Covid 19, Business & Silver Linings.
It really is an incredible time right now. Just over a week ago, I had no idea exactly what lay ahead, although it was clear things were about to change. We are now at a stage where pubs and restaurants are closed to the public, millions of people self isolating, and life really has changed dramatically for everyone. It feels like we have stepped into a movie plot, and we don’t know the ending.
From a photography & film point of view, it was clear early in the week that my short term future was going to be very different to how I imagined it. Firstly I knew one of my coming weddings involved the brides family travelling from USA and Italy, and that was indeed the first one to go from the diary as travel restrictions came in. Within 48 hours 4 weddings had gone, albeit moved to new dates in the future. I made an early decision to happily help couples by not charging to change dates, and freezing this years prices, so basically, subject to my availability, they would just move the date and relax. I will do everything I can to accommodate the new dates and help with this stressful situation as it continues, just get in touch.
Along with the weddings, I immediately lost 3 full days of work from last weeks diary on the commercial side of things, and within the week my diary was totally wiped out until July, with the exception of one wedding, which I now assume will be moved as well. I’m not complaining about this, because I totally appreciate the situation is unprecedented and if this sacrifice is for the greater good of everyone around me, then I will find a way to get through this.
I could sit here moaning about costs, bills, expenses, and complain about the situation. I could put my head down and feel sorry for myself. Now it is no secret that I have always suffered from depression and anxiety, but rather than feel bad, I have actually tried to embrace this situation. Look for a silver lining amongst the heavy layer of clouds. Somehow when we have to deal with difficult situations, we find the inner strength. I have tried to find a funny side to things, and have a laugh on social media, particularly with regards to the toilet paper situation. I am not making light of the situation, but if I can make a few people laugh, then that makes me happy.
Yes, financially this is going to be tough. Very tough. That said I hope the chancellor has some good news for us freelancers over the coming days, so we will see. However, the positives are many. I have spent the last ten or more years moaning about never ever having a break. Working seven day weeks, and sometimes 12-16 hours a day. Driving 3000 miles per month on average for the last 15 years consistently, will now be cut back drastically as well. I’m always in a cycle of feeling good, being really busy, then feeling utterly burnt out, but with no space in my diary to actually rest. Sometimes business falls by the wayside because I am so busy with the nuts and bolts of doing photo and video. I have things that I want to do and things I want to change in the business, but can’t get time. Well now I have a chance to rest. To look at the business and work on things behind the scenes. I can exercise without that feeling of guilt which has for three years made me curtail my cycling distances as my brain won’t switch off from my to-do list. I can work on personal projects, write some of the books I have started and never finished. I can read and watch DVD’s, a rare novelty. I have totally adopted the idea in my head, that this will benefit me in the longer term.
When you see what has happened in Italy, it is my belief that this set of measures is going to at least make a good attempt at stopping those scenes from being repeated here. It has angered me to see pubs staying open, and people filling them overnight, for one last night, and cheap beer. Very irresponsible behaviour and everyone involved should be ashamed. People on social media taking the ‘people are scaremongering, I will carry on as normal’ attitude are a disgrace and I hope those around them have a quiet word.
So, let’s all do our bit, listen to people who know more than some fanny on Facebook who left school at 16 with no qualifications, but knows how to use copy and paste. Wash your hands, stay away from public places and keep this thing as small as we can. When it settles down we will be able to carry on with our lives, and hopefully appreciate what we have a little more.
