The moment we are living in, is certainly for us humans on earth, not the easiest moment in our lives.
Rocky and uncertain - at Riviera Beach
It is certainly not an easy time for…
· the elderly and the vulnerable, as they have to live with additional anxiety and cannot see their loved ones;
· those involved in the healthcare sector, as they have to face additional work pressure and also ensure the safety of their family;
· parents, who have to juggle through taking care of their kids schooling activities while also continue to work as best as they can from home;
· self-employed or small businesses who have to adopt their working routines and practices to keep their business floating while taking measures to keep safe.
Neither is it any easy time to be a wedding photographer in these unprecedented times. Since mass gatherings are completely prohibited, all weddings scheduled for 2020 are being indefinitely postponed or cancelled. Some couples are staying optimistic, trying to stick to their dates up till the very last moments, but seeing how the situation is evolving in other countries (like Japan and South Korea) where a second wave seems to be making a run, I do not foresee the situation to improve any time soon.
Furthermore, Malta being a small island, it is very much dependent on tourism. At the moment the only airport is closed which means that no international clients are possible. This is another blow, not only to the local economy (whose GPD relies heavily at around 30% on tourism services) but also for the wedding photography demand. Having such an uncertain situation in relation to future flight possibilities, makes it difficult not only for couples to decide on whether to postpone and re-plan their wedding day but also for future couples to commit to a destination wedding in Malta.
Furthermore, I also have to mention how difficult it is to reschedule all the weddings which had to take place in 2020 to 2021. Trying to accommodate clients in this already stressful situation is for me an ethical priority, however I need to make sure that the bookings for next year are feasible and do not compromise the quality and timeless of my final product.
Fiery sunset
Apart from the financial considerations and difficulties which all wedding photographers are enduring there is another consideration which needs to be done. A wedding photographer expresses his creativity through photography and art and therefore he now needs to find other ways of channeling this energy. I have seen other fellow photographers delve in videoblogging and paintings! Personally, I have decided to use my additional time to visit some remote areas of our island and divulge myself in landscape photography (in this post you can see some of my work!).
There is another risk which is frequently overlooked. Wedding photographers are human and as human beings, there is a risk that we can also get sick. And in view of the current situation the risk is higher than usual and with a more serious impact than usual. If the authorities decide to open up the local airport and they decide to allow mass gathering such as weddings, before any vaccine is administered, we wedding photographers are in for some tough decisions. Due to the nature of the job, which involves social closeness and meeting various people, I consider the job to be of high risk. Working with adequate protection or social measures through a 10-hour coverage is going to be almost impossible, at least unless one is ready to accept serious compromises in style and techniques used!
There is hope - at Wied iz-Zurrieq
Being a wedding photographer in Malta in these arduous times is not easy, but I have hope for the future. And my hope is built on various signs I have seen through this journey. I have seen understanding couples who are willing to go an extra mile to make sure that all their vendors are available on their new date. I have seen vendors come together to discuss common issues and review how best to tackle certain awkward situations. I have seen authorities being supportive of freelance individuals and small businesses. I have good reasons to hope and remember that “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”