On a beautiful April day playground equipment sits vacant as scientists still seek to better understand how long the coronavirus may live on smooth surfaces. The pause on these beacons of excitement for families is just one of the countless ways lives have been altered in the wake of COVID-19. ©2020 Dan Iverson / Anthologie
[Entry updated May 5, 2020]
A message to my supportive clients:
I hope this message finds you and your family safe and doing as best you can. I wanted to let you know first and foremost that Anthologie is still open. Well, sort of. Like so many of you I am working from home since the Minnesota Stay-At-Home Order was initiated in mid-March. This limits what I’m able to do, especially in terms of actually photography, which is pretty much only products shipped to my home studio.
I had hoped that photography studios operating out of Minnesota would be back to work today, but it was announced last week that our stay-at-home order would be extended through May 18. And with photography deemed a non-essential industry, that means I won’t be photographing clients for a couple of more weeks. That being said, I am still here and can certainly schedule a time to meet up with you online to start discussing your important projects. Shoot me an email if you’d like to chat soon!
Coronavirus preparedness
The health and well-being of you, your colleagues and your families is my top priority. As we know, the rules can change at any moment, but for the time being I thought I’d share with you my intended studio policies once photographers are able to work outside the home again.
1. Session Deposit Policies will change. Until further notice, I will not be collecting session deposits as I expect dates and times may often change if anyone involved is feeling unwell. I do no wish anyone to risk their own safety or the safety of others simply because they feel obligated to make an appointment because money is on the line. I would rather we reschedule until all are symptom-free.
2. Session Cancelation Policies Relaxed. There will be no stipulations on how soon to the anticipated photo session time that either myself or my clients may cancel a photo session.
3. Health Self-Checks. I will monitor for any symptoms I may be experiencing and check my temperature prior to traveling to your photo session. If I have a fever I will be rescheduling our session. If you are feeling ill or experiencing flu-like symptoms, please contact me to reschedule. I won’t be mad!
4. Emphasis on Outdoor Photo Sessions. Moving photo sessions indoors or to a studio restricts the physical space we have to work with one another. When possible, I will suggest outdoor venues to schedule our photo session.
5. Social Distancing. I have professional photo equipment that will allow me to work a minimum of 6 feet away from subjects during photo sessions. When it comes to portraits, I am usually well beyond this threshold already.
6. Photography Equipment. All lighting that must be closer than 6 feet to a subject will be set up before the individual enters the intended location for a specific pose. This may lead to to slightly longer set-up times but it will be worth it! In addition, I will be the only person allowed to handle photo equipment — no exceptions. I know clients (especially in Minnesota) like to lend a hand with moving equipment around, but trust me, I can handle moving stands, lights and bags safely on my own.
7. Personal Precautions. I may be wearing a face mask during our session, and if you request it, I am certainly happy to oblige the request. I know it may be tough to miss that human element of seeing a smile back at you from behind the camera, but right now it’s the smart way to go.
8. Contact-Free Experience. In the past, it may have been customary to greet each other with a handshake. Aside from that initial moment, most of my sessions have had no reason for us to have additional contact.
An action seemingly as harmless as exchanging physical business cards may be a thing of the past for some time to come. In an era of social distancing, texting and sending information in other contact-free methods is the norm.
a. Upon arrival to our location I will text you to alert you to my arrival and communicate how we will set up for the session.
b. At the conclusion of the session I will arrange an electronic payment. Either an online invoice may be sent to pay on your own or you may choose to utilize a different contact-free payment portal, such as Zelle, PayPal or Venmo.
c. Photos will be presented in an online gallery and may be eligible for digital download of the finished work based on the photo session option that was created for you.
9. Product Delivery. At this time, many of my preferred vendor labs are closed, but once they re-open, photo products will be delivered to your home or office using a trusted carrier such as FedEx and UPS. Studio pick-ups are suspended at this time.
For more information and health guidance regarding COVID-19, please visit the CDC or WHO websites. For additional information, please contact the studio at 612-419-7009, or let me know if you’d like to set up a virtual meeting so we can see each other’s smiling faces again!
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding during this challenging time. I look forward to seeing you again soon!
