The Elephant in the Studio
I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first? I’ve always hated that question. If I take the good news first, then hearing the bad news will only take the wind out of my sails. If I take the bad news first, will the good news really be good enough to soften the blow? Well… I think it’s time we had an honest discussion about the elephant in the room. That is, what my work will look like for my littlest clients for the foreseeable future. The great news, as many of you may already know, is that Manitoba photographers are part of the phase one reopening strategy! I could not have been more thrilled when I heard this news! I literally hopped online and began a mad quest for all the PPE and was literally stocked up and ready to hit the studio within 3 hours! I spent a full day pouring over all of my props and studio surfaces with disinfectant and did about a million loads of laundry (I have faaaaar too many fabrics - yes I just admitted I may have a problem)! I was READY!!!! Or so I thought. Aaaand… here comes the bad news. The reopening strategy where most businesses are concerned requires that we are able to maintain social distance throughout the majority of our work, with the exception of brief periods of contact. Ughhhhh…. talk about a sucker punch. Ummmm….. this is impossible for me to do in my stylized newborn sessions. I literally have to be touching baby throughout the entire session. I thought surely there must be some sort of loophole. I mean, after all, hair salons, and massage therapists are allowed to reopen and there is no way that they can do their jobs while maintaining adequate social distancing. Surely my service would be considered essential enough that with all the proper PPE in place I would be granted permission to resume the best part of my job right? But the area was a little too grey. I would need to find out more. And so I started asking around. What were other newborn photographers in Manitoba doing? How could we make this work??? And it didn’t take long to receive this information from the Manitoba government:
You asked:
'Is there a way for newborn photographers to resume business on Monday, May 4 in a safe way that would follow the guidelines? Newborn sessions are unique in that there is no way to maintain 2 metres of distance. The photographer is responsible for posing the baby and needs to be very hands on in order to safely photograph the baby. Would a session like this be able to take place if the photographer uses gloves, hand sanitizer, and has passed the self-screening test (along with the clients)? Newborn photographers need some clear guidance on this at this time. '
Our response:
Hi there. When allowed to open on May 4, newborn photographers must maintain a distance of two metres from their clients. If this is not feasible, they will be unable to continue to offer the service. This is enforceable by law. Additional information about the public health orders can be found at: [https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/soe.html](https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/soe.html)
Please let us know if you have any more questions or if anything needs to be clarified.
Regards
Government of Manitoba
Cue the alligator tears.
I would be lying if I said I was not upset. Upset for me and my livelihood obviously, but absolutely devastated for my clients who were waiting for their newborn sessions. Babies grow and change so quickly and we do these sessions within the first two weeks after baby arrives. These are precious memories for clients and time that they will never get back. It breaks my heart to know that so many newborns will not have the opportunity to have newborn portraits done. To all of my newborn clients, I am truly so sorry. And to COVID-19 - May you suckle on a satchel of richards.
All is not lost though! If there is one thing the human race is really good at, it is adaptation. We have been adapting since the dawn of man! It’s what we do! And so, I thought to myself… how can I adapt to fit my current situation? What can I do to help my newborn clients? If I can’t have them in studio to do a stylized newborn session right now, then what can I offer them that will still help allow me to capture those memories of that newness for them? Well there are a few options! (See - glass half full!)
Clients can opt for a lifestyle session done either in the comfort of their own home, or in a studio setting where we can maintain safe social distance. Lifestyle sessions are great for capturing life with your newborn but in a much more relaxed setting. No stylized newborn posing like my typical newborn sessions, but still showing off all the newness while you love on your little one!
Clients can choose to have their session done outdoors (preferably when summer decides to show up)! This would again be a lifestyle session where we could maintain safe social distance but Mother Nature really is the most beautiful backdrop!
Clients who have already booked their newborn sessions (prior to COVID-19) can exchange their newborn session for a studio milestone or family session at a later date! Let’s face it, everyone’s situation is unique. We all have varying comfort levels. If you feel you would rather wait until life returns to something more familiar and safe for you, then that is fine too! Ultimately, my number one goal is to meet my clients needs in a way that feels safest for them.
Clients can choose to postpone their newborn sessions and we can take our chances and wait for restrictions to lift. We have already begun to flatten the curve so my hope is that we are on our way to brighter days! Working with older/awake newborns comes with it’s own rewards and challenges, but for anyone who knows me, you know I’m thinking “BRING IT!” Challenge accepted!
Lastly, and this one is kind of my new favourite right now because it is so reflective (no pun intended) of the time we are in right now. Clients’ can opt for a ‘Through a Window’ session. There are many things I love about these sessions. The fact that we have zero concerns about breaching social distancing, the little reflections, haze, and grain created by the window glass, and the intimate cozy nature of the way these sessions are shot really speak to me. I’ve posted a few images from my very first window session taken a few weeks ago of sweet newborn Dawson and his family. Let me know what you think!
You fill in the blank here! I am flexible and willing to try just about anything if it means I can help you create some beautiful memories or your newborn for you to cherish. So long as it’s safe and legal! ;-)
Images from baby Dawson’s “Through the Window” newborn session (his hair though!!!):
Ultimately, my main priority is my clients safety. Newborns are born with a pretty non-existent immune system and so I do agree with the MB government’s decision to not allow stylized newborn sessions at this time. I would feel terrible if one of my littlest clients were to get sick. I may not be happy about it, but this is our current situation and I have to choose to make the most of it. In the meantime, please know that I am taking every precaution in studio and otherwise to keep those around me safe and healthy. I am still taking bookings for family, milestone, lifestyle, and maternity sessions. I am also offering One for One Gratitude sessions which are available for purchase in my store. They are a great way to give back to our front line workers! You can find more information on these special sessions here:
As always, thanks for reading, and God bless!