Snapperstuff's COVID-19 Story
10th April 2020Hello, I’m Helen, and I am the boss of Snapperstuff. Following my last blog post (Wow what a fortnight for us all!), here’s what’s been going on in the background for us…
After filming the loaned camera gear from Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic and Sigma, I sanitised it all before returning it. After this there was no time for a break, or repacking the once neatly packed bags…
For Snapperstuff, health and safety for our team and family was top priority, and with this working out their best and safest working practices. At the same time, I reached out to my neighbours at home, donning gloves to handle and deliver a note through everyone’s door and setting up a What’s App group to support each other. I also signed on as a Community Volunteer, and a couple of weeks later my first job was to deliver some food to a gentleman very much in need.
Like so many of you, given the rapidly increasing severity of the Coronavirus COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic and the knock-on economic effect, both my business and my husband’s family business (nothing to do with Photography, but Bridge – the card game) have been hit hard.
We had to focus on doing our best to look after our loyal staff. Like so many businesses we have had to go down the furlough path in the anticipation that we will ALL pull together to #stayathomesavelives to get a handle on this invisible virus, not overload the NHS, look after the vulnerable, and be patient while a vaccine is developed.
My business partners are my parents and they are Chartered Accountants. They are viewed as key workers as one of their roles is running Payrolls, while another role is seeking the necessary funding on behalf of clients in order to try and keep them afloat during the worst of this pandemic.
You may find these two government links useful if you haven’t already seen them:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
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My husband is a pretty well-known Bridge instructor, and normally travels the world teaching, giving seminars and taking people on holiday!
For all his ‘stuck at home’ clients it seemed sensible to get him online, and quickly, to provide some free entertainment if nothing else for his bridge audience.
As I’m ‘slightly’ techier than him that meant a huge ‘Livestream’ learning curve for me (thank you so much Ross Grieve for your guidance with this – Ross is an awesome photographer, Panasonic Lumix Ambassador, and runs photographic workshops – now online – so if you want to find out more please get in touch with him!). From the outset we wanted to create something open to all, with the thought that if we can reach just 100 clients and provide some online Bridge entertainment, instruction, interaction, and stave off some boredom, then great! We were totally wowed when over 4.5K tuned in to his first ever livestream and gave such positive feedback. Thank you.
(I am currently using a Panasonic Lumix GH5 to film the livestream – the quality is fantastic and it’s a great camera to use for both video and stills).
As a side, if any of you are passionate Bridge players or know someone who is, and you have some spare time on your hands… you may like to tune into the livestream events: Bernard Magee Bridge
In my livestreaming research I came across Zoom – thank you Angela (Camera Jabber & She Clicks). My Gran is 100, very soon to be 101 and still lives in her own home with Mum and Carers going in daily to support her.
Last year we had a huge family celebration in my Gran’s garden, and I had been wondering how the family can celebrate her birthday with her… yet without… well now we have it! Thank you.
As you can imagine the juggling of working at home with childcare is a fine balance. With Alfie our 2 year old we have put a rota together to try to help! However, it is certainly nice to have more time with him and as a family. Sleep is overrated right?! Hardly… I’ve been fuelled on adrenaline and caffeine for a while. Until now Alfie had never wanted to watch much more than 10 mins of TV each day. All I can say is thank you Paw Patrol – who in Alfie’s words: rescue us from ‘nasty virus’!
If only the solution was that simple!
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So far 7 videos are posted for you to see some of the new Think Tank Photo bags fitting some new camera gear.
Please subscribe to our Snapperstuff YouTube page and you can see them when they’re first published:
Digital Holster 150 by Think Tank Photo fitting Sony A9 mkII with Sony 200-600 lens
Retrospective 4 V2 by Think Tank Photo fitting Fuji X-T4 with 16-80 attached & 56mm
Airport Advantage XT roller bag by Think Tank Photo with Fujifilm GFX 100 + 50S cameras
Vision 10 by Think Tank Photo fitting Fuji X-T4 with 16-80mm XF 16-80 + 16-55 + EF-X500 flash
Digital Holster 150 by Think Tank Photo fitting Sony A7 mkII with Sigma 60-600mm lens
Retrospective 7 V2 by Think Tank Photo fitting Panasonic Lumix S1
Digital Holster 150 by Think Tank Photo fitting Sony A7 mkII with Sigma 150-600mm Sport lens
Big thanks go to Fujifilm, Sony, Sigma, Panasonic for loaning us their camera gear.
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QUICK LINKS:
Fujifilm:
X-T4 = https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/x-t4/
GFX = https://www.fujifilm.eu/uk/products/digital-cameras/gfx
Sony:
Sony Alpha range = https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/interchangeable-lens-camera-products/t/interchangeable-lens-cameras
Sony A9 mkII = https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-9m2
Panasonic:
Panasonic Lumix = https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/lumix-digital-cameras.html
Lumix S series cameras = https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-mirrorless-cameras/lumix-s-full-frame-cameras.html
Lumix S series lenses = https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-camera-lenses/lumix-s-lenses.html
Sigma:
fp camera = https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/cameras/fp/
Sigma cameras = https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/cameras/
Sigma lenses = https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/
Sigma - new fp (reddot winner2020 best of the best): https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/sigma-fp-camera-red-dot-award-2020/
Camera Jabber = https://camerajabber.com/
FB = https://www.facebook.com/camerajabber/
Twitter = https://twitter.com/camerajabber
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/camerajabber/
She Clicks = https://www.sheclicks.net/
FB = https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheclicksnet/
Twitter = https://twitter.com/sheclicksnet
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/sheclicksnet/
Ross Grieve = https://www.rossgrieve.com/
FB = https://www.facebook.com/rossgrievephotography/
Twitter = https://twitter.com/RossGrievePhoto
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/rossagrieve/
Bernard Magee Bridge YouTube Channel = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1g-0QEEjjYEZ6fiYg-VDUw
Government Links =
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Our next blogs will see how some of our team are managing during lockdown...
Wishing you a happy Bank Holiday weekend.
#stayathomesavelives