ST. PETE STRONG
I Miss Us St. Pete
SPL
PHOTO ESSAY FROM A DISTANCE BY SANDRA DOHNERT
Several weeks into the “safer at home” mandate, Sandra Dohnert felt compelled. Everything around her was changing. Shops, restaurants and bars were shutting down. Museums and galleries, playgrounds, shops and libraries, too. Concerts and performing arts canceled. As a photographer there was only one thing she could do. Grab her camera and shoot. Dohnert wanted to document her city -- show her neighbors as they were handling “safer at home.” Would they come out on the porch, peek through the window, or invite her into their snug little worlds for a moment to capture their pandemic day? The answer was a resounding YES.
In “I Miss Us, St. Pete,” Dohnert’s photo essay shows us how people around St. Petersburg coped with confinement. It hasn’t been easy; it’s often been a struggle emotionally, physically and financially. But one thing that is evident in these images: We are in this together. Note, that these photos were mostly taken at residences or studios, so you won’t see face masks. The photographer also notes that she practiced social distancing while shooting her subjects. This is a selection of her images.
Frank Strunk III / Sculptor
Kanika Tomalin / St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor with Kai and Nia Tomalin
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Chris Giuffre and Family
“COVID-19 has brought unprecedented disruption to all our lives, creating many challenges that test our resilience and threatens the most vulnerable among us. But, it has also brought many unexpected blessings and opportunities. One for which I am most grateful is the focused time I’ve been able to spend with my children.” - Dr. Kanika Tomalin
May/June 2020
