There are so many good reasons to do a front porch session and not very many reasons NOT to! With Governor Walz’s address yesterday, it’s clear to me that he is in favor of businesses that  can easily social-distance, getting back to work. Front Porch photography sessions may just be the easiest kind of session to socially distance with! In fact, most on-location photography would be, with maybe the exception of newborns who need substantial posing. 

I tried my hand last week on several front porch projects. And, oh my gosh, what a wonderful experience. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime (hopefully!) thing to be with families who are ALL going through the same experience at the same time. Some are in happier places than others, but the overall situation is cohesive and conjoins us all. And it sure feels good to make people feel good!

It seems that everyone right now is looking for ways to make others’ lives more enjoyable and especially seeking out ways to help those who are doing so much to care for us (read: Essential Workers…however you define that). How AWESOME is that?!? Photographers, by nature, WANT you to have the images they capture. Offering a time-capsule moment for free or to raise funds for a good cause is a very selfless endeavor that several photographers right here in Woodbury are already doing.

After seeing one local photographer’s very successful charitable campaign I was both proud and anxious. I, myself, don’t have time or the energy to complete over 100 sessions in a short time (or even 20 or 30 to be honest). But, truly…BRAVO to photographers like this to think of others and contribute in this way. I’m very proud and not surprised at all. Most photographers are given this gift of philanthropy because we SEE things and recognize the value in these moments in time.

It’s a toughy! Is it greedy to ask people to pay for a session when they could get it for free from someone who is also contributing the proceeds to a good cause? The logical answer may be “no” and should be “no”, but it kind of feels like “yes” if I’m being honest. 

After trying like mad to figure out the answer to this question, I am making the decision to do nothing. While this COVID business is running rampant, Focus by Susan will not being doing porch sessions at all. Because I can’t decide what feels right. And because (hopefully), it won’t break my business.

If your family would enjoy a front porch session (and I REALLY think you should do one), please contact me and I would be happy to point you in a good direction, I promise!

And this probably sounds very contrary to what I just said, but I AM planning to do regular 0n-location (outdoor) photography sessions as long as the Governor deems it safe. At this time, I believe that means that I can while taking social distancing precautions. So, please send me your seniors and your park family sessions and your kitties and puppers who can have their sessions outside. I can’t wait to see them. 

I’m forecasting that these sessions may be the only sessions that many families do this year. And that would be totally understandable. I can’t wait to see all of the Front Porch Christmas cards next December. No, for real! Hopefully by then, it will be a reminder of something we’ve come through together and come out stronger and more resilient as a result. But, I will miss seeing regulars and new clients who will maybe decide to wait on the “normal” summer/fall family portraits this year.

I’m not saying it won’t sting. I’m missing out for sure on the fun of it and/or the income of doing these sessions. However, I feel very blessed that (as of now, at least), my family’s income is not solely dependent on my photography business. My hope above all hope for my Focus Photography by Susan business is that people come back. PLEASE come see me for your son or daughter’s senior portraits and PLEASE look me up the next time your family considers portraits. Bring me your puppies and kitties, too!

In the already over-saturated market that is Portrait Photography, there’s a pretty wide spectrum of photographers out there. From “totally doing this as a hobby” to “it’s my only source of income”.  Some photographers are positioned well to provide this extraordinary free service while others are losing what could be their livelihood by doing so for free or deeply discounted prices and potentially missing out on their planned-for summer and fall family sessions. Those of us photographers who are somewhere in between are surely struggling a bit to find the balance and to do what is right for their business.