I know a lot of you are frustrated and desperate to get your Maternity shoots done before baby arrives, or your Newborn photos before baby gets too much older. I feel your pain, I want that too!
I have noticed a few photographers are advertising that they are back to normal in level 3, and its fine to get your photos done, particularly if you get them done outdoors.
I will not be photographing clients until level 2. Here are my reasons:
- We are still meant to maintain physical distancing, while I could possibly stay more than 2 metres away from you, and my outdoor lens actually makes me stay at least 6 metres away from you, there is still going to be contact with outfits and yelling to one another. If you trip or fall I will come to help you. We are putting ourselves at risk.
As is the case for many people, my income has dropped considerably during this time, I still have a mortgage and bills to pay, however I refuse to place my clients at any kind of risk or to ignore advice from the Government, we are still under National Emergency legislation.
- I will void my public liability insurance if I work at the moment. As a professional photographer I am required to hold business indemnity and public liability insurance in case a client or property are harmed during a session. MBIE's website states that I may not meet with a client if I am not an essential service (I know it feels essential!) and that I may not have a client on my premises. Others may wish to try to find loopholes in the legislation. My priority is your safety.
- While pregnant women are not at risk of worse effects of Covid-19 than the general public I do not want to increase your risk of catching the disease as any illness in pregnancy places are burden on your health and wellbeing.
Hopefully we will only be in level 3 for two weeks. I am planning to re-open in Level 2.
I have a current health and safety plan, which will be amended with extra precautions for levels 1 and 2.
For example:
- Medical advice has changed around the use of masks, I will now use a mask when in contact with clients, and will change it during the session.
- Hand washing frequency will increase during sessions.
- Newborn sessions will be restricted in terms of the number of people present.
The studio will undergo a deep clean between clients, I will only have one newborn client and one maternity client per day, with 4 hours between them.
- Newborns will wear nappies at all times.
- Session times will be reduced, to decrease our exposure to one another, my workflow will change to accomodate this and to ensure you still receive the same amount of beautiful images.
As always, the safety of your family is my priority. I have been in contact with my booked clients, please be assured that I will fit you all in as quickly as possible, I know how important your photos are.
My health and safety policy may change at any time, depending on guidance from MBIE and the Ministry of Health.
