i   s   o   l   a   t   i   o   n

I hovered in the strange silence. Suspended. Weightless. At least for a moment. These moments are brief and mostly occur while immersed in freshwater, far from news, other people, and the often-inescapable effects of gravity. Above water, everything feels heavy.

In an attempt to process the pandemic and express how it feels, I started sharing underwater photos on Instagram that convey some of the emotions a lot of us are feeling. Photos seem easier than words at the moment. The letters of each emotion are physically distanced, practicing the recommended 6 feet of separation, yet still connected. It's important to remember this connection remains even during these trying times.

The first photo in the series and the title of the project is   i  s  o  l  a  t  i  o  n.  But in the spirit of trying to stay positive, hopefully not all emotions we're experiencing during such uncertain times are negative. What about little glimmers of   h  o  p  e   in the darkness and a reminder of our   r  e  s  i  l  i  e  n  c  e ?

h  o  p  e

r  e  s  i  l  i  e  n  c  e

But sometimes hope and resilience give way to despondence. It's okay to feel this too. Places all over the world that are usually bustling with people are  d  e  s  o  l  a  t  e.  

The staircase below was my escape to the underwater world, but once there I felt the emptiness and loss. Swimming up the dark, barren spring run, leaves that usually fall to the ground are suspended in  s  t  i  l  l  n  e  s  s, reflected in the watery mirror overhead that briefly blocks the topside sounds and thoughts.

d    e    s    o    l    a    t    e

As someone who spends most of my time in the field very far from home, I find myself back in Florida feeling the farthest from home I have in a long time: u  n  s  e  t  t  l  e  d. My entire family is in New England — as travel is restricted and ill advised, I worry that going to see them is irresponsible and I could potentially get them sick, but if they get sick while I’m away I won’t be able to be there for them. For those of you far from family, you are in my thoughts and I'm here for you. Remember that you are not alone.

u  n  s  e  t  t  l  e  d

s  t  i  l  l  n  e  s  s

I write this from my couch with Spresso snuggled next to me. I feel grateful for family, friends, and strong support from the photography community as we're all grounded with canceled assignments, travel, and projects. Yesterday, I spiked a fever that has slowly crept up since. Things feel hazy, uncertain,  o  m  i  n  o  u  s.  Stay strong, friends. We will get through this together, but apart.

o    m    i    n    o    u    s

Using Format