Portraits in the Time of Corona
Thank you to all the families that have participated! This project is now completed. We are now in post production preparing the portraits for the families we have photographed. We are doing them in the order that families were photographed — thank you for your patience!
It has been a life-changing experience for us and getting to know you and your families has been a ray of sunshine in a very disconcerting time for all of us.
Stay healthy, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!
Paul & Nicki Gero 920.728.6185
Rilyn & Ayla and Frizzie, 2020
We are living in unprecedented times.
As a photographer of social events (weddings), individual, family, business portraits and sports, the recent closing of schools and the virtual shut down of our towns and cities — basically our lives as we have known it — has shut down my events.
It is a difficult time for so many and I am grateful that we are here close to family, all of us are healthy and safe and also grateful for the people continuing to work like First Responders, Grocery Store Workers, Truck Drivers, Delivery Services, Restaurants doing carry out and the media for helping keep us informed.
As a former newspaper photojournalist, I have also been thinking about what I can do with my talents and also how to capture this incredibly historic time in our country’s history as well in our families. I’ve been photographing professionally for over 35 years and have never seen anything quite like what our country and our world is experiencing right now.
I believe I found a way to do that in a safe and responsible way (following all current CDC social distancing recommendations) while creating work that is important, beautiful and is my gift to you and your family.
How it Started
As I went to my niece and nephew in law’s home Wednesday afternoon, their two girls were in their large front window. My niece stayed in as did the girls and Jer came out to give me the item I came to collect.
But the image of the girls at the window stayed in the front of my mind.
It was a beautiful scene, poignant and also truly revealing of the time we are in. And I didn’t have a camera with me to photograph it. As is common for photographers, the image that “got away” gnawed at me.
I called them back and proposed that I come back and the result is the portrait you see below.
Jeremy, Stef, Ayla & Rilyn, 2020
Note: These photos depict healthy people in quarantine. At the time of photography, no subjects were infected with, or suspected of having COVID-19. All current CDC Social Distancing Guidelines were complied with in the making of the photo.
Jeremy, Bryn Crews & Charlie
Another drive around our beautiful and quiet little town (especially quiet now), I saw the gorgeous homes and thought I could create some really beautiful portraits of people on their front porch or in their front window, while I capture the portraits with a telephoto zoom lens from a safe distance respecting the CDC social distancing guidelines.
The great painting by Grant Woods , American Gothic, came into mind because it showed a husband and wife in front of an Iowa home. It’s always been one of my favorite paintings and now I want to create my homage to that in these photos.
Paul Gero
920.728.6183