Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-11)

24 11 April 2020 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

H

ello, dear reader. I’m
writing this during
a week when 20,000
troops are on standby
to help deal with the coronavirus
crisis. Schools have shut down
and exams cancelled. Social
distancing has been implemented;
cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs,
gyms and bingo halls ordered
to close. Supermarket shelves are
being stripped clean. The worst
in society are doing bad, the best
are stepping up. Lockdown seems
imminent. The Queen released
a statement reminding us that
‘our nation’s history has been
forged by people and communities
coming together’ (as long as
it’s no closer than two metres).
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is
‘absolutely confident that we can
send coronavirus packing in this
country.’ The situation is serious,
the situation is changing rapidly.
It will have changed again by the
time you read this.
The photo-industry is being
decimated. It will recover but
associated businesses and

individuals might not. Photography

shows, events and exhibitions have

closed, cancelled or been postponed.

Camera manufacturers expect to

take a big hit. Work has flatlined.

The world has been reset. BC will

come to mean something different.

I am living my story, you have yours,

I hope it’s not too terrifying. I

reached out to a few to hear theirs.

Cancelled jobs

‘I’ve never know anything like it, the

work has just dropped off, it’s like

shaking a dead Christmas tree. A

month of work gone in four days,

upward of 15 jobs. One morning, in

the space of 25 minutes, four jobs

cancelled,’ explains freelance

photographer Matthew Horwood

from his home in Cardiff. ‘I’m just

getting used to not having jobs to

do, not having to be somewhere at

9 o’clock - not having any work is

really strange.’ Matthew was staff

photographer at the Western Mail

before being made redundant in

2014 and thrown into the world of

PR and event photography. With no

PR or event photography to do, he’s

being proactive shooting news stock

for Getty Images. ‘It’s a bit bleak, to

be honest, going out and shooting

the same thing over and over again

and having the same conversations.

I am at least free to do what I want,’

he says with a chink of optimism. ‘I

don’t think every photographer is

going to get through it without

doing other jobs. It’s very bleak,’ he

adds. Does he expect to be able to

photograph himself out of

adversity? ‘I don’t know how long it’s

going to go on for. Depends whether

there’s new opportunities for

pictures every day. Every

photographer is going to be doing

this, there’s probably more

competition than before, people

who did PR and news are now just

doing news. It does make it difficult.’

Sales opportunities

Fashion and celebrity photographer

Jay McLaughlin has a strategy.

‘Everything is postponed until

further notice. I had enough to pay

my bills. Now it’s, what can I sell?’

What he can sell are his books:

Bailey’s Stardust, Vanity Fair 100

Covid-19

The

longest

week

PHOTOGRAPHY INDUSTRY

With the world shutting down

amid an unpredecented

crisis, how is the world of

photography coping?

Peter Dench investigates

Right: Pictures of

empty shelves in

supermarkets are

becoming an all-too

familiar sight

Far right: Several

companies

introduced new

measures, before

closing altogether