Slow the spread, TexasWhat we're doing during this COVID-19 Crisis 2019 Photo copyright Aria Productions, taken at Beck Vineyards in Fredericksburg, Texas.

So, it's been a little while since I've posted a blog.  I have been very busy editing the many wedding films recently shot and working on some additional commercial projects.  Then, the situation of COVID-19 changed things dramatically causing us to come up with solutions for my clients, my business, helping my friend's businesses and my family.

If we are scheduled to shoot an event for you within the next eight weeks, we have already reached out to you and assisted in making alternate plans.  If you are scheduled for later in the year and have not changed your plans, we are still on track.  If we recently shot your event, wedding films are in the editing queue.  I am working on them, but please be patient because we now do not have access to child care.  Read on.  

New clients, we are now only scheduling new events and portrait shoots after April 13th.  This is subject to change, as the City of San Antonio allows for business to take place.  I am currently only available for on-location shoots where I can maintain a 6 foot distance from my subject.  So this means I cannot do newborn or toddler shoots at this time.  I am doing on-location portraits, headshots and real-estate shoots.  If you would like to schedule a shoot, send me an email or fill out the contact forms in my services pages.  

On a personal note, the situation changed significantly last week and it also happened to be Spring Break.  The plan for spring break was to have the grandparents spend some time with the kids so I could tackle editing projects.  But as the situation became more severe, pretty much on Monday I made the decision to not have my kids go anywhere near their grandparents until I can be sure that we will not get them sick.  If you have ever been around young kids, you know it's impossible not to share germs with them.  Two-year-olds love to get close, grab your face with their hands, rub their face in yours, touch everything.  Older kids like my first-grader can be taught to wash their hands, but they still do touch everything, cough and sneeze unexpectedly, talk very close to your face, all sorts of things that right now are a no-no.  So I kept them home, because I was concerned that they may have already been exposed at school, or a playground or the grocery store, who knows?  Let them play while I work.  I get interrupted a lot, this is hard, but it's what has to be done right now.  Late nights, early mornings, this is my life right now.  

Then, I started hearing about New Jersey getting shut down.  This set off alarm bells in my mind.  I usually do H-E-B curbside pick up and I have a few household products I subscribe to on Grove that get delivered, but I knew there were a few things I still needed to get us through at least a week.  I made my last trip to the grocery store on Wednesday 3/11, because I thought, "If that happens here, we need waffles and milk."  If you have a toddler you'll know what I'm talking about.  H-E-B was a ghost town, hand sanitizer, disinfectants such as Lysol were gone, I got home and was definitely getting scared.  Thursday I had a meeting off-site, it was awkward not to shake hands or touch anything, but I think they understood why.  I made it a point to stop by a Target on the way home.  Got my 2 packages of Wet-ones, paper towels and stocked up on cold and cough medicine and acetamenophen just in case.  If we get sick, I thought, I don't want to be finding out we are out of this stuff.  My last H-E-B curbside order today was short of all meat and egg products.  Beans and tuna it is!

I had shoots all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday just as it started to hit, the recommendations to limit guest counts went from 200 to 50 to 10, and things spiraled.  All-in-all I'm proud of what I'm seeing the local events industry do to help their clients, pull together and still deliver great service in these trying times.  I'm proud to see us help and encourage each other.  The uncertainty is unnerving, but I am doing the best I can with what I have right now, time.  I am working on editing projects and planning for when this thing passes.  I miss hanging out with my parents, but I love them too much to go around them right now.  I'm trying to keep my sons busy, learning and exploring.  I'm praying for all of you.  In times of uncertainty I feel that the best we can do is pray and do the right thing.  So, that is what I am working on right now.  Follow me on instagram stories throughout the week, and I will follow you back!  For now, stay safe and stay home.  

-Sonia