Over the last eleven months photographers have been in the ‘non essential’ category for almost half of that time. Meaning that if we work, we could be severely fined and/or threatened with jail time.

Rescheduling, refunding, and replanning all of our sessions from spring to summer and winter to spring has taken its toll on many local photographers including myself. We can’t run a business like this, let alone survive off the income of being shut down for half the year. Call me old fashioned but in my opinion if it pays your bills, it’s essential. 

Secondly, photographers are allowed to work if they are taking commercial or retail photos. Which means that if we are taking photos that are being used to promote someone’s business it’s allowed. I would challenge you with the idea that photographers need photos to promote their business as well. Some may even argue that that is an essential part of being a photographer.

Once in a lifetime events such as: maternity, birth, newborn, and engagement photos have been declared non essential despite Toronto’s film industry being declared essential. These personal moments have a lesser value to our government than tuning into our Netflix accounts each night. 

These are cherished memories we are documenting. You can’t get this time back. You can’t just reschedule a maternity session. You can’t delay a birth. life is fleeting. We can’t just live to survive each year. We need to get back to enjoying these special moments again. Laughing together, crying together, embracing each other. Having these moments captured to look back on forever. To some, all of this is essential. To me it is. 

Please consider signing this petition.