Many of you know that my background is in photojournalism.  I used to cover natural disasters, presidential elections, high school athletics, community events, local fundraisers, car wrecks and everything in between.  I LOVED it! My heart and soul and art are in telling visual stories.

Today's world crisis is no different.

I want to be out there on the front lines, photographing in the hospitals, staging areas, the empty streets, the heart-wrenching images that will haunt our history books for generations to come.  THAT is my passion.  That is where I want to be.

But...I have a family and a responsibility to them and to my community.  The government deems my profession currently non-essential, but I know that what I am doing IS essential.  And the images that I am creating for our community and our history are not gut-wrenching but heartwarming.

Even though our lives in quarantine because of Covid19 have taken on an almost surreal daily routine or lack of routine.  We have become afraid to get near each other, we miss hugging, playing and hanging out with our families and friends.  I wanted to show how much we have gained during this time of social distancing.

For my family especially, we have gained back us.  My oldest told me last night that he can't believe that he used to get up at 5 am for tennis, and then went to track after school and then went to soccer practice.  As much as my current life is exhausting, just remembering those brutal weeks makes me weary and anxious.  

But we gave up the schedule.  I gave up a taxi service.  We gave up our activities and our friend time but found our love of each other again.  My boys both reflect that they have learned to be nicer to each other, kinder, more supportive.  And they have both been more supportive of our lives at home too.  

My greatest documentary of this horrific time in our world is the family.  I do this every day in my 366 day project.  You can follow that on Instagram under LCPhotographers.  

But I'm also taking this opportunity to document our communities’ families through my blogs and free photos for all those who sign up.  Many across the nation are calling them front porch portraits, front door portraits or front step portraits.  I call them front door memories.  They are an image to stop time and commemorate this time in our lives and our histories.

They can be funny, celebrations, birthdays, Easter dresses, or just hugs in pretty light by the front door by that home that has given us shelter during this time, which has become our haven and our prison many times in the same day.  Take the 5 minutes and come out and have a photo made to remember this time and where your family felt safe and found each other again.

I will continue this as long as there is a desire.  I believe that my work is essential and that although I no longer work for a newspaper or magazine, I publish blogs and social media weekly to help preserve our histories.  Maybe someday a history book will deem my work an essential reflection of our lives today.  I know that I do.

Want to participate?  Here's the link to sign up, I'd love to see you out there! (From the appropriate social distancing of at least 6 feet, but it's usually more like 15-20.)