The COVID-19 restrictions are slamming photographers and our businesses, presenting us with many challenges. That’s also true of the companies that provide the products and services we use on a near daily basis. We wondered how they were adapting, retooling and managing this crisis. Today, in part three of this series, we got in touch with Fotopro.
Fotopro is a global brand that makes a variety of photography equipment for pros and is best known for their range of tripods, monopods, heads and accessories that support everything from mobile phones to big, heavy DSLRs.
Michael Green, Vice President of FotoproUSA, recognizes the challenges faced by the industry remains optimistic. “It certainly is an interesting time we are in,” he says. “We will emerge and hopefully even stronger.” In the short term, the business climate is very pessimistic, but he thinks that there will be lots of pent up energy as we move past the most dangerous stage of the virus and things begin to move towards normal. “I believe that people will want very much to get back to normal” after so long feeling closed in. “We are a resilient bunch! People will be ready to go out and shoot when they feel safer.”
Realizing that many of us have some extra time on our hands, Fotopro has added some all-new teaching videos on their website which focus on how to use their products in the field, but which also have a wider interest. The videos feature top level pro photographers, like NANPA member Lisa Langell, talking about how they use gimbal heads, tripods, etc. Fotopro’s Foto Ambassadors are also adding new educational content to their own websites.
In normal times, Fotopro would have been at photography conferences, festivals and some retail stores offering special discounts on their products. Since that isn’t happening, their Ambassadors are offering equivalent product discounts through their own websites. Finally, Fotopro will be launching a website, ThePhotoExpo.com, in early May with the goal of being an online marketplace for photographers to show their wares.
In case you missed them, check out part 1 (Tamron) and part 2 (Hunt’s), which also offers the Fotopro discounts (contact Noah).
