How I Plan to Safely Resume Family Photos

Well, it’s official! Photographers are allowed to resume work. I can’t wait to see the families I photograph year after year, and meet the new families and babies. Of course, our world looks nothing like it did at the beginning of the year. Covid-19 has changed so much, including family photography. I want to reassure anyone booking with me that I am going to be following safe practices for the protection of your family and mine.

My recommendation would be to schedule family photos as soon as you can, since we don’t know what the fall will have in store for us. If numbers go up, if flu season is problematic, restrictions will be imposed again. So, let’s get it done! We have spent SO much time with our families this year, I think documenting 2020 is important and historic.

Guidelines Set at the State Level:

Requirements Specific to Professional Photography Operations

1. Client Management

a. Appointments are required for all clients, allowing sufficient time to sanitize photographic equipment and common areas after each client session.

b. Outdoor sessions should be used as much as possible.

c. Only one client (and family member, if client is a minor) should be allowed in studio facilities at any given time. If the session is held offsite, only one client (and family member, if client is a minor) should be staged in the immediate area. Groups are not allowed. An exception can be made for groups consisting of immediate family only.

d. Photographers should maintain social distancing, using no-touch posing methods.

2. Sanitation

a. Wash hands regularly before and after photographic sessions.

b. Frequently sanitize all equipment as well as props, chairs, benches with which a client may come into contact.

c. Sanitize all restrooms available to clients in-studio

d. Frequently sanitize all common areas, including door knobs (interior and exterior), counter tops, pens and pencils, tablets, keyboards and monitors.

e. Remove all unnecessary paper products or décor (magazines, newspapers, extraneous sales materials).

f. If changing rooms are used during professional photography operations, they should be cleaned with appropriate disinfecting supplies after each new client use, by an employee wearing proper protective equipment.

Adapting at Chelsea Macor Photography

Studio Sessions:

For the time being I will not be using the studio. I am going to hold my mini sessions outdoors in July and I will make an announcement when it is safe to resume studio work.

In-Home Sessions:

In-home sessions will be considered on a case-by-case basis starting in July. If all parties have no cough and no fever, I will be happy to do in-home sessions wearing a mask and possibly limiting time indoors. Luckily I have figured out how to get creative while photographing my “Motherhood In Isolation” series, so I am confident in creating beautiful images.

Outdoor Sessions:

Outdoor sessions will resume as normal, with the difference being no hands on posing and I will wear a mask. I have been setting up outdoor “sets” and backdrops to mimic in-home and studio looks and I can’t wait to share them with you.