Newmarket photographer Denis Canhasi knows small businesses, in particular restaurants, have been hit hard during the pandemic and is looking to use his talents to help them attract new clientele.
He recently launched a new 'pay what you can' initiative, offering commercial photography sessions for small and local businesses.
The sessions will help business owners with marketing and sales by using branded photos for social media, third-party delivery apps, and online menus.
"This initiative is a call-out for any food vendors or food-related businesses that find themselves moving into the digital space because of the pandemic," he said.
Canhasi said photographs of a product online are key to good marketing and sales.
"It's a big deal when there's a good image there (on the menu)," he said.
While Canhasi specializes in food photography, his offer is good for any local business with an online platform. His 'pay what you can' package will include a minimum of 10 images for businesses to use in their marketing campaigns.
"What better time is there than the pandemic to open this up to smaller businesses and see if they can actually benefit from it," he said.
The offer is limited to small single-location businesses (no franchises) in the Greater Toronto Area, with no more than 10 employees.
Canhasi started his photography career in 2017, after enrolling in the photography program at Humber College. After he graduated in 2019, he opened his photography business, specializing in cuisine.
With the pandemic halting a lot of his clients' work, he is trying to keep busy finding new ways to earn an income and make a name for himself.
He plans to offer this package for as long as the provincial lockdown lasts.
"We're all suffering in this together so if I can help other people suffer a little less, then I not only help them but help me," he said.
Anyone interested in taking part in the initiative can contact Canhasi directly by email at [email protected] or by phone at 647-465-1732.
To check out some of his work, visit his website www.deniscanhasi.ca or @denis.canhasi on Instagram and Facebook.