Ali has been photographing some very special Family Portraits this month.
Why are they so special right now?
Because these Socially Distant Portraits (or “Porchtraits”) will be a documentation representing the three months during the Great Pause which you have experienced with your children.
These portraits will document this time when you realized you became an official substitute teacher, and you learned the new PEMDAS (harder!?) way that your kids are taught math.
You realized they know more about Chrome Books and Google Classroom than you would ever dream of knowing.You realized that you now appreciate that they play FortNite and Call of Duty, and understand this is sort of a new playground where they talk and connect to their classmates and play virtually, unable to physically…and it is a truly is a blessing for their teenage sanity.
You realized that they have either eaten more and gained weight due to no sports, and a hidden drawer in their room full of snacks, or they lose weight as they aren’t able to enjoy the delicious school lunches they were used to eating and that they still do not appreciate your home cooking. (Not to mention Mom’s “Covid 15 Lbs” weight gain…but we retouch that out!).
You realized they are going through an unprecedented time which, when you think about it, if happened to you in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s…is truly hard to comprehend.
You realized this time will shape them and make your guidance during this time is essential… and, yes, it is challenging to know how to parent them and/or be their friend 24/7. It is truly a constant puzzle to educate, entertain, entice, and pick your battles at times.
And over the past few months you realized, as you look at your great grandparents portraits, that you wish you could talk to them just one more time to ask them all of the questions about their childhood during the 1918 Pandemic.
This is why a beautiful portrait during this summer will be cherished by future generations.
And as your homework, on the back of the image, hand write what this image represents to you right now, so that future generations may get a glimpse into who you were during the 2020 pandemic.
