Social distancing got you down? Starting to go a little stir-crazy? At pictureline, we want you to keep calm, stay focused, and keep shooting. Now is the perfect time for freelancers and small businesses to tidy up some loose ends or pick up a new skill—and stay positive!
How Healthy Are Your Finances?
These are tricky times for everyone, and staying in touch with your financial health is more important than ever. Although the tax filing deadline has been deferred until July 15, if you have a refund heading your way, consider filing now. Many tax preparation services and accountants are offering online appointments or other “no-contact” services to get your check in the mail without meeting face-to-face. If you’ve been a sloppy bookkeeper, while you have some downtime consider taking an online course or reading some new material to get your books in better shape for the future.
Learn Something New
We can always be better! Why not use some downtime to bust out that lens you used to love, or finally use the film you’ve got stored in the fridge? Maybe you come up with a new process on how to organize your photos or even just get caught up. There are plenty of online courses and books available to help you sharpen your skills. Who knows? You might finally figure out that one tool in Photoshop that you’ve never dared to try.
Expand Your Horizons—Literally
Social distancing means we are a little cut off from each other right now, but there’s nothing keeping you from getting outside. If you’ve never looked into landscape photography or the marvelous world of macro, there’s no better time than now. Take a drive to beach, canyon, or someplace else you’ve never been and practicing capturing the beauty of nature. You might even spot a new location to take your clients once it’s safe. Even a walk around the neighborhood could reveal some things you’ve never noticed—as well as some hidden talents.
The image below was taken by landscape photographer and loyal customer of ours, John Haymore. If you're looking to take a stab at landscape photography, we'd suggest checking out his Instagram or website for some motivation.
Enjoy Your Time at Home
It sounds simplistic to say, but we can surely make the most of the time we have at home with family. Practice your portrait techniques on kids, pets, houseplants. Experiment with new lighting based on the time of day. Try food photography! Photographer, Danielle Rischawy, recalls, “One of the ways I relax during this challenging time of social distancing is to create healthy foods I love to eat. Then, I photograph them as a ‘work of art’. I find it comforting, it’s a distraction from the chaos of the world and it serves as a beautiful addition to my photography portfolio; always using my favorite Sigma lenses. For these Vegan Nut Butter Bars, I used the 35mm F1.4 DG Art for the aerial and wide shots; it allows for showing more of the background which helps give a point of reference and enhances the beauty of the Vegan Nut Butter Bars which, you should know, were delicious!”
Get creative, and don’t be afraid to share your work online, or with friends over email or social media. Reaching out and staying in touch may be just the thing that you need right now—and it might help somebody else too.