Photographer in VA | Things I Have Learned in Quarantine

Photographer in VA | Things I Have Learned in Quarantine

It has been over a month since we have been on social distancing protocol and three(ish) weeks since the stay-at-home order went into effect.  Not sure about you, but for me it feels like we have been quarantined for five years.  Of course that is a huge exaggeration but its been forever.  I am the type of person who loves people and being social 95% of the time.  The other 5%, I just want to be alone and silent, either watching TV or surfing the inter webs and social media.  Let me say, the 5% side of me is filled and good for the next year! I have taken a ton of walks the past month which has been good for the fact that my husband believes staying at home means having all the food and snacks.  He is an awesome cook, thankfully, but we do our part to support local and small businesses with food delivery or pick up once a week.

While in social distancing mode, I have taken note of several things that I want to share with you and also have as a reminder for myself later.

• It is unnatural for people to stay home.  Don’t get me wrong, there are people who are BUILT for this.  I am not one of them. I love my sweet little family but seriously, we are not meant to be together 24/7.  I believe there will be a baby surge and possibly a separation surge when this is all said and done.
• Seeing people through a screen is NOT the same as in person. There is a reason I am not a phone person.  Screens are the same to me.  I want to see your face in person, not through a computer.  Also it means we are looking at ourselves as well and I don’t need the screen to tell me that you are seeing all my imperfections.
• People come together in a time of need and it’s AWESOME! For the moment, I am jobless.  This social distancing thing means I can’t pose your sweet babies or meet you and your family at a park for session.  So this means I am without income.  But so are a LOT of people yet, we are finding ways to help each other and that is a beautiful thing.
• My husband is a rock-star. While things have not been easy and we have had our own share of “we are around each other way too much and I don’t think I like you” moments, he has been working his butt off to make sure that while I am without an income, he is not.  On top of that he is a one man show with building a patio on the back of our home and let me just say, it’s awesome.
• Our kid’s teachers deserve a raise.  I don’t know how we are doing this distance learning thing.  Today is truly the first day of the new policies and changes but these teachers have been in contact with these kids every day almost since they have been off school. Making sure they know what is coming, how they are going to support kids while they attempt to teach them from home.  I tip my glass of rose` to each of you!

Everything I have written above (except the my husband is a rock-star part) I believe is stating the obvious. I want to bring it back to the photography portion of this post with one more thing I have learned in quarantine and say:

• I believe there will be a surge of Holiday cards this years with front porch photos.  I have been loving the families I have seen.  Most I know, but some I don’t.  It has been great to see       people happy and almost normal, even for 10 minutes.   I am honored they asked me to take their photos even during this time, especially when a ton of photographers are doing these sessions and they are all either free, donation to charity through the photographer or a donation to charity on their own.  I love donating my time.  So below are a few more of my favorite front porch images.

If you are expecting and looking for a maternity, newborn or family photographer, I would love to chat with you! It is a passion to photograph this precious time in your life that I know all to well goes by quickly.  From Belly to Baby or even a Grow With Me Package, I take great pride in providing each family with the best customer care from the first correspondence, to gallery deliverance, and beyond. I promise to treat you like family. You can find all my recent work, and what I am up to, on Facebook and Instagram!

Prefer email?  No problem, I’d love to hear from you.  krystal@sweetpeastudiosva.com

Sweet Pea Studios specializes in newborn, family, baby, child and maternity photography in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas including but not limited to Chantilly, Fairfax, Aldie, Leesburg, Alexandria, Reston, Centerville, Middleburg, Manassas, Gainesville, Vienna, McLean and Washington DC.