How has the pandemic affected you or your business so far? All of the creative pros I know are shut down and many of them work the type of events that will be the last to have its restrictions lifted (weddings, trade events, sports, etc.) If there is a 2nd and 3rd wave and governments implement an on and off approach to social distancing, this industry will be devastated. At least a few of my acquaintances are considering a career change at this point depending on how things evolve from here. It's anecdotal right now, but most are not planning system upgrades or purchases this year and possibly next year. Some have expressed to their commercial landlords that they will be paying 20-50% of their normal rent for the next 3 months and hedging the risk of eviction with the fact that the landlord rather get something than $0 with no possibility of finding a new tenant during this crisis.
But even aside from working pros, how many enthusiasts have lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as a result of covid-19? I'm mostly a weekend warrior and my primary profession is in an essential sector and largely unaffected by this downturn (fortunately), but with that being said, in terms of my photo/video work, many of my current clients this year have postponed or cancelled their events/planned works and the team I shoot with on larger productions are all shut down meaning things went from 100 to 0 overnight. Obviously those who weather this storm will end up with less competition when the dust clears, but those that fail still have families to feed and rent/mortgages to pay..
I feel for those affected right now and wondering how everyone else is coping? Even if you are not a working pro, has your GAS been affected by this at all given that you may not have as many places to shoot this year or perhaps even next year when the fall/winter cycle brings new unknowns...
FWIW: My cameras and bodies have been sitting on the shelf since end of Feb and my last works was for a client operating a large health spa/entertainment facility. Hopefully they and the ad agency that hired us will still be around to get paid as a facility like that won't get to re-open at least until late summer or worse at this point. Maybe during this time Sony can actually release a non april fools touch menu update instead of going radio silence unlike Canon who has gone gangbusters on their new R5.
But even aside from working pros, how many enthusiasts have lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as a result of covid-19? I'm mostly a weekend warrior and my primary profession is in an essential sector and largely unaffected by this downturn (fortunately), but with that being said, in terms of my photo/video work, many of my current clients this year have postponed or cancelled their events/planned works and the team I shoot with on larger productions are all shut down meaning things went from 100 to 0 overnight. Obviously those who weather this storm will end up with less competition when the dust clears, but those that fail still have families to feed and rent/mortgages to pay..
I feel for those affected right now and wondering how everyone else is coping? Even if you are not a working pro, has your GAS been affected by this at all given that you may not have as many places to shoot this year or perhaps even next year when the fall/winter cycle brings new unknowns...
FWIW: My cameras and bodies have been sitting on the shelf since end of Feb and my last works was for a client operating a large health spa/entertainment facility. Hopefully they and the ad agency that hired us will still be around to get paid as a facility like that won't get to re-open at least until late summer or worse at this point. Maybe during this time Sony can actually release a non april fools touch menu update instead of going radio silence unlike Canon who has gone gangbusters on their new R5.