Keeping You Safe; In-Home Photography During Restrictions

Since the start of the pandemic back in 2020 we have all come a long way on a rough journey. The way we think about health and our family’s safety has evolved and yet even before then, Grain & Weave were practising some of the safety measures we have all since adopted; social distancing, frequent hand-sanitising, remote working and mask wearing.

Early Adopters

As soon as February 2020, we were one of the first companies in our industry to adopt a Coronavirus Action Plan and have since kept it updated as events unfolded.

No-Contact Company

When this company was founded several years ago we were already different, being one of the only studios of our kind to work entirely off-site and with no central office.

Everything is coordinated remotely with regular team meetings online and quarterly ‘in-person’ meetings. Our team value a great, flexible work/life balance.

Our team members reside all over Sydney and are entirely home-based, with the exception of the photographers who make visits to our clients in their homes.

Safety Check

A large part of the demographic we meet are vulnerable people, such as newborn babies, elderly and house-bound clients. Because of this, we cannot take a relaxed attitude to passing on viruses or germs.

Our photographers never go to work when sick and because of our ‘no-contact work setup’ a replacement photographer can be on hand in some instances to cover, reducing the incentive to for sick people to ‘push-on-through’.

Before we arrive at every session we ask our clients to complete an online checklist to make sure that sniffles and colds don’t go unnoticed, and more recently, to make sure they are aware of and adhering to the current NSW health guidelines.

During Restrictions

All year round, not just in lockdowns, we are mindful of people’s health and how we can actively do what we can to ensure a safe experience for our customers. During the year we have seen different forms of restrictions and because of our unique setup, we can often maintain a consistent service, even during lockdowns, which is great news for those who are time-sensitive with newborn babies, for example.

Relevant Guidelines:
”The reasons you may leave your home include: (point 4) “Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home”

source: 26/6/21
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/covid-19-restrictions-extended-nsw

That being said, we will always stay on the conservative side and reserve the ability to reschedule in-home visits if we feel that the situation is changing negatively.

Our Current Stance

• We will be continuing our in-home service but postponing all visits to affected LGA’s where hotspots have been reported, until NSW health reports that it is safe to return. All other areas will be operating with our usual, careful guidelines.

• Sessions are restricted to members of the same household only

• We are allocating a restricted number of shoots per photographer per week

• Advanced booking when hotspot LGA’s reopen is highly recommended as we expect a heavy amount of traffic

• No photographer who lives in a hotspot area will be able to make home visits

On top of this, we continue to follow our own guidelines and offer affected clients a rescheduled session if they feel more comfortable.

Please help us to keep everybody safe, because a safe experience helps to make a great experience.

Grain & Weave

Our team are aware of the concerns that some customers (rightfully) have and are happy to answer any questions by email or phone.

Most Common FAQ

• “Will our photographer be wearing a mask throughout?”

  • Yes, our photographers are required to keep their mask on when in your home. The only time they may officially remove it is to drink or when outside.

• “Do WE need to wear a mask?”

  • No. We appreciate the thought, but in your own home you do not need to wear a mask

• “I am still worried; can I reschedule?”

  • Yes, of course. We want you to have the great experience that we are known for and would prefer you to feel comfortable.

    We are adding extra days for our photographers to make up cancelled or rescheduled sessions, so there is minimal loss of work on their behalf.

• “What if I book in advance and the restrictions carry on for longer?”

  • What if you DON’T book in advance and can’t get a spot? With many studios unable to operate we are expecting a surge of enquiries in the coming weeks.

• Do the restrictions affect the quality of the images or the experience?

  • For a full year now we have been used to working around restrictions and are able to keep our same great service without breaching them. On top of this, we keep our own restrictions applied year-round.

    Please see our own CoronaVirus Action Plan for more information on how we are keeping our staff and customers safe.