Hi everyone, I'm not sure how many of you have started photographing weddings, newborns or families again but how are your feelings about it? I'm not sure if it's safe to start because I am very hands-on when I photograph families. I also sweat and move around a lot and wearing a mask will be challenging. I heard that business can be sued too if they believe they got covid-19 as a result from their business.

Maybe I'm being paranoid. How is everyone else dealing with getting back to work? I'm not sure what to tell clients.

Hi everyone, I'm not sure how many of you have started photographing weddings, newborns or families again but how are your feelings about it? I'm not sure if it's safe to start because I am very hands-on when I photograph families. I also sweat and move around a lot and wearing a mask will be challenging. I heard that business can be sued too if they believe they got covid-19 as a result from their business.

Maybe I'm being paranoid. How is everyone else dealing with getting back to work? I'm not sure what to tell clients.

The state of Washington put out specific guidelines and requirements for photographers that include social distancing and specific sanitization techniques: https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/COVID19Phase2ProfessionalPhotographyGuidance.pdf.

It sounds to me like you will need to evolve your style and be less hands-on. I would imagine being too close will make your clients uneasy even if they don't say anything. While they are uncomfortable and annoying, I would recommend you wear a mask. They aren't so much for your own protection as they are for the people around you.

I don't do weddings any more but when I did, I had a very thorough contract for all parties to sign and I assume you do the same. It would probably be in your best interest to seek some legal advice and get some effective language you can add into the contract that protects you and your business from liability.

Good luck!

Mat

I'm in Belgium, where photographers don't use contracts (but people don't sue businesses here), so to protect myself and my clients against the visur, I do MORE than legally needed.  If you do everything your state/country tells you to do, and MORE, they will feel safe.  I am a pregnancy and newborn photographer and I do touch the newborn babies all the time.  Mothers are covid tested at the time of delivery and no visitors are allowed in hospital, so there's not much chance that a 7 day old baby has covid.  Pregnant women and their partners are a bigger danger for me.


These are my precautions :



1. In my private life, I avoid contact as much as possible (like I order food online and collect it at the supermarket), no parties, no restaurant visits, no travelling ...
2. As the virus does not live longer than 24h on textiles (furniture, clothing, carpet), I will leave 1 full day between every session.  This way I avoid that client A infects client B.
3. I bought 5 liter jugs of 80% alcohol for cleaning after every session.  Alcohol is the only liquid that kills within 30 seconds (lysol needs 5 minutes!).  Bleach too, but bleach ruins the materials.
4. I wear a mask during the whole session, and I keep it on while cleaning.
5. I provide my clients with masks and alcogel at the entrance of the studio and they're only allowed to put them off for drinking and posing. 
6. To avoid that clients scatter their masks all over my studio, I introduced the "red box", covered with a fresh plastic bag, which is the only place they can put their masks in when not in use. 
7. Lots of things have been replaced by disposable materials, like towels, drinking glasses, gloves and an apron for me ...
8. I use gloves while cleaning, but not during sessions, because it is recommended not to.  Gloves give a false feeling of protection, but I constantly use alcohol gel during sessions and encourage clients to use it too.
9. The window stays open during the entire session.
10. I send an email to clients before the session asking NOT to come with symptoms or fever, and I take their temperature on arrival.  For this I have a no-touch thermometer, plus an ordinary thermometer (which is used when the first one gives a doubtful result).  I haven't had a client with a temperature yet, but I WILL send them home if some one goes over 37.3�.
11. When viewing photos :  I'm at my desk 7 meters away from clients, and they are viewing on a separate screen on a side table.
12. Husband helps Mom getting dressed.  I sometimes have to help, but we both wear masks then.  When being close together is needed (like Dad is sitting close to baby for safety), then I give Dad an extra face shield (a cheap plastic one).
13. Lots more investments like a larger and safer garbage bin, a UVC sterilizer for headbands etc.  This has cost quite a lot and I ask clients to pay 8 euros per adult per session
extra for "Corona investments".  This money also covers package and postage, so they don't have to come to the studio again for collecting photo books or dvd.
14. I stopped letting clients touch all my baby stuff.  They can still look with their eyes, but no longer with their hands.
15. Worst point of all :  the siblings are no longer allowed in the studio.  This has cost me bookings, but toddlers don't wear masks, touch everything, sneeze and cough on everything etc. so I cannot keep them or myself safe.


Hope this helps.  Belgium had very low Corona figures since mid May, but since this week, they're rising again, so it might be possible that I'm adding more points to my list.  It's not that I'm super scared to get Covid19, but if the contact tracing center calls me and tells me "I have been in contact with the virus" I will be forced to close for 2 weeks or more.  THAT's what is scary!  My business was closed for two months in March/April, so I'll do everything possible to keep safe.

Thank you for your advice Anyka. I really appreciate it.

Some photographers here are having customers sign Covid-19 liability waivers. In America, everyone is sue-happy for sure.