Welsford Falls (Submitted Mark Hemmings)
For people looking for a creative pursuit to take their minds off the COVID-19 pandemic, local photographer and author Mark Hemmings’ bite-sized photography lessons and tips on social media are free, accessible and easy to understand.
“At that time [of the pandemic], I realized that I really also need to help people who can’t afford a course,” said Hemmings, who offers free lessons on his YouTube, Facebook and Instagram accounts. “It was like a Q&A session to feed into and to sort of supplement the online courses, but also to have a resource for those who couldn’t afford a course.”
The social media lessons gave photographers, both professional and amateur, the opportunity to continue honing their skills. “I really wanted to be able to encourage people to stay creative by using their iPhones or Androids, their DSLR cameras in ways that they could within their house, or out their window,” he explained.
Taylor Brook Falls (Mark Hemmings)
Hemmings saw a bump in the sales of his online courses, released in 2018, throughout the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions beginning in March last year, along with an increased interest in his free social media content.
He has more plans to create further online paid photography courses – one example being a waterfall instructional course inspired by New Brunswick’s natural waterfalls, to be released in the spring/summer.
“Every waterfall was just jam packed with people because we were all locked into New Brunswick, so people explored their province like crazy,” said Hemmings, explaining his course would teach people how to accurately and artistically photograph waterfalls.
Mark Hemmings and his book iPhone Photography For Dummies (Image: Mark Hemmings’ Facebook)
His book iPhone Photography For Dummies, published last August, is being translated into German by Wiley Publishing. Hemmings is working on a similar book for Android smartphone photography for Wiley, whom he also works for as a book editor.
“I did foresee some aspects of disruption in my industry, so I’ve been learning new skills and transferring my business to be completely location independent,” he said, adding he additionally works at his brother Greg Hemmings’ film production company Hemmings House as an editor and produced and acts in his TV series, Discover Smartphone Photography on Bell Fibe TV1.
“Becoming a professional book editor, becoming an author, doing online photo courses – these are all things that are location independent that could be anywhere in the world.”
Hemmings hopes to return to travel photography in 2021 and plans to lead photo workshops in Japan, Italy, Mexico, the Caribbean and Jerusalem, while further developing his online income streams.
“If I have a product or service that can be delivered via the internet, I have the ability to scale my product or service in an unlimited fashion,” he said.
