A PICTURE
IS WORTH A
THOUSAND WORDS
can look at the same thing and capture it completely different with a different message.” — Chris Rusanowsky,
www.ChrisRusanowsky.com
HARVEST STAYS HOME
by Brooke Ezzo
B
usinesses have closed, students are finishing the remainder of the year at home, jobs have been lost, and there is a virus floating around that we haven’t fully figured out yet. Despite it all, there has been an outpouring of hope and faith by communities around the nation. Two local residents have decided to take their talents to the streets and bring to life the uniqueness of perspective. We are all dealing with this pandemic differently, but together. These photographers have figured out a creative way to allow their neighbors to tell their own stories, visually. THE PANDEMIC PROJECT
focus has been on people who suffer, from loneliness and hardship but come out of it with strong resilience and creativity.” “When the pandemic started I was losing jobs and assignments I had been working on with no sight of them coming back. I decided there were two ways I could handle this. I could start developing anxiety and depression and get caught up in what I have lost, or I can try to use this as a way to be creative.”
Canyon Falls resident Chris Rusanowsky has been a photographer for 13 years, working as a photojournalist and wedding photographer. His passion for photography comes from his love of telling stories.
“I reached out to my neighbors on our neighborhood Facebook page and told them I wanted to capture an editorialized portrait of their family in front of their home. They could dress any way they wanted, they would have to stand 6-feet apart to symbolize social distancing, and have a blank stare away from the camera to show the question of, ‘what’s going to happen next.’ I asked each family to answer two questions; how has the pandemic benefitted them and how has it affected them.”
“For me, photography is a tool for communication. I am telling stories of other people. What I try to do through my work in telling stories is to bring awareness and inspire people. Most of my
“This project wasn’t about money, it was more about doing something creative during this time and allowing people to read about their neighbors stories. This is what I love about art. Two people
30 | 35 WEST | MAY 2020
Harvest Resident, Cortney Lang is a photographer who specializes in newborn and family photography. When she realized that this time in our lives would likely go down in history, she wanted to document what it was like to show future generations. “I started a Facebook group, and a friend helped me organize the neighborhood. I worked with the HOA and local police department to make sure I was following all health and safety guidelines. I stayed in my car (actually on top it), and the residents stayed on their porch.” “The concept was to give the families something to look back on. Even though this year will never be forgotten, it is a time where these families could get creative, be together, and be apart of visual history. The story is different for everyone that is what makes this so unique. Each family did what they wanted and how they wanted to remember this time in quarantine. Every family had a different interpretation and different journey. It was amazing to watch it unfold.” — Cortney Lang,
www.BabiesAndBrands. Pixieset.com/
HarvestStaysHome
www.35WestMagazine.com
