2020 was unlike anything we could have imagined. Small and creative businesses were affected almost instantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The photography industry came to a standstill. Seniors in their last year missed out on graduation and prom photos, new families missed out on newborn photos, and generational photos were avoided to protect our loved ones.

At the same time, it was inspiring to see how creative photographers were in coming up with alternative ways of using distance to capture memories, oftentimes involving longer lenses. But not all photographers were able to adapt their businesses. In May 2020, a survey conducted by PetaPixel found that only 1% of 500 photographers surveyed said they were not affected by COVID-19, and 20% considered closing for good.

That wasn’t in the plans for professional photographer Jenn Lewis of North Carolina. While her doors were closed, she had a family to take care of, and she found ways to persevere, including delving into new genres of photography.

And now a year later, as the vaccine rollout continues business has started to pick back up. Jenn is now back to hosting in-person sessions and workshops, and her decisions to pivot her business in 2020, have already had a rebounding impact for 2021.

We were fortunate enough to talk with Jenn to see what she did to pivot her business in 2020, and what her 2021 year is looking like.

Hey Jenn, how have you been? 

Things are super busy right now, which is great! Every time I think I need a day off, I remind myself that this time last year, I was shut down for 10 weeks. 

When COVID shut down everything, how did that affect your business? Were you affected heavily by it? Or were you able to weather the storm? 

I was completely shut down for 10 weeks. Because my job requires me to be in person, I wasn’t able to do any work in the studio. I was only able to do some one-on-one mentoring and teach on some webinars via Zoom. I was thankful to have a decent amount in my business savings since I have so many expenses with my studio whether I am operating or not. That definitely kept me afloat. 
 

Did the last year give you time to reflect on your life and family? Did you have any personal moments that gave you time to think about your life and business? 

I loved being able to spend a lot of time with my kids. I have a home office where I do all of my computer work though, so that didn’t change a lot. I always spend a lot of time with them. There were just a few more family movie nights than we usually have time for, which I loved! 

I saw you posting some wins during COVID-19, while a lot of other photographers were struggling. Looks like your in-person sales (IPS) and your ability to work continued, tell me about that.

My volume was down in the summer and fall, but my sales were up. Parents were looking for a way to celebrate their seniors who missed out on so much and were investing more into it since it was one of the few things their kids got to do.

I also brought in a few college seniors whose parents wanted to do something special for them since they did not get a graduation ceremony. I used my marketing efforts to remind people that not everything had to be canceled. 

What made you decide you had to do it this way?

Having teens myself, I know how disappointing it was to have so many events canceled, including school. As a parent, we want to celebrate our kids for all their hard work. It’s tough seeing them sitting in their rooms alone, day after day, doing school in complete isolation. I wanted to give these kids good memories from their school year.

Did things continue to get better as 2020 went on? Did you pivot your business in any way? I saw you attempting to do workshops and non-local events for other photographers as well.

I did a couple of workshops as I saw people anxious to do something in person … one in my studio in November, and one in Las Vegas in February. I also started marketing for genres I don’t normally have time for, like kids and tweens, and families. 

Seniors were affected by their school years being cut short, how did this affect your clients?

My teens had more time on their hands, so I offered more shoots for my influencer team … It gave us time together and something for them to look forward to. 

What have you been doing lately?

I’ve had a lot of spring seniors, more than usual. I’ve also had a steady schedule of corporate and actor headshots, as well as a few commercial jobs, both photo and video. 

Are you doing anything different or new for the next class of students to make up for the previous year? 

I have been offering more shoots for my influencer team as time allows. It’s been a lot of fun to spend more time with them. 

What's one thing you saw photographers struggle with most this last year, did you see it affect you the same way as others, or did you conquer those problems?

I believe I was back to work a lot sooner than most. This isn’t a side job for me, it’s my sole income, so I had to hustle to get clients in the door as soon as I was allowed to reopen. I was happy to find that clients were ready to book right away. 

What changes did you make to your business? Do you think those changes will continue to be a part of your business in the future?

I marketed to kids and families instead of just seniors and commercial work. I do intend to still offer and market to those genres. 

Over the last year, people have started adopting more virtual appointment booking and sales, is this something you did? If so, is this something you thought was beneficial and worth doing in the future?

I did not do virtual appointments. My studio is large enough to appropriately distance, and I believe there is a lot of value in meeting in person versus online. My clients were very happy that I allowed this. They prefer meeting in person as well. 

We’ve talked a lot about challenges from the last year, what was a highlight from the last year?

Before NC was shut down, I offered front porch sessions to my influencer team at no charge. Stealing an idea from my friend Jason Weaver, I had the kids write a word on a paper to hold up during their photos that expressed the emotions they were feeling at the time. 

It really meant a lot to them and their families, and I am really glad I did it.

What are you most excited about for 2021 and the future?

I am happy to be booked and working, serving my clients, and busier than usual! I do believe that COVID has caused people to value photographs more, and I’m seeing the results of that in my business.  

What upcoming projects are you working on?

I have been creating a lot more senior films, and I’m excited that I’ve added that as an option for my clients. I’m also very happy to be back on the road teaching at photography conferences again! 

Photographers, artists, small business owners, and entrepreneurs have all faced hardships over the last year. But it also has led to creative solutions to problems they never thought they’d have to encounter. It just shows how resilient people can be to make the best out of unfortunate events.

Some businesses went virtual, others pivoted their businesses completely, while many shut their doors for good. Now we are all moving forward, toward bright and safer futures.

What was 2020 like for you and your business? We’d love to know your story, every business went through a tremendous amount of change and reflection last year. Leave a comment below.

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