« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 28 posts | 
by jnadler on Fri May 01, 2020 4:20 am
jnadler
Forum Contributor
Posts: 6926
Joined: 6 Oct 2003
Location: New York State
In January 2020, I invested several thousand on a new projector, laptop, screen, and sound system to give public photo presentations at clubs, colleges, libraries, etc.  I had booked four presentations quickly and now all are cancelled.

The only time that I have used the equipment was to play the movie Frozen for my grandaughter.  

By the time public gatherings occur and I can use this, I may lose interest.  

On a positive note, I have discovered and photographed incredible wildlife and wildflowers within a few miles of home.
 

by WJaekel on Fri May 01, 2020 6:27 pm
User avatar
WJaekel
Forum Contributor
Posts: 663
Joined: 30 Jun 2007
Location: Germany
I don't earn my living with photography, so the financial impact of the pandemic is not the most important consequence for me as far as photography is concerned. It's the emotional aspect that makes me very sad - apart from the daily restrictions and health concern, of course, also by watching the reports of so many people suffering and dying. By comparison, we've been relatively lucky here in Germany so far, but that's absolutely no free ticket for the future the more as there's an increasing pressure for relaxing the restrictions as everywhere in the economical world, too. As a former biologist and chemist I know that this is a very risky route and that some more patience in maintaining the restrictions would have been required  - at least for a few more weeks - in order to limit the uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 and have more leeway for reducing the measures,  given the lack of a vaccine. The economical and health impact will be even more dramatic if a second wave is not avoided.
I for one, I'm even more grateful than before for all my trips I did in the past and I feel blessed that I could fulfill two lifelong dreams back in 2018 by photographing the polar bear cubs in Churchill and taking part in an unique icebreaker expedition to the emperor penguins. So the current pandemic is another confirmation that you should never postpone a trip or another plan you can realise earlier. That said, I'm glad that I've had no major photo trips planned for 2020 yet. I had intended to travel to Norway again and go to Austria for bird photography. All is cancelled for 2020, of course. I have been thinking of travelling to Africa in autumn of 2021. But I'm sceptical that this can happen unless a vaccine surprisingly will be available in time before. Generally I'm not as pessimistic as others that international travels will be obsolete for years to come, though. I still hope that a vaccine will be obtainable later next year, at least. But of course, travelling and social life as we know and experienced before will be different for a long time. I also hope that in consequence of the crisis there's a rethinking and side effect with regard to the excesses of mass tourism destroying more and more natural treasures. My last visits i.e. to Iceland and Svalbard at some point weren't enjoyable anymore in this regard - compared to my trips to the Arctic one or two decades before. If i.e. big cruise ships with 2000+ passengers are restricted for some time so that remote and sensitive places in the Arctic and elsewhere are spared of the masses ,it would be a good side effect, IMO.
On the positive side of the crisis and the slowdown I realize that I get much more conscious of the small things in the surroundings such as flowers and common birds I sometimes overviewed or passed by before. Beyond that, I spend some time going through my slides of my Alaska trip of 1999 and reactivated my Nikon scanner. That brings back some good memories I almost had forgotten....Good health to all !

Wolfgang
http://www.wjaekel-foto.de
 

by E.J. Peiker on Fri May 01, 2020 7:08 pm
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
My income for March and April from photography was 6.4% of the average income for those two months over the last 5 years... :o
 

by Tom Reichner on Fri May 01, 2020 9:11 pm
User avatar
Tom Reichner
Forum Contributor
Posts: 598
Joined: 24 Apr 2010
Location: Washington (state) and Pennsylvania
The disease itself has not affected my photography in the least, but the social and governmental reaction to the disease has had some effect, albeit mostly positive.

A friend of mine suddenly had almost no work to do, because of government closures. So he called and told me that he unexpectedly had time for a big photo trip. We called the federal offices on South Dakota and asked about closures to the areas we wanted to shoot in, and were assured that the areas were indeed open. The federal officials actually encouraged us to travel to S.D., saying that the best thing for people would be to isolate in the outdoors, in the wide open prairie.

So we took a 17 day road trip and had some great mornings with lekking birds; specifically Sharp-tailed Grouse and Prairie Chickens. I had not planned to be able to travel to South Dakota this spring, let alone be gone for so long. But because of the way the restrictions and closures affected my friend's work situation, this trip became possible BECAUSE OF the virus!

Locally, none of the areas that I would normally go to at this time of year are closed, so the current situation hasn't affected my regular spring bird photography at all. Since getting back from South Dakota two weeks ago, I have had some especially nice opportunities with Common Loons, Sora Rails, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Barrow's Goldeneyes ..... all within two hours of home, and all completely unaffected by any closures or restrictions. But all of these opportunities are in remote areas where I never see any other humans, so I wouldn't expect any restrictions to affect photography in these areas. It's one of the biggest benefits to living where hardly anybody else lives.

As far as photography income is concerned, I had expected for my stock sales to drop to next to nothing. I was thinking that when something so big and serious is dominating the media, that people wouldn't be publishing as many wildlife photos. Surprisingly, I was wrong! My stock sales have remained the same as usual at two agencies, but increased by 36% at the third agency. Yippeeee!

I do feel for those whose businesses rely on guiding and instructing other photographers.
Wildlife photographed in the wild

http://www.tomreichner.com/Wildlife
 

by david fletcher on Sat May 02, 2020 1:02 pm
User avatar
david fletcher
Moderator
Posts: 34201
Joined: 24 Sep 2004
Location: UK
Member #:00525
WJaekel wrote:But of course, travelling and social life as we know and experienced before will be different for a long time. I also hope that in consequence of the crisis there's a rethinking and side effect with regard to the excesses of mass tourism destroying more and more natural treasures. 

On the positive side of the crisis and the slowdown I realize that I get much more conscious of the small things in the surroundings such as flowers and common birds I sometimes overviewed or passed by before. Beyond that, I spend some time going through my slides of my Alaska trip of 1999 and reactivated my Nikon scanner. That brings back some good memories I almost had forgotten....Good health to all !

Wolfgang
http://www.wjaekel-foto.de
Really enjoyed your post Wolfgang.  Much of what you say makes a great deal of sense. 

Sadly, there are elements in our society that disregard everything other than their own needs and opportunity's recently provided, lamely using others excuses to justify their own actions and continue to do their own thing, regardless of the cost and pain, so many families have experienced.  (an almost childlike repetition of I want so I will do).  

What I have read and seen, even here, beggars beyond belief.  

Personally, I too had plans for this year, which are on the shelf, including the odd trip, whether 200 or 300 miles till we find the new norm in society.

PS.  My weekly trips are food parcels to my dear Father in Law David Groves who was 84 on the 26th April.  A journey of 50 miles.. Conversation limited to talking over the fence.  We normally have him down for each weekend, but he is alive and well, and I've stocked him up with Single Malt so that's good.  

Your last point is a treasure, as it does provide the opportunity to evaluate and appreciate that which is close, and also what joys and memories we have had the pleasure to see before.  

Be safe.  
Make your life spectacular!

NSN00525
 

by OntPhoto on Tue May 19, 2020 8:41 am
User avatar
OntPhoto
Forum Contributor
Posts: 7039
Joined: 9 Dec 2006
Location: Ottawa, Ontario. Canada.
Thanks for sharing feedback everyone.  We're pretty much all in the same boat.  Slowly, restrictions are being lifted.  If this pandemic has shown us one thing, it is that governments must invest in healthcare and healthcare infrastructure.  It is well known that in certains places you can wait several months to get a MRI done. I think the current situation has forced (no one pay much attention or at least didn't do anything when Bill Gates gave that TedTalk) governments to prepare for this in the near future.

But getting back to photography and the pandemic, we have any local patches where people can visit. I have been going outdoors for the past several months and finding workarounds to parking (as NCC parking lots are closed) etc.  So have many other photographers.  Some wear a face mask and others do not.  At such close quarters you are taking a chance.  

Taken this weekend.  A family of eastern screech owls with 6 to 7 fledglings.  We had a fairly mild winter with not much precipitation so hunting was easier for the owls. The more food available, the bigger the broods.
Image
 

by Eduardo on Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:21 am
Eduardo
Forum Contributor
Posts: 8554
Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Location: Boston, Mass
I was lucky to be inside Patagonia before the pandemic blew up in Argentina and Chile.  All national parks and pelagic trips there were open during my stay Feb-20-March 30, all closed before I left! I almost made the decision to stay with my son (world biker) in Patagonia due to safety issues,(would have been a wise decision) but the logistics of staying there for one year proved to be too much. At my return to Boston I had to cut my May trip to the Pirineos/Andorra/Southern France, something I really regret. On the positive side, my home town is absolutely lovely with no traffic, fresh air,  uncongested streets, no contrail lines in skies etc.. Warbler migration is awesome from my backyard, though not spectacular like last year,  so are spring flowers. Adapt, adapt adapt. Interesting times we live in!
Eduardo
http://www.delsolar.org
 

by SantaFeJoe on Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:37 am
User avatar
SantaFeJoe
Forum Contributor
Posts: 8622
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Location: Somewhere Out In The Wilds
Eduardo wrote:........On the positive side, my home town is absolutely lovely with no traffic, fresh air,  uncongested streets, no contrail lines in skies etc......
Living in a tourist oriented town, I really appreciate the reduced traffic, noise, pedestrians in the downtown area, etc., but one thing that is happening now is that the areas outside of town(mostly forest and high desert) are more congested with locals who love the outdoors. They are desperate to be in the places they love and, with most not working, even weekdays are bad in these areas. I’m glad we have a lot of wide open public lands, but some seem to like the exact same places. No social distancing on the narrow trails above town and parking is ridiculous on the mountain roads.

Joe
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.  -Pablo Picasso
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
28 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group