Throughout my friend group there are a wide range of opinions on what events and social situations are comfortable for them. I know plenty of people who are eager to get back to happy hour events if it weren’t for Texas restrictions and I have many friends that I haven’t seen in months due to the serious caution they take with social situations. Between the precautions Dallas residents are taking on top of the state laws that are currently in place, fall events are rapidly being postponed. This creates a tricky situation for many DFW photographers who heavily rely on social interactions and local events for their portfolio. The Lens Rentals blog, created by the largest online rental provider for photography equipment, conducted multiple remote surveys that polled over 1000 full-time photographers and videographers during heavy peaks of COVID-19. This poll revealed that an average of 71% of booked appointments in May were canceled among the freelancers. Even though cancellations have been declining over the past two months by those surveyed, it still brings into question how photographers of different specialties have been feeling the impact. I reached out to Allyson Zajac, creator of Allyson Latsch Photography, to get an understanding behind how her photography business has been impacted over the past few months.
Hello Allyson, what is your main niche/category in photography and how has this been effected in the COVID-19 environment?
Although I do not limit myself to a specific type of photography, I mainly focus on natural light photography. So any sort of nature and people mainly (families, couples, fitness, senior photos, promotional etc). In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic it was challenging to book photo shoots with new clients or in public areas.
How have you been staying productive and building on your business during a period where you might have a photography session fall through?
I combined my passions of fitness and photography by taking photos of boxing classes at local gyms once they reopened. Consistently attending multiple classes per week has helped me sharpen my photography skills and allows me to refine my indoor photography tactics. This has been consistent for me which helps me sharpen my photography skills and helps me practice my indoor photography. Additionally, I booked multiple shoots for families I know to include senior photos, birthday parties, business promotion, etc.
The cancellation of trade shows like CP+, NAB, and The Photography Show is making some photographers question if photography trade shows are on the way out after COVID-19. Do you still think trade shows have an essential position in the photography community?
I wouldn’t say that they’re essential in the photography community, however they help with networking and building a community. While not required, they certainly aid in being able to promote your work and learn about other photographers’ specialties and their techniques to create such beautiful works of art.
Do you see any photography trends popping up in a climate where businesses are a little more cost-sensitive, clients are more health conscious, and events are becoming remote?
I’ve noticed a lot of photographers have been creating tik tok videos trying to promote their work. Others have been continuing their business with their clients and have been able to take photos while social distancing and wearing a mask while shooting. I think in the beginning, a lot of shoots and events have been postponed or canceled. Now that we are almost 6 months into living in COVID-19 conditions, it seems as though it has become more acceptable for photographers to get out and create again.
