A local photography business is surviving the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing while also finding a creative way to “pay it forward.”
Wisor Photography began in 2012 when Victoria turned a simple hobby into a career. Under the name, Victoria Lynn Photography at the time, she built her brand.
Victoria simultaneously attended the DuBois Business College to pursue studies in entertainment business production while juggling her business endeavor.
Early on, Victoria and her business partner, Andrew, focused mostly on family and senior photos. As business grew, they began to branch out to local events and weddings.
Business brought Victoria and Andrew closer together, as both devoted time and energy to a shared dream. They wed in summer of 2015 and shortly thereafter Wisor Photography was born.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit Clearfield County, their photography business was affected like many other small, local businesses.
With stay-at-home orders and social-distancing practices in place, things became difficult. However, Victoria was fortunate to provide some support through her soap business, which opened in January.
Many small businesses quickly transitioned to supporting essential workers, so during their “down time,” Victoria and Andrew began making connections through Facebook.
On April 14, the couple made a post on the Wisor Photography Facebook page requesting essential workers to submit work selfies, and within days, their project reach over 4,000 people and had over 100 participants.
“We wanted to do something that recognized our essential workers who continually put themselves at risk for the rest of us,” Victoria said.
“To be honest, it was painful knowing that the most we could do for our community was simply shelter in place and not burden the healthcare system.”
Victoria said the couple has many friends, family and clients (who are like family) that are “essential,” including Andrew’s mother who is a registered nurse.
“To us it’s a simple gesture, but we wanted to be able to do something to show our support,” Victoria said. “It’s our hope our community continues to support each other even after the pandemic.”
As of May 8, Wisor Photography reopened with limitations in place in accordance with Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines.
Additional limitations will be lifted once Clearfield County enters the “green phase” of Gov. Tom Wolf’s state-wide reopening Pennsylvania plan.
“Our primary [photography] service is weddings,” Victoria said, adding that many wedding vendors are uncertain about what the future holds for them.
“We ask our community to support as many small businesses as possible, as we all reopen. Many small businesses could close their doors this year across the country.”
View the project slideshow here:
