The Pandemic Lens^®

In the movie The Wedding Date, an otherwise mediocre and utterly predictable rom-com, the male lead says to his date, who is obsessing over what clothes she should wear to a party, “Let me teach you a trick—if you look people in the eye, they won’t notice what you’re wearing.” The fact that it’s a…

For years, I’ve taken a walk at dusk on Christmas Eve. This afternoon’s ritual trek through Cambridge and Somerville, MA was a stark reminder of how surreal the world has become. There was no trace of the festive energy that usually marks this time of the year, and few hints that I was passing through…

Five years ago, I started a project called “The Italians,” which is about street portraits in my home town, Lucca, and in Florence, Pisa, and Livorno. Then the coronavirus came along and the project stalled—people were disappearing from the streets; many have died. Poverty and poor governance have made the situation terrible. These images are…

 Who do you wear a mask for? ( Ed. Note: This is the third installment of  a series of posts covering Katherine Taylor’s “Masks of Boston” project. The following images are a sample of the nearly 300 people that Katherine has photographed to date. Visit Masks of Boston to read the profile of each person and…

We live in a fog induced by Covid, and our lives are in distress and significantly altered. Very little is normal right now. We turn on the news and listen to the reports of transmissions skyrocketing, and the death toll continues to rise at a horrific rate. The number of people who refuse to wear…

I bought the yellow chairs at a yard sale years ago. “They’re yard art,” a friend declared. But they didn’t fit well in my lumpy backyard, so they sat in the garage for many seasons. In the spring of 2020, we were fearfully getting used to socially-distanced visiting.  I moved the yellow chairs from the…

By late March early April 2020, I came to realize that everyday life in suburbia had changed. The streets were empty. Local stores were closing one after another. The virus was spreading into my community. People were wearing masks and latex gloves. Friends and relatives were afraid to meet up. Dinner plans were being cancelled.…

(Ed. Note: A New York-Paris Visual Diary: The Human Face of Covid-19 is a stunning compilation of photographs that capture the story of the pandemic through the lens of a celebrated documentary photographer. You can purchase a limited signed special edition of the book at www.peterturnley.com for the special price of $60. Orders placed before…

My purpose in documenting mask wearing is to engender hope and a sense of pride in people. It is a fact that the safety measures now in place may be restrictive, but at the same they can instill in every individual a positive sense of community connection that provides a unique opportunity for people to…

( Ed. Note: Documentary photographer Katherine Taylor took these photographs this past August as school districts were debating whether or not to open for the 2020-2021 school year. The images are just as relevant today since Covid cases across the country continue to spiral out of control and school districts once again are grappling with…