A GALASHIELS couple have seen their photography business badly hurt by coronavirus – but now they are taking their work to family doorsteps.

Rose Ellis and her fiancé Julien Borghino had to think quickly when client cancellations poured in following the arrival of COVID-19.

Now, adapting to lockdown restrictions, the pair have launched ‘doorstep photography’ sessions where they take portraits from outside people’s homes.

“We’re hoping it will be a chance for us to start taking pictures of people again,” said Rose, 24, a Heriot-Watt University fashion graduate.

Before the virus outbreak, Rose and Julien’s production company was kept busy by clients in the textiles industry.

But the pair also offered photo shoots to tourists visiting Edinburgh, with the expectation that this summer would bring another packed calendar.

While the fashion-related jobs have been buffeted by coronavirus, the impact on the tourist work has been far greater, according to Rose.

“As soon as travel restrictions were introduced, visits were cancelled and then we lost our income for the rest of the summer – so that was pretty daunting,” said Rose.

She and Julien – who met on a fashion shoot in 2018 – had enjoyed early success with the tourist market, offering an 'Airbnb Experience' in Edinburgh for the past 18 months.

Visitors from “all over the globe” have been snapped in the capital, said Rose, with some opting for the ‘family’ package and others choosing the ‘couples’ experience.

“We’ve had a lot of people from America, a lot from countries in Europe – people from all over, really, which is what’s so fantastic about that part of our job,” said Rose.

“This [coronavirus] has really hit us hard because with no tourists, there is nothing for us to do.”

Yet Rose said inspiration struck when a friend told them about a Glasgow-based photographer taking pictures outside people’s front doors.

Taking the idea and running with it, Rose and Julien began their own venture in the Borders this month.

Focusing on Galashiels and places within a 10-mile radius, the couple are visiting homes to conduct 15-minutes shoots.

“It’s a no-contact session and only one of us will be carrying out the shoot,” said Rose.

“We’ll be using a telephoto lens which means we can be at a great distance but still take really nice pictures and really nice portraits.”

After each session, the client is sent a link to a website from where they can download between five and 10 photos, explained Rose.

“We would love for it to be successful – we would love people to embrace the opportunity,” she said.

“We’ve heard of photographers down south who are offering this service for free but at the end of the day, this is our jobs – this is our living."

Rose and Julien had been due to get married in September, but they have postponed it because of uncertainty over coronavirus.