J Knight Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Just been reading this thread and I have to wonder if the lower booking activity is nothing to do with age of marriage or SEO but instead the increasing political insecurity of the population in a lot of the US and European world (and in the UK, increasing fear of poverty). There has been widespread change of political tone in many countries. Regardless of what politics one does or does not support - which 'sides' you are on does not matter, its the uncertainty, the unexpected changes rattling a lot of people.
When insecure, generally people delay making big decisions and tend to hang on to as much money as they can. Modern weddings are full of big decisions and finance issues and for the less well off it can make certain life questions unavoidable:
- event costs
- trying to obtain living accommodation as a couple or moving to somewhere big enough for children (many people now marry only immediately prior to starting a planned family)
- putting financial burdens on families who may want to pay into the wedding but really cant afford to
- bringing forward the question of when and if to have the expense of children
In the UK at the moment there is a huge amount of concern about the possible good and bad aspects of the future. Leaving the EU is not technically being handled well by the present government - even their own party supporters are somewhat disappointed and divided at the progress. It is thought there will be an election, possibly at short notice, possibly delayed for a year or 2 but the lack of definition due to our unstable government at the moment is causing unsettlement in the population.
The divergence in our mainsteam politics, from 3 parties with almost identical policies for decades to only 2 major parties with very different policies is the first time in a very very long time that the population here actually have a genuine choice when voting. This is a very good development for the people, as you cannot have democracy without a variety of options to select from, but it also makes people anxious as they have to recalibrate their approach to voting and who and what they wish to support.
Also here, there is a massive increase in the rich/poor wealth divide and its hitting normal people now, the working masses, the middle classes too. Wages for many working full weeks are so low the government is having to subsidise them as living on such a low income for families is not really viable, even with 2 parents working.
Our social support system is being significantly reduced so disabled and disadvantaged people are finding life very hard, in a way unheard of in my lifespan. A woman here died the other week as she could not afford to run the house heating when her kids were out of the house and she was found dead, of cold, indoors in a coat and scarf, its not even proper winter here yet. Our libraries are closing in huge numbers and the buildings being sold off so they will be gone forever, our public toilets are being shut down so the elderly and disabled fear to leave the house, my local council has stated they will no longer maintain in any way any public parks 2 years from now as they will be out of funds, as the government here has chosen (rightly or wrongly is a strong debate at the moment) to drastically reduce funds to local councils. Lots of homes for the elderly are shutting down due to reduced council funding. Our police service is being drastically cut to the point where head officers are saying they cannot respond to other than major issues, our military is about to be cut by vast amounts.
We have been told by government that this is really only the mid point as the cuts need to be even bigger. Attempts are being made to privatise the health service so people are finding it harder and harder to even get to see a doctor and most people cant afford private medical care, certainly not when being paid only minimum wage.
In my local city I have in the last week passed 5 tents set out in various places, where homeless are living, one in the middle of a public car park. Only 2 years ago and again for most of my lifespan, you would not see such desperation, indeed not in most of my parents lifespan.
In the UK at least, it seems to me impossible to discount the increasing levels of anxiety and fear from a reduction in weddings and expenses. I suggest at the moment the more economically vulnerable people are probably either 'going small' or more likely holding off from big events in the hope the economic fears and the related anxiety over money will improve enough to have the event they hoped for.
I think in the UK we are moving rapidly from the point of "I'm OK, so who cares about the homeless" to "I can see this might happen to some of my own family" as the government based safety nets built by our our population since the 2nd world war are steadily taken away and the brutally cruel polices and Universal Credit strategies continue to advance towards average people who have done nothing wrong and who have held down steady work since leaving education.
If you could see a looming choice between a big wedding and being able to make a rent payment if you lost your job and stave off eviction, which would you pick right now?
I dont imagine for a moment the political / social tensions are only impacting on photography bookings - I wonder what other businesses are hitting the skids suddenly and in a big way, as we start to hit a mass critical point of fear and/or economics for some countries populations?
The trouble is, if my theory is correct, there is nothing photographers can do to change it much, as the scale would be nationwide rather than just about small businesses, so SEO and good reputation will not help much, so don't blame yourselves, just think very carefully before you vote, whichever way you go :-)
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