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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my photographer friend shouldn’t still be offering photo shoots?

90 replies

Unbelievably · 16/04/2020 16:16

My photographer friend has posted on social media saying she is still offering outdoor photo shoots where she will ensure she is a minimum of 2 meters away from families at all times.

IMO she really shouldn’t be doing this but she has a history of bending rules to suit herself.

AIBU here?

OP posts:
Reallybadidea · 16/04/2020 16:42

There is no general rule against people carrying on working. In particular, there is no general rule that only "essential" jobs are allowed to be done

Are you being ironic?

I don't understand this comment Confused

RandomLondoner · 16/04/2020 16:43

A plumber and electrician are very different from a photographer. The work they carry out could be considered essential

But, as has been pointed out several times in the thread, there is no requirement that the work be essential.

daisypond · 16/04/2020 16:43

I thought you weren't allowed to visit other households
You can if it’s part of your work. My elderly parents had to call in a plumber - no hot water - and then later a drains company - sewage drain had collapsed - both in the last two weeks. Both were absolutely essential.

Mlou32 · 16/04/2020 16:43

If everyone carried on their jobs and claimed that they'd be practicing social distancing, then how would that work out?

midgebabe · 16/04/2020 16:43

In the uk there is no concept of essential work only
That was the case in other countries but not the UK where all work is permitted

daisypond · 16/04/2020 16:44

And the work doesn’t have to be essential either.

midgebabe · 16/04/2020 16:44

It was part of the balance they tried to hit between reducing human to human transmission and keeping people with money coming in

NotExactlyHappyToHelp · 16/04/2020 16:46

A friend of mine has taken to doing ‘engagement’ shoots with her daughters dolls in the garden.

Prince Eric and Cinderella Barbie was a controversial but entertaining one.

WorraLiberty · 16/04/2020 16:46

A plumber and electrician are very different from a photographer. The work they carry out could be considered essential. Having a photo taken is a nice memento, but hardly the same as fixing a leak for example.

I honestly give up Confused

Why do so many people think you can only go to work if your job is essential?

Seriously, we're 4 weeks into lockdown and people are still under this impression.

Mustbethewine · 16/04/2020 16:46

She can't WFH. Family form the same household will be stood together while she's at least 2m away snapping photos 🤷‍♀️

GrimmsFairytales · 16/04/2020 16:46

daisypond

See that makes absolute sense, and the work needed to be carried out. I just find it baffling that I can't visit family and keep 2 meters apart, but I could invite a photographer to my house and have a photo shoot.

GrimmsFairytales · 16/04/2020 16:49

Why do so many people think you can only go to work if your job is essential?

It's not that i only think those who are essential can go to work. I just think allowing something like this makes no sense. I understand that it's allowed, but I can still find it confusing that this is permitted but you can't see those from outside your household.

WorraLiberty · 16/04/2020 16:50

GrimmsFairytales you honestly can't see the difference between visiting a household to put food in your fridge and a roof over your family's head and visiting for pleasure?

WinterCat · 16/04/2020 16:50

She can’t work from home and is probably worried about not affording her mortgage and food. Lots of people are still working right now; not everyone can and is working from home.

All that aside, she isn’t your friend if you are starting judgemental posts on the internet about her.

Makeitgoaway · 16/04/2020 16:51

I shouldn't worry OP, she won't be your friend for long. That's a fairly specific set of circumstances and you've made it clear what you think of her.

I doesn't matter if people think the rules are stupid, that's what they are, you can't be trying to force your own rules on people. As PP said it's an attempt to reduce social contact as much as possible whilst still allowing people to earn a living.

midgebabe · 16/04/2020 16:51

Because keeping people paid is considered a higher priority than keeping people seeing friends and family , so if you can get the rate of transmission low enough AND keep people in work at the same time, that's good

And I suspect that was considered as part of the lockdown review... was that approach good enough or would we need restrict further, down to essential work only to squash this

Which it looks like they don't need to do

RogueSymphonies · 16/04/2020 16:53

The photographer isn't visiting people's houses - the photoshoots are outdoors.

I do think it is irresponsible as it increases the risk - particularly to the family who are travelling for the photoshoots.

PineappleDanish · 16/04/2020 16:55

Well it isn't essential work

The rules say to work from home if you can. If you're a photographer offering photoshoots, you can't do that from home.

I don't have a problem with what she's offering, she might not get any clients taking her up on it. If she does and can keep on earning while maintaining social distance, good on her.

frasersmummy · 16/04/2020 16:56

It's more irresponsible not to pay her bills

WorraLiberty · 16/04/2020 16:58

I do think it is irresponsible as it increases the risk - particularly to the family who are travelling for the photoshoots.

How do you know the family are travelling?

Why would the photographer not go to them, like the majority do?

bigchris · 16/04/2020 16:59

Next doors extension isn't essential

Cleaning the windows isn't essential

Tree surgery isn't essential

But they haven't said only essential work so no one is doing anything wrong

RogueSymphonies · 16/04/2020 17:02

@WorraLiberty "Offering Outdoor Photoshoots" - as a photographer these will be done in the locations the photographer knows. It would be very unlikely any photographer would go to a random location they didn't know for a paid photography shoot.

WorraLiberty · 16/04/2020 17:04

*Rogue this is a different time we're living in. I'm sure the OP's 'friend' will be looking to work around that.

Original poster
Unbelievably · 16/04/2020 17:05

Just to clarify. Said friend has absolutely more than enough money to pay her bills on her DH’s income. She had been very transparent about their finances as she likes to brag about being well off. She always had to have the newest, most fancy car, designer clothes, expensive watches and looks down her nose on anyone who doesn’t have the money for these things. I have called her a friend here. We used to be fiends and she would most likely class me as one, however, I have grown really tired of the way she treats others and so I have distanced myself from her for the last few months.

She will want to continue working so that her plush lifestyle doesn’t have to take any hit.

I just think it’s irresponsible of her to encourage customers to travel to idyllic places to have the shoots done. We shouldn’t be leaving home except for the reasons stated by the government. Having a photo shoot done is not one of them.

OP posts:
GrimmsFairytales · 16/04/2020 17:05

GrimmsFairytales you honestly can't see the difference between visiting a household to put food in your fridge and a roof over your family's head and visiting for pleasure?

Of course I can see the difference. I have already acknowledged that the OPs friend is probably worried about finances. However, I have family who would benefit greatly from a visit so i'm probably more sensitive than usual, as I dearly wish I could cheer them up, but despite being local I can't visit them.