We are currently in the midst of a very difficult time due to a most unpredicted (and unprecedented!) global pandemic.
I am incredibly sad that so many of my clients are having to re-schedule or postpone their weddings and photoshoots to alternative dates. I would like to assure you that I am on your side and will do everything in my power to support you as you navigate making changes to your dates.
Some advice and tips I can offer you if you are planning the major move of postponing your wedding…
Primarily, in basic terms I will transfer your service to a new date. This is of-course dependent on me being available to shoot that date. As you might imagine, with a big part of 2020 transferring to 2021 (on top of already booked weddings) not all dates are going to be free.
May I suggest that before nailing down a new date with the venue you communicate with the other suppliers, including myself, to check availability. Many venues are open to suggesting a few dates so you can communicate with the other suppliers you’ve already booked to see which is the best date for all. Doing this will in turn minimise the stress of having to wrangle insurance companies/finding other suppliers or being disappointed that the perfect suppliers you’ve already sourced may need to be replaced with others.
Like you, I am unaware of what is happening until we find out about it from the Government statements. Once information is released it then is assessed and translated by our professional associations and legal teams to see where it leaves us as a business. I will endeavour to communicate with you as openly as I can, but I sadly don’t have any inside information and am navigating this fresh as you are.
Planning your portrait sessions:
Until the rules on Social Distancing are relaxed, my studio is remaining closed to the public (however I can still undertake stock & product photography)
Without yet knowing dates, I would imagine that the first point of call for my service to re-open will be for location, rather than studio, shoots. Some changes will occur, namely that rather than having an in-person consultation in my studio, we will use other mediums like the telephone/FaceTime etc.
Again, rather than viewing your images in the studio for the first time, it may be that you will see an online gallery and I will create CGI’s of your wall art to help you visualise where your portraiture will go, rather than seeing the products. This is where our communication may get creative and use links to the products from other sources.
In the meantime, through The Master Photographers Association, I have signed up to and completed the Covid-19 Protocol to ensure best and safe practises to protect both you and your family as well as mine from Covid-19, reducing the risk of transmission and contamination in my workplace. Please see the link for more details: Fiona-Mills-Licentiate
From my family to yours, I hope you are all keeping well. If you have any questions at all about your wedding or portrait session, please contact me directly at fiona@fionamillsart.com and I’ll do my very best to help.
