Photo courtesy ASMP member Andy Batt
For Members
COVID-19 Info News Hub
The COVID-19 pandemic, information, and related actions by local, state, and federal governments are changing by the day. ASMP cannot guarantee or endorse the current accuracy of the information presented. The following links and webinars are being shared as additional resources to all visitors, though we always recommend caution and vigilance for outdated or incorrect information. Although the content we have created was accurate at the time of posting, that may have since changed given the fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation. As a result, please regularly consult federal guidelines and your state and local authorities for updates. Further, ASMP accepts no responsibility, and will not be liable for, the use of or reliance on the information provided. Bottom line? Check and double-check. We strongly recommend it.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic is profoundly affecting our membership and now more than ever ASMP needs to be there to support all those in our community who identify themselves as professional photographers.
Webinars & Webinar Archives
ASMP regularly hosts webinars to provide members information about navigating business and legal issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. ASMP invites industry experts to present their insights and vast knowledge to attendees at weekly webinars. Webinar topics include health and wellness, business concerns, among other topics. If you are not able to attend the live webinars, all webinars will be recorded and posted for viewing after the live event.
Register Now for Upcoming Webinars
See all National and Chapter events
To view previously recorded ASMP Strictly Business/ COVID-19 Webinars, go to ASMP Strictly Business/ COVID-19 Webinar Archives.
ASMP understands this a stressful time for photographers and all creators, and in response, will be holding a series of virtual town hall meetings. During the town hall sessions, the ASMP team will give a quick update on the state of the industry with respect to COVID-19, then open the floor for questions and concerns from attendees.
To view previously recorded COVID-19 Town Hall Q&As, go to Town Hall Webinar Archives.
ASMP is on the legislative frontline working to shape legislative actions that will assist ASMP members impacted by the pandemic. We need your assistance with campaigns to urge Congress to pass key legislation that supports photographers and small business owners.
See ASMP COVID-19 Advocacy actions
Health + Safety Guide
The ASMP Health + Safety Guide contains six chapters about topics ranging from evaluating risk to cleaning and disinfecting, along with a list of current resources to assist you in decision-making related to COVID-19 exposure and returning to work.
Business + Legal Guide
The Business + Legal Guide is a companion to ASMP’s Health + Safety Guide for COVID-19. This set of documents, forms, and videos discusses how creators should approach the business and legal issues facing them during the pandemic. This guide is only available to ASMP members.
ASMP Safety While Shooting Guide
Webinar Video: A Guide to Shooting Safely
Related Documents
NOTE: All documents are general in nature and you MUST adjust them to your specific situation. This is example language for general circumstances which will change, and may have already changed.
For information about business, government and public health resources to assist in addressing COVID-19 related issues, go to ASMP COVID-19 Business, Government and Public Health Resources.
To share state specific COVID-19 information about government benefit programs or business funding resources with the ASMP community, please log in and go to COVID-19 Forum in the ASMP Forums to post updates.
ASMP Legal team helmed by ASMP Counsel, Thomas Maddrey, presented a webinar, Potential Business Ramifications of Coronovirus (COVID-19) on Thursday March 12, to address the situation, examining many of the possible business and legal ramifications such as force majeure, cancellation clauses, insurance coverage, and best practices in this and other scenarios.
In addition to the webinar video posted below, please find webinar slide presentation pdf for easy access to relevant content discussed in the webinar.
See additional business and legal materials in ASMP Legal Education + Business Hub
SBA Programs – PPP and EIDL Related Articles
07.31.20: PPP Forgiveness FAQ
04.26.20:Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel (Updated – 04/26/20) The PPP / EIDL / SBA Programs Are Now (Almost) Open To New Applications
04.26.20: Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel (Updated – 04/26/20) Paycheck Protection Program :: Why Every Photographer, Artist, and Small Business Needs to Apply
04.26.20: Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel Major Updates to PPP and EIDL (Updated 4/26/20)
04.26.20: Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel How to Calculate PPP Payroll Amount for Independent Contractors, Sole Proprietors, LLCs and Corporations
04.23.20: Post by TomPost Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel Major Updates to PPP and EIDL (Updated 4/24/20)
04.16.20: Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel The PPP/ EIDL / SBA Programs are CLOSED for new applications/lenders
04.09.20: Post by Tom Maddrey, ASMP General Counsel (Updated) Paycheck Protection Program: Why Every Photographer, Artist and Small Business Needs to Apply
03.31.20: Treasury Issues Guidelines, Application Form for SBA Paycheck Protection Program
03.26.20: FTC Alert: Avoiding Scams During the Coronavirus Pandemic
03.25.20: Advice on Handling Contract Cancellations for Photographers
03.23.20: How Freelancers Can Claim Paid Sick Leave in a Coronavirus Emergency
03.23.20: Force Majeur FAQ: When a Pandemic Ruins Your Contract
03.20.20: What We Learned This Week: Photography in the Age of Coronavirus
03.18.20: How to Get Great Audio for Webinars, Online Meetings, and Podcasts from Home
03.13.20: What We Learned This Week: How the Coronavirus Has Altered the Photo Industry
03.11.20: How Freelance Photographers Are Dealing with the Economic Effects of Coronavirus
If you have questions, or would like to submit suggestions about what ASMP could be providing members to assist with countering the economic and social impacts of this pandemic, please click on the button below to be taken to form.
ASMP is working with other creator groups to pool resources. Having access to resources for reliable information is a critical element in enabling everyone to make sound decisions. As other groups provide information we deem relevant, we will be posting their content here.
Getty Images: Grants for Editorial Photography Related to COVID-19
LensCulture: COVID-19 Resources for Photographers
Creative Live: CL Now Streaming FREE Health & Wellness Classes
Graphic Artists Guild: COVID-19 Resources
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA): COVID-19 Help Sheet
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA): State-by-State Grant Aid
Professional Photographers of America (PPA): We’re in This Together
Nature Photographers of North America (NANPA): You Got This
American Photographic Artists (APA): APA Coronavirus Resource Hub
Photoshelter Blog: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Photographers (UPDATED 3/19/20)
Phlearn: COVID-19 Resources
LendEDU: Managing Your Finances During the Coronavirus Outbreak (UPDATED: 3/27/20)
COVID-19 and Freelance Artists: COVID-19 and Freelance Artist Resources (UPDATED 3/29/20)
National Writers Union: Coronavirus Relief for Writers (UPDATED 4/1/20)
Join the ASMP Community
ASMP believes that the work of photographers and other content creators is so important to our culture and economy that they should be valued and supported. We provide legal advocacy, business development resources, and support a strong creative community, to help photographers create sustainable businesses.
If you found the posted information and the webinar valuable and you’d like to see similar programming, please give your support to our efforts. We have membership levels to accommodate all photographers.
Support the ASMP Legal / Advocacy Fund
When you support the ASMP Legal / Advocacy Fund (formerly the ASMP Legal Action Fund), you are helping to support not only ASMP members but the entire visual creator community. Through our efforts from the chambers of Capitol Hill to the halls of the Supreme Court, ASMP is leading the way in fighting for creators’ rights and making sure that independent business owners like yourself are represented in the latest relief and stimulus bills. Now more than ever, the work of ASMP is vital.
If you have benefited from the hours of video webinars and Town Halls, the legal support and free discussions, and the articles that help explain the ins and outs of the PPP and the EIDL and many other topics, then please consider contributing to the ASMP Legal / Advocacy Fund.