As businesses go online and staff conduct virtual meetings because of COVID-19 restrictions, a Port Moody photographer is left at loose ends.
Not only have all of Chris Chong’s bookings for summer weddings and events into fall dried up, he can’t exactly shoot photos remotely.
Or can he?
Chong, who’s been a part of his wife’s Butter Studios since 2007, is preparing to experiment with a remote shoot for a prospective model who wants to build her profile on social media. Photographer and subject will be connected by a video conferencing app like FaceTime where he’ll be able to guide her, suggest poses, then snap photos from his phone’s screen for instant feedback.
“We thought we’d have some fun with it,” Chong said.
It’s also a way to keep busy when his company’s calendar is completely empty for the first time ever.
Chong said the spring and summer wedding, corporate and charity events seasons usually generate enough work to keep his team of 20 or so contract photographers and assistants busy four to five times a week. With no end in sight for restrictions on large gatherings to minimize the risk of transmitting the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, he expects the drought could last into early next year.
“There’s literally no business,” Chong said. “Even if things get better in the fall, clients will still be wary about larger events.”
That’s tough on his family operation.
Chong said it was hard not to panic during the first week of the broad shutdown of businesses and activities.
“It’s never happened to me, even as a new photographer,” he said of the dearth of appointments.
But by the second week, Chong was sharpening his pencil to pare expenses to the bone and going online to apply for various government programs aimed to help small businesses weather the pandemic.
“Getting help lets us survive,” Chong said. “We’re not making money, but the key is to lose as little as possible.”
As well, Chong is honing skills in other areas like video filming and editing, updating marketing materials like photo portfolios on the company’s website, rolling out gift cards for future services and even indulging in some personal art projects that he could never find time to tackle before.
Chong said for other businesses facing bleak prospects, the key is to “stay calm, don’t be afraid to ask for help,” reduce costs and assess what else can be offered to clients.
“It’s challenging for us to think a bit differently,” he said. “It’s all about being creative.”
