Gosh, a lot can change in a few weeks. Just two weeks ago, I was blogging about my plan at SSP to serve my clients best during the pandemic. Since then, we’ve had several orders and extensions of orders from the federal and state government as the virus keeps expanding. So, I thought I’d pop in with an update about what you can expect from Samantha Shannon Photography during this time.

As far as portrait sessions go, I’m operating based on what the State of Oregon is recommending. Right now, that means I have to follow the Stay At Home order as a non-essential business. The sooner we all do that, the sooner, hopefully, we can get back to business as usual! Currently, that means that sessions through the end of April are being rescheduled. This is a good thing! Summer in Oregon produces some of my very favorite photos–so we’ll all have some beautiful, summery glow family sessions after all this is over!

For those of you hoping to document important milestones right now, I’m working on a resource for you–stay tuned! I’m hurting for those clients who are missing out on birthday photos, engagement sessions, all of those moments that just happen to be during this crazy time. I’d love SO MUCH to serve you, but legally I can’t shoot right now. I’m looking at next week for that free resource on how to document your at-home lives yourself though, so keep an eye out for that!

I’m still accepting bookings for future sessions beginning June 1. In fact, booking those sessions or buying a gift certificate to use for a future sessions is the BEST way you can support me right now. I posted a little in my last post about how important it is to keep supporting small businesses, because those are the people keeping money in your community! Your support means that SSP gets to keep documenting your family as it grows year after year, and it ALSO means that my own family gets to support other local small businesses here in Newberg. My fave coffee shop, Coffee Cat? YEP! My daughter’s dance studio, CVDA? YES! These are fabulous, mom-owned business right here in our community, and it means so much to me when our family is able to support them because of my sweet, supportive clients. So if you know you’re going to want family pictures this year, even if it means this fall–reach out and grab a gift certificate if you’re able.

Engaged couples may be using this extra time at home to plan their 2021 and 2022 weddings, and wedding photography consultations are still happening as normal around here for those couples, just via Skype.

We’ll get through this, friends. I’m available via email if you need me–although, I’m suddenly homeschooling like so many of you, so my response may be delayed. Let’s all take this time to stay home, stay healthy, and learn to live life a little slower.