One Sunday evening while the kids were sleeping, I was playing around with editing the above image. I then had an idea, and ran with it. My 10-year-old daughter Emma, has daily journal writing to complete for her school work. When she woke up the next morning I showed her the image and asked her to imagine that she could go back in time and talk to herself before the pandemic. I asked her to write what life is like now. Emma has always been an incredible writer, and continues to have a vivid imagination. This is her story:

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“Dear Emma from February 2020,

The world is about to change drastically. There is a new sickness coming THE CORONAVIRUS. It all started in China. Not gonna lie, it’s terrifying. I know you’ll get through this. Just like when you lost everything in the 2016 wildfire! (except big bunny.) People wear masks and gloves. We have to stay 6 meters away from each other and self-isolate. There will be some fun times like family
Color Me Mine painting kits with mom, dad and Isaak. Watching hilarious Tick Tock videos and sending them to dad until he thinks we are all crazy. Staying up until midnight watching Raising Dion with your family (when will season two come out??) Tickle fights and just dance competitions with Isaak. Video chatting with your friends and family. You will have to do school work from home with help from mom (mom is an amazing grade one teacher but, not so great at grade five math! Ms. Blundon HEEEELLLP) She will also have to work from home now. You will also have fun going on teddy bear hunts and nature walks. Using the walkie talkies inside and outside and watching videos with Isaak. The best part is you’ll
never get bored with our crazy family. Examples: our crazy hillbilly accents, mom’s singing and picture ideas, dad’s weird laugh and Isaak’s made up games (we should really have our own reality TV show. We’d be pretty amusing).

Some bad things are no more art classes, school got canceled and girl guides also got cancelled. Everyone in the world took advantage of going places like Tim Hortons
and playgrounds, but now we can’t go anywhere. Parks and stores have been closed all over the world. There is no toilet paper, soap or hand sany (as the Richard’s call it) You will spend some of your time watching Doc McStuffins and
Miraculous with Isaak. I hope you remember this for when the virus comes to Fort McMurray, stay calm. I am sure the world will be a kinder place when this is all over.

From future Emma of April 2020”

Now just for the record, I can do grade 5 math. I just can’t wrap my brain around the way she does it.

Since March 15 , 2020, schools turned to online learning. As a grade one teacher, this affected me tremendously; not even taking into consideration how it has as a mother. Now I work from home for the most part, and set my kids up to work on their daily lessons.

All parks have closed, most stores have closed, and there are stay at home orders in place. Where we live it is still “Winter”. Last week we actually got more snow! My family seems to be doing well with having to stay at home. I am the one that is having the most difficult time with it so far. You see, I fell and broke my elbow pretty badly and was in a cast for 9 and a half weeks. I am left handed, and of course it was my left arm. I was stuck at home for months and unable to drive. I had just finally gotten back to work and back to a normal routine for only two weeks, and then suddenly the world changed.

I’m sure like many of you are experiencing, my motivation to shoot has taken a fiery nosedive. I find it very difficult to take pictures inside, and don’t have the best lighting in my house. I live for dramatic skies, and sun flares.

For the last few weekends, I have been forcing myself to pick up my camera, and try to document historical moment in time. To enliven the mundane, and to try new things.

Here are some things I have been doing to try to keep shooting thinking creatively through these trying times.

Self Portraits

Forcing myself to get in front of the lens and fight with my camera app has been challenging, but also has helped me creatively.

Composites

I am no pro when it comes to composites. This is something new and challenging for me. Don’t look too closely, you’ll see my mistakes haha!

Family Portraits

This has been a great way to document us all together to look back on in years to come. I will set the camera up on the tripod and either use the self timer.

Window Portraits

Shooting through the window has been fun and challenging as it isn’t something I regularly do. I am learning to embrace the glares, the reflections of the houses and cars across the street, and my reflection getting in the frame.

Macro

Whenever my husband or myself has to go on our essential grocery store run, we will grab some flowers. My husband also had a bouquet delivered from a local flower shop last weekend.

Stay home, stay safe, we will get through this!

xoxo,
Melissa