samantha bean

It’s no secret that social distancing is rough. It not only affects our friendships, but our jobs, education, mental state & so much more. It’s for a greater good and so we all (hopefully) join in on the movement to flatten the curve by keeping our distance from others. 

With all of that said, there’s also a gift that has been given to us in all of this. A gift that I wanted to capture because it’s a beautiful thing to behold. Families interacting, playing together, taking dogs for walks, making music & creating together. During this very strange time of life that we’ve entered into, many of us have something we’ve rarely had before, the gift of slowing down, a complete reconstruction of what our everyday life looks like. We’re able to connect at home in ways some of us never have before, which is ironic considering it’s birthed out of a mandate to distance. 

I wanted to capture some of this connection while keeping myself socially distanced and so I visited a few friends & families homes where I looked from the outside in, shooting from the street & through closed windows, never entering their homes, staying well over 6 feet away (thanks to my zoom lens) as I photographed their lives & connection, in hopes of capturing some of the beauty in this odd time that we are living in. 

May we all treasure this extra time with our loved ones. And whenever this season is over & we get back out there, let's remember the gifts that social distancing has given us & maybe even incorporate some of these new habits of connection into our lives forever.

(thanks to my son Zephan for assisting me on this project)

THE COLBERTS

What has been the hardest part about social distancing for your family?

Our Son is worried about school. His second semester in college has been totally moved on line and his dorm closed. The transition was fraught with confusion and he’s not always completely sure he’s doing everything he needs too. My husband’s business had to lay off one employee and give up their office to lower overhead. That was heartbreaking for him. But our business is still going. We miss our friends and family! I can’t really spend time with my Mother as she is healing from lung cancer. Mostly, the anxiety of uncertainty has kept us up at night. 

What has been the best part about social distancing for your family?

That leads me to the best thing about social distancing. The fear has driven us to go to God with our anxiety. We feel a new time with him. Also, we love having our son home. It will be hard to go back to him living on campus. We have been doing a lot of things we don’t usually have time for like baking our own bagels, working in the garden, and creative projects.

THE LARKINS

What has been the hardest part about social distancing for your family?

Nate: Not being able to hug our grandkids.The hardest part is not being able to have the grandkids overnight on weekends.

Allie: The easiest part is that I am pretty much a hermit anyway, and I like having Nate home.

What has been the best part about social distancing for your family?

Allie: The easiest part is that I am pretty much a hermit anyway, and I like having Nate home.

Nate: More time together in a slow-paced atmosphere.

THE EVANS

What has been the hardest part about social distancing for your family?

All the unknowns. Not knowing when we will see family and friends. Not knowing if someone I love will get sick. Not knowing when I can open my business back up. Not knowing how bills will be paid. 

What has been the best part about social distancing for your family?

More time with my son with an added appreciation of every moment. 

THE HARRISONS

What has been the hardest part about social distancing for your family?

The hardest thing about social distancing has been that our kids really miss their friends and just getting out of the house in general! As parents it’s been hard not having the school schedule and routine we’ve been so used to.   And the food ! My kids eat so much food!

What has been the best part about social distancing for your family?

The best thing about it has been how much family time we’ve had together. It was amazing to see how quickly our kids adapted to being home and have enjoyed being with each other.  With everything slowing down we’ve all had time to notice and appreciate the simple things!