is these particular respondents will follow through on their considerations, but roughly one out of every five professionals is a rather serious number.

Other less-surprising data points include 74.5% of respondents saying ‘all or almost all’ of their jobs (defined as >80%) have been cancelled for the month of April with 59.7% and 20% of respondents saying the same for the month of May and June, respectively.

To read a more detailed breakdown of the numbers, head on over to Lensrentals’ blog post. In the closing paragraph, Lensrentals links to numerous resources its compiled the help creatives amidst the ongoing pandemic and social distancing initiatives.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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GoPro and VSCO lay off employees, change business models over COVID-19 pandemic

18 Apr

Amid ongoing social distancing efforts, both VSCO and GoPro have announced major business changes resulting from the economic downturn. In a post on his LinkedIn account, VSCO CEO Joel Flory revealed that his company had to lay off 45 employees this week. The announcement was followed by a similar message from GoPro, which revealed that it will be reducing its number of employees by 20%.

Many companies are struggling to stay above water as a number of states and countries implement lockdown measures. Many businesses have been forced to temporarily close down, and while others remain in business, a drop in consumer purchasing has left some companies struggling to keep their revenue up.

In a post on his LinkedIn account, Flory said that VSCO had expected 2020 to be ‘a year where we would continue to forward invest into our business.’ However, things didn’t go as planned and Flory said, ‘Overnight our environment changed. We realize that we would need to shift towards running a self-sustaining business.’

The company is giving its laid-off employees a minimum of two months of healthcare coverage and seven weeks of severance pay, according to Flory, who says that the company is also assisting them in other ways. VSCO plans to continue releasing new features this year, though details on what the company has planned weren’t revealed.

GoPro, meanwhile, published its preliminary Q1 financial requests on April 15 and withdrew its 2020 guidance in light of the pandemic. The company said that it is restructuring its business model to focus on direct-to-consumer sales and that as part of its global restructuring, it plans to lay off more than 20% of its workforce.

These layoffs will contribute to a $ 100 million reduction in operating expenses for the year, according to GoPro, which plans to shed another $ 250 million in operating expenses next year.

Company CEO Nicholas Woodman said that GoPro’s distribution network has been hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic and that as a result, the company must expedite its shift to a ‘more efficient and profitable direct-to-consumer-centric business’ model this year, something GoPro had already been pursuing. ‘We are crushed that this forces us to let go of many talented members of our team,’ Woodman said, ‘and we are forever grateful for their contributions.’

Though GoPro will primarily sell directly to consumers, the company says it will continue to make its products available through ‘select leading retailers’ in only ‘key regions’ for consumers who prefer to buy items indirectly and at physical stores. Other planned changes include reducing office space in five different locations, reducing its sales and marketing throughout this year ‘and beyond,’ as well as cutting spending in other unspecified ways.

Despite the changes, GoPro said that it still plans to move ahead with its 2020 product roadmap, which will include releasing new software, subscriptions and hardware targeted at action camera and smartphone owners. Woodman has voluntarily decided to skip the remainder of his 2020 salary, according to the company, which says its Board of Directors has also made the decision to avoid any additional cash compensation throughout the remainder of the year.

Via: PetaPixel

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canadian non-profit PPOC speaks out against ‘porch portraits’ during pandemic

17 Apr

The growing trend of ‘porch portraits’ has drawn criticism from a number of people, prompting an official advisory against the activity published by the non-profit Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC). The organization recommends that any type of front porch-based photography be avoided at this time in order to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

‘Porch portraits’ is the term used for a new type of photography session involving people, often families, posing on their home’s front porch. The photos commemorate the ongoing quarantines and this unique time in history, but have prompted criticism from some people, including many photographers, who have called the activity risky and unnecessary.

Under present social distancing efforts, the public is encouraged (or, in some places, required) to stay home except when necessary, with the only acceptable exceptions including work in cases where in can’t be performed at home, as well as trips for essential items like prescriptions and groceries. In some cases, the public is also encouraged to go out for exercise, but to maintain a distance from other people.

Traditional photography sessions aren’t something that can be performed under these restrictions, but a number of photographers have started conducting ‘porch portrait’ sessions, which, in the spirit of the activity, involves the photographer maintaining a distance from the subjects and remaining outdoors. That intention doesn’t always pan out in real life, however, and the PPOC notes that mistakes happen.

In its newly published advisory, the PPOC says:

‘We have been contacted by several photographers upset to see this happening in their area when they are abiding by the suggested public health measures and are staying home. We have also heard from photographers who don’t understand why they should not do these kinds of photography sessions, if they are being safe about it, are doing it for charity, and are following their region’s suggested public health restrictions.’

The PPOC’s official position against ‘porch portraits’ is based on concerns that, in addition to ultimately being unnecessary and nonessential, photographers may also make mistakes that put themselves and their communities at risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

PPOC Chair Louise Vessey explained:

‘I understand that photographers are suddenly cut off from most ‘in real life’ social contact and thus their clients; but this type of photography is not a necessary interaction, nor is it an essential service. Although most do it with the very best of intentions, it still leaves room open for mistakes that could potentially cost lives. Some photographers may knock on the door or ring the doorbell, pass someone in the street, a child could run over to hug them, or their built in photographer instinct to go over and fix hair, pose the client and assist could easily kick in. These potential actions risk passing on, or catching COVID-19.’

The PPOC ultimately states that photography is not an essential business or service and that it ‘strongly recommends’ that photographers do not conduct porch portrait sessions at this time. Vessey states:

‘These stories will still be there once the dust settles and we are on the other side of this Pandemic crisis. We can photograph and tell their stories when the time is right. This is serious! Any risk is not a risk worth taking no matter how small you believe it is.’

Some photographers have turned to other unique types of photo sessions that help maintain distance from other people. Ohio-based photographer Nick Fancher, for example, has started shooting ‘Remotrait’ sessions, which involves using FaceTime to capture unique portraits of clients projected on to different backgrounds in order to compensate for poor connection quality.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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BCN data shows mirrorless camera sales have dropped 50% YoY in Japan for March amidst COVID-19 pandemic

13 Apr
An illustration from BCN Retail showing the unit sales percentage, by manufacturer, of Canon (Blue), Olympus (Green) and Sony (Red).

It was only a matter of time before we started to see the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on camera sales, and today we’re getting our first glimpse at just how brutal the global pandemic has been on the camera industry.

BCN Retail, an analyst firm that collects daily sales data of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras directly from online and in-person points of sale in the Japanese camera market, has shared the numbers from its March data, and it’s not pretty. While January and February saw a year-over-year (YoY) decline of 9.9 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively, March saw a decrease of 50.5 percent (compared to March 2019).

This decrease is well above the relatively consistent 15–20 percent YoY decrease we’ve seen over the past few years and goes to show just how hard the coronavirus pandemic is affecting sales, even if BCN’s data is only a relatively small sample size.

As far as sales volume goes, BCN says Canon, Olympus and Sony have all dropped YoY, while Fujifilm stands alone as the only manufacturer to increase its share of the market.

A chart showing the most popular cameras in the Japanese market, based on BCN Retail’s data.

BCN also shares what cameras have performed best, based on sales volume, with the Canon EOS M50 barely edging out the Olympus Pen E-PL9. Sony’s a6400 rounds out the top three, with the a6000 still coming in fifth, despite being six years old.

It’s safe to assume these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg as near-global stay-at-home mandates and quarantines continue in an effort to #flattenthecurve of the COVID-19 pandemic. CIPA’s data won’t be here for a while, but it will likely tell a similar story at a much larger scale.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lensrentals wants to know if the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted your professional photography work

11 Apr

Our friends over at Lensrentals has created a survey to help determine what kind of impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the livelihood of professional photographers and to better learn how Lensrentals can assist the photography community.

We’re pleased to support Lensrentals in their effort to gather this information and if you’re a professional photographer, below is a link where you can participate:

Lensrentals Survey

As a disclaimer, the survey starts out by asking whether or not you’re a professional photographer; if you answer no, the survey will immediately end. In keep the integrity of the data intact, we ask that you refrain from taking the survey if you do not earn an income from photography.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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