Really struggling mentally with the lack of shoots and not seeing my friends...

Miss Diamond Sparkle 💕☯ aka nudie butt said

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY said

Miss Diamond Sparkle 💕☯ aka nudie butt said

Really struggling mentally with the lack of shoots and not seeing my friends...I go for 2 walks a day but that is not enough...tell me how the virus is affecting you...

Are you bubbling with anyone?

haha yes but he is at work all day, so evenings are ok 

How about finding someone on here, local who might be on their own, photographer or model etc?

Orson Carter said

mph said

I’m doing OK - just conventionally pissed off about the whole situation but only in a proportionate way. Vulnerable (through age only AFAIK!)  and living quietly with my wife - and we get on very well together which is the main thing.

Really? You should hear what she says behind your back. :) :) :) 

:-) you guys are cheering me up

londonjohn said

Cliff Mdx sadly it seems only money makes me viable always got my mannequin :)

Effluent of the boy moo-cow.

From your folio you are plenty good enough to do TF.

Me too also an all got the depression lurgy.
You have my sympathy, though I am not sure how much help that will be.

I see 1000 people a day.... but can’t see my best friends or work out in them my spare time.

If anything I’m overwhelmed with conversation and social interactions.

Jerome Razoir said

londonjohn said

Cliff Mdx sadly it seems only money makes me viable always got my mannequin :)

Effluent of the boy moo-cow.

From your folio you are plenty good enough to do TF.

Me too also an all got the depression lurgy.
You have my sympathy, though I am not sure how much help that will be.

Thank you :) it's very kind of you.

Kizer said

Cliff Mdx said

londonjohn said

 if I ever get good enough I would shoot TFP whenever I could 

Surely models would work TFP with you now (well, now if the virus allows) .... especially new models wanting to build a portfolio

TFP, Is hard to come by these days even with most new model's.

There's going to be a point where they price them selfs out of some of the older retired photographer's pocket.

Some are doing that already...... Unfortunately 

Keep your pecker up Sparkles (metaphorically speaking).

You're Lovely. :-D

I was doing okay until my daft injury last week, the feeling if being absolutely useless and reliant on others was the icing on the cake.

If I'm being honest,I feel one step away from breaking point.

I must add that I feel lucky to have made some great friends and encountered some lovely togs that check in with me and that helps whittle away the hours.

I hope you're okay, you certainly aren't alone in how you feel ❤

I've been pretty isolated for a long time now but was starting to get out and meet people again. Right as lockdown hit :/ That was very helpful.

thanks for ur replies and messages to me everyone,feeling more positive today

Covid happened the same year my dad became very ill following a transplant, at the same time he was closing down his business for retirement.

As such, I now spend my days trying to sell off a business I know nothing about. On top of that, I'm trying to make sure my dad gets the health care he needs. I was caring for him most of this year but as he's been in hospital now for the past two months awaiting chemo, it's been mostly dealing with accountants, buyers and a LOT of heavy lifting (did I mention he worked in construction?).

Between that, I've had to look after my grandparents (who have very limited mobility and faculties) and my stepmum, who also became really ill a few months ago after a Covid scare (she's also high risk). I live alone, so it's basically just been me by myself this entire year. Mental health took a huge dive at the start of the summer but thankfully I'm getting back on track now.

Sadly there's been far more stress this year than there's been boredom.

I'm live alone since the passing of my lady and some would say that wouod be the reason fr my demure but no. I'm just a miserable old git so deal with it! lol.

Hope that cracked a smile for somebody.

More seriously though. There are pleanty of folks who have been hit hard by this thing but there are also plenty of folks who can help with that more than they prbably think. The evidence of that is right here in the number of folks offering an ear to those who may need it. This is how we all get through this. We support each other any way we can.

Why are people not doing outdoor shoots beats me

Aside from getting back to cooking my own food, walking is the only thing that has helped me.

I am a freelancer and work from home all the time. Lockdown shouldn't have affected me quite so severely but it really broke a lot of small social patterns I didn't realise I relied on to such an extent.

I had more than a bit of an anxiety panic during the first lockdown (and was carefully nurtured out of it by some very kind people including Huw , MidgePhoto , Tabitha Boydell , Becky Kvittems , DivinelyDee, waist.it ).

I did manage to get life back on the rails, and then it slowly drifted away a bit just with the absolute exhaustion of being alone. All. The. Time.

Right now I am in quite a challenging place with motivation and lack of focus, but trying to fight with little things every day*. And I think that is all you can do. One day at a time.

I treated myself to a pair of Hi-Tec walking boots which arrived today and now all the mud is my friend so I will get out there again with my proper camera. But I've been learning to use my iPhone camera properly and really enjoying that, actually; the shift of mindset.

Without getting back into the debate, I think some outdoor shoots are possible, but it's absolutely clear that the window is closing for anything other than autumn/winter fashion which is, errr, maybe not your gig! :-)

* Also trying to kick a filthy coconut milk hot chocolate dependency. I just left both ingredients off my ASDA list so let's see how that goes ;-)

Edited by Mike H.

Simon W. Gill said

I've been pretty isolated for a long time now but was starting to get out and meet people again. Right as lockdown hit :/ That was very helpful.

I can wholly relate to this. I was a very socially isolated person until late 2007 and then I was really rescued by a whole amazing social scene, which was completely liberating, but which I have now had very little contact with this year. I feel like that is drifting away a bit. I don't hold out much hope for a vaccine helping put that back together next year, but maybe we will have some things.

Edited by Mike H.