A photographer is biking around Washington, D.C., taking pictures of families engaged in social distancing as part of the nationwide "Front Steps Project".
Vanessa Johnston reports.
Photographer turns lens on families in isolation
As millions of Americans remain stuck at home... Some are taking the opportunity to get a family photo...in what's become known nationwide as "The Front Steps Project." Holly Harper is an amateur photographer in Washington, D.C., and like many small business owners, she's been hit hard in recent weeks.
Harper: "I've lost about 75 percent of my revenue, and I just was paralyzed - paralyzed with grief and shock." But now she spends her days biking around her neighborhood - with her daughter Madeline in tow - capturing families as they deal with social isolation.
And it's giving her a renewed sense of hope.
Harper: "It's really helped get structure back into my life.
I've created a system to book appointments.
I plan my routes...and really just jump-started life again for me." And keeping her distance is not a problem.
Harper says she uses a lens that requires her to be a good 15 to 20 feet away.
Harper: "If I get too close, like, literally, the picture's shot." Harper says she's been deluged with requests since she started last week.
Some families want a keepsake of this unique time.
Others say they're just looking to get out of the house...or support the community.
Harper says she'll use the money to buy gift cards for people who've lost their jobs.
Despite the challenges of quarantine-life...she says many families appear to be embracing their time together.
Harper: "I feel like they're taking it as it comes and there's a lot of optimism and, kind of, good humor about the circumstance and being in it together.
So, that's been heartwarming for me.
Everybody's smiled so far!" "The Front Steps Project" started in Massachusetts and is now catching on in cities across the U.S.