PORTRAITS OF A PANDEMIC

e pluribus human 

As a portrait photographer, I am fascinated and inspired by faces. Every single face is fascinating and inspiring to me, in the infinity of uniquenesses large and small. I live for that moment of finding the subtle spark in the eyes and the expression that show some truth, that break a hole through the mask to the reality inside. 

Capturing a portrait where you can only see the eyes, or sometimes nothing at all of the face is REALLY interesting to me. In the course of my #enthusiastproject shooting portraits of people in cosplay and reenactor communities, I’ve been intrigued to see how much expression, life, and character can come through a mask, even one that entirely covers the face. 

My makeshift home office overlooks the sidewalk of a moderately busy Brooklyn street. Watching all the people drift by, I’ve been absorbing the surreality of the whole thing. Seeing the wide variety of face masks and coverings gives a multiplier effect to that fascination with faces - having everyone’s face covered somehow makes the uniqueness of each person even more distinct. It takes the typeface and makes it bold.

Capturing these portraits was a treat. A treat to be working, to be interacting with people (from a distance, with a long lens, of course), to share some communal moment of creation and documentation. I thank everyone who agreed to join in. Keep on staying safe out there and keep on keeping on.