Pivoting in a Lockdown

Oh, What a Penthouse!

Wow what a few months we have all experienced!

None of us could have predicted the world coming to almost a complete stand still… This got me thinking how do you carry on and survive as a business when you cant go out… Being a small new business I couldn’t claim from the government as I didn’t have 3 years accounts, but I felt incredibly lucky that I was small enough to Pivot.

I didn’t have the responsibility of employees and stock going off and huge bills to pay but I also had to find an income. Acceptance was the first thing. Once I had got my head around the fact that I was in the situation I was in and moved in with my good friend I settled into the lockdown. At times it was stressful, scary and sad for many reasons not least the devastating numbers growing every day in fatalities.

I did all my paperwork, got the duolingo app and started learning Italian and worked on 2 courses I’m doing. Once I’d got bored of doing all the admin I picked up my camera and started documenting the beautiful house I was staying in. A Victorian home in the heart of Southsea. The work I have produced will be used to advertise on Airbnb and to send to film companies who may want to rent out this home for filming. There were over 15 large rooms and large different garden areas.

This home has been a family home for many years for my friend and her 5 children. They’ve kept chickens, dogs, an African grey parrot and a tiny golden hamster. This house was warm and stylish with strong visual impact in every corner of every room. Not only has the owners love of design and art shone through inside, it very much carries through on the outside. More recently the owners botanical love has found her designing indoor planting areas to great effect. Most rooms have plants as an interest point.

These images shared with the owners friends led to me being commissioned to photograph a penthouse at Treadgold’s Ironmongers. Within this penthouse all the beam work and original working internal wheel are huge features. A blog on this property will be following shortly along with another property I will be capturing later this week.

My business was able to turn quickly as it is small and I was willing to adapt to the situation, although I did feel completely overwhelmed at times. What started off as a project for a friend has led to several other projects in properties and sent my photography in a completely different direction! I was even asked to photograph a speed boat which has been renovated ready for the summer. How did your business adapt to the situation? Are you now working in a completely different direction? Were you also able to pivot quickly due to your size? I’d love to hear from you.

 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•