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Covid Consent Form Photography Sessions

All my clients will receive a link to this blog post the day before our booking.

 

Please make sure you fill out and send back this Covid Consent Form before your booking.

 

You can find my consent form here

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch.

 

Thank you

 

Nicki x

Photographing newborns and families during covid

Photographing newborns and families during covid

It feels like the guidelines are changing daily on what we need to do to be ‘covid safe’.  Currently, Birmingham is at the start of a local social lockdown.  From the guidelines I have read, it purely means that you cannot socialise with other families or friends in your own house or garden and cannot use family or friends for child care.

 

I think there are many different reasons for this.  Apart from it being the first small step to reducing our numbers, we do become more relaxed when in a home of a family member or friend.  We would be using their facilities and maybe not quite as ‘on guard’ with hand washing etc.  Businesses have to show that they are ‘covid safe’ which means complying to regulations which obviously our homes wouldn’t have to.  I do believe that if our numbers don’t go down, then a stricter lockdown (including closing some businesses) may have to happen similar to in Manchester.  Having been given ZERO in the way of support from the first lockdown (for 6 months!) for having to close my business, I really hope, from a personal/business point of view, that another retail/hair dresser lockdown isn’t enforced.

 

So what are we allowed to do in our current Birmingham Lockdown?

Photoshoots are allowed to happen both in my studio and outdoors.  I can photograph and pose newborns and parents and siblings are allowed for their portraits at the beginning of the session.  Siblings will then have to leave once we have captured those images.  

I am not able to photograph sessions with more than 6 people – this does not include myself as I am there for a business purpose.  If your household is more than 6, then that is fine but we wouldn’t be able to have extended family in these photos.

 

What am I putting in place to keep you safe?

Dettol.

For those clients who have been to the studio since reopening, they can vouch for the many different Dettol products and the vast amount of anti bac gel available.  I do laugh about it – it’s become a bit of an obsession for me.  My studio is sprayed and cleaned (within an inch of its life) from top to bottom before and after a session.  You will see me wiping down the door handles when you leave – sometimes clients haven’t even started their engines before I’m out there.  

As always, all items are cleaned either washed if they’re material or sprayed/wiped down with Dettol after being used.  Sessions are spread out with 72 hours between each session and props/backdrops/outfits and my studio is quarantined for 72 hours between uses.  I am currently only shooting on Mondays and Fridays.  

Covid-19 is a virus.  Many cleaning products state that they kill bacteria but as Covid-19 is a virus I have chosen my products with great care.  Dettol is one of the only products that states it kills 99.9% of viruses too.  This is why I have chosen Dettol as my cleaning product.  All my anti bac gel – available for parents, children and myself – is over the 60% ethanol threshold advised for killing the Covid-19 virus.  One is 70% and the other is 75%.  

Unfortunately, toilet facilities are out of order.  This minimises the area of my home that you, as my clients, can go to for the protection of my family but also to minimise the amount of contact for you too.

Although my refreshment area is set up and looks amazing, I am currently not offering refreshments.  You’re welcome (and encouraged) to bring your own drinks and snacks but I do ask that all rubbish (including nappies) is taken home with you.

Shoes need to be removed in the porch and masks are now to be worn.  During the family portrait part of the session, masks may be removed.

A questionaire is sent out to all clients and must be signed to say that they haven’t been in contact with anyone who has had Covid-19 symptoms and that anyone in their household hasn’t displayed any symptoms over the past 14 days.  If they have, the session will be rearranged.  I also assure families, in a text the night before, that myself and all in my household are Covid-19 symptom free.

 

As a business, I have signed up to the new NHS track and trace which I believe will be launched on 24/09/2020. I do ask that ALL families scan the QR code to log in upon their arrival.  This is to ensure that a speedy notification can be sent out (should that be necessary) and therefore help stop any spread more than necessary.  I feel that this is best for all my clients protection.

 

My covid risk assessment is available should you wish to see it.

If you have any questions or concerns, please message me.

 

If you were in a similar situation to me whereby you were excluded from any meaningful support from the government during our first lockdown, please head to www.excludeduk.org 

Award Winning Newborn Photographer

Award Winning Newborn Photographer

I wrote a blog before about the benefits about being involved with The Guild of Photographers.  One of those benefits is being able to enter into the Image of the Month competition. 

 

Every month, all members have the option to enter their images into a variety of categories.  There are set criteria that must be fulfilled in order to enter.  Images are then judged by a panel of 3 of their master craftsment (absolute top of the game photographers) and given a score.  That score could be converted into a Bronze, Silver or Gold award depending on how high the image scored.

 

I’ve not had the guts to enter before.  Having only started my newborn photography journey 2 years ago (Thank you Facebook for reminding me of that last week!), I am still at the beginning of my journey.

 

Maybe it was the effect of lockdown that pushed me over the edge – haha! – but this month I entered a few images into the image of the month competition.  

 

21st of every month is results day and they’re usually posted at 12pm.  I kept refreshing from about 11;45 just incase.  I don’t think I was this nervous about getting my a-level results!  But at 1pm I refreshed again and 

 

I GOT A BRONZE AWARD!!!!!!!!!

 

My other images were classified which is still really good and I am absolutely super proud of myself and how far I have come in my journey so far.

 

So I am now an award winning newborn photographer.

Award winning newborn photographer sutton coldfield

If you’re a photographer and would like to become a member of The Guild of Photographers, my referral link below will get you a discount!  https://photoguild.co.uk/r/5CB4pa

Great to take advantage of their special offers, competitions, advice and discounts with a variety of industry suppliers.

Your Perfect Newborn Competition

Your Perfect Newborn Competition

Last month I had an e-mail encouraging me to enter into the Your Perfect Newborn monthly competition.  I was so hesitant at first as I’ve not entered any competition before.

In all honesty, it’s scary.  Like GCSE exam day and results day scary.  But I put on my big girl pants and submitted an image for the theme ‘Family’.

 

Today, the results went live.  I didn’t win, there can only be one winner.  But I am in their featured photographers with my entry photo up.  So to me, that’s a huge complement.  Click the link to see my image!

Family Collection

Featured on Your Perfect Newborn
Photographing newborns and families during covid

Recommended Businesses in Sutton Coldfield

I know a lot of my clients come from recommendations from their friends.  It’s the best and I love that you’ve been so happy with your photos, my service and the quality of my products that you would tell your friends and family to use me too.  It’s honestly the best complement I can get.

 

I once actually had a client leave my house after the shoot, call her best friend to book in for a 6-10 month sitter milestone session too – which she did within 20 minutes haha!

 

So I have decided that, as a thank you and to show my appreciation, to introduce a referral scheme.

 

For all new clients who book a full price session with me (this does not include mini sessions or special offers) I will be giving you £20 credit to use with me on your future shoots.  You can use the money towards your session fee, digitals, collections or printed products.   The more yu refer, the more you get!   

 This is open for all my previous clients.  £20 will be credited with me once the referral pays in full for their session and is valid for 24 months from that date.  All credit will be kept in my records.  The referral must mention you when booking for the £20 referral to be counted.  The credits cannot be exchanged for money and can oly be used with Nicki Byrne Photography.

When your images get published in Vogue

When your images get published in Vogue

Being in the photography industry is tough.  I know lots of different industries are tough but the arts is particularly tough as it’s so subjective.  There’s no right or wrong.  When I used to teach, I would be observed and told how/where I could make improvements to be better so I’ve been trying to find something like that in my industry.  That’s when I came across Vogue image of the day.

 

Vogue offer the opportunity to showcase some excellent photographers from across the world in their image of the day feature.  You get two days a week to submit two of your images.  Then, they’re either accepted or declined.  There’s no feedback, unlike competitions with the Guild, and you don’t necessarily know what they’re after.  But … finally … after a couple of weeks (when I remembered haha) I have had an image accepted!!!!!

 

To say I’m over the moon would be an understatement.

I literally could not believe it when I saw it had been accepted!!!!  There is it, with the Vogue logo on.  My heart is still pounding as I write this.  

 

And what a great first photo to have been accepted by Vogue too – from my visit to Zambia as a teacher through Connecting Classrooms and I was fortunate enough to visit the breathtaking Victoria Falls.