Jackie Herman is the photographer behind Simple Shots by Jackie.
Recently Herman was pursuing social media and came upon a photographer in the United States offering to visit people’s home to take a photo of the family outside in their yard during this time of self-isolation.
“A photographer in the States was offering sessions for family portraits on their front steps because with social distancing you can’t get too close,” she explained.
With time on her hands, and finding her photography a way to cope with the stresses society is facing at present, Herman borrowed the idea.
Herman went online an offered to do the same thing, if the family would in-turn make an online monetary donation to the local food bank.
“It’s a quick five-minute session,” said Herman, but she does hope it is something of a distraction from what’s going on for the families.
By making the donation to the food bank online Herman said she and the families can again respect the need to social distance, with no exchange of food products to be delivered.
Herman planned to do the photo shoots Monday, and quickly found herself booked solid for the day with 30 families taking up the online offer.
“It’s a great way to document what’s going on,” she said.
For Herman the effort is both a good deed for the food bank, and one she will find cathartic.
“In high stress situations like this photography really does give me comfort,” she said. “It takes away my anxiety. It’s a chance to relax.”
