What is happening with Crystal Satriano Photography?

I have currently shut down the studio.  I’m not photographing any sessions and have postponed everything.  I will continue to postpone as needed.  I’ve been in touch with everyone on the books for the next three weeks.  I’m praying this all passes soon so I can get back to capturing your memories.  Health is my number one concern for my family and my clients.

I’m still accepting future bookings with the understanding that things may need to be adjusted or change if needed.  So don’t be afraid to reach out to book future sessions.  This is one of the things you can do to help me keep my eyes on the light.

How can you help small businesses?

You may already be aware that these times can break small businesses.  I know that not everyone is in a position to help small businesses right now.  But if you are able to help, even little ways can allow them to continue and give them hope.  I have reached out to businesses I plan to use in the next few months to see if even my small gestures are helpful to them.  Great efforts are being made to provide support to them by the government.  But many are worried right now. So here are some suggestions to help others (not talking about me right now).

How to help financially:

• Continue placing orders and purchasing from businesses that you can.
• Buy a gift card for a closed business to use at a future time.
• Prepay services you use all the time.  Contact your hairdresser, massage place, nail salon, etc.  See if you can purchase gift cards or prepay for services you know you’ll use again.
• Buy a gift card FROM a small business and gift it to ANOTHER small business owner or someone you know struggling right now.  With one payment you are then helping two in need right now.  Maybe the person you help isn’t a small business owner but someone who had to take unpaid time off of work.
• Buy gift cards for birthdays and holidays coming up now and gift later.
• Book future events, secure their services, etc.  This gives hope.

How to help without spending money:

• Leave a review.  Positive reviews help ensure future income for small businesses.  Do you have a little time to review any businesses you’ve worked with?  They would be so grateful.
• Interact with and share their social media posts.  I don’t know about you but I can be bad about this. I may (in my mind) like or have a comment but don’t always tap like/heart or comment. Make a better effort to do so right now as I am.
• Refer them!  Know a business someone may be interested in?  Share them!
• Reschedule, don’t cancel.  If at all possible, reschedule with any services you have scheduled.  This gives them hope that they will recover from this hard time.

How can you help my business specifically?

Honestly, right now I’m okay.  I have prepared for my own possible sickness/injury with savings since I do not get paid time off.  The amount of time this continues will determine how hard this gets hard for me.  So, I appreciate your kindness and knowing those I can turn to if I need to.

Some have offered to pay off future balances for scheduled sessions.  This is thinking outside the box!  Right now, I am saying no.  I pay myself after work is completed.  If it gets too hard, I will speak up for that, but it just means working for less or nothing later too.  So I’m saving that as a last resort.

So what can you do?

• All of the things listed above that don’t cost money! 🙂 Those would be a huge help for me right now.
• Be patient with me now and especially in the future when I can get back to work.  I may be really swamped upon return.
• Be understanding.  I have a very big heart and worry very much about letting anyone down.  So your understanding and kindness in these hard times is so appreciated.
• Book a future session.  I would love to get your sessions on the books.  As I said earlier, this helps me see the light.  While this will be a difficult storm to walk through, seeing the bookings later help me breathe knowing I will recover and survive.

Once things return back to “normal”, remember it will take time for most of us to bounce back from this.  We will have to work extra hard and WANT to.  We are not asking for handouts here.  So just because things are “normal” again, we will still need your support.  Thank you for everything and I truly wish you well during these times.  If there is anything I can do, please let me know.