The Front Steps Project – Edina

The Front Steps Project - Edina

It felt like the world stopped in March 2020, didn't it?

Yet, there we all were — virtually together — in our homes with our families trying to make the best of the situation during unprecedented times. As a photographer, my passion is to spend my time capturing images of people in times of joy: engagements, weddings, newborns, siblings, times with grandparents and more. Those moments of joy and connection were still happening in homes during quarantine. Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to replicate Kristen Collins and Cara Soulia’s idea for The Front Steps Project in my town of Edina! They began this project in Needham, Massachusetts and it spread very quickly as photographers across the country — and world! — replicated it.

HERE’S HOW THE PROJECT WORKED:

I teamed up with Hillary Wallace and we started to tackle our list Edina families who signed up to participate. We came to your house — OUTSIDE — and took a few quick photos of your family on your front steps from at least 10 feet away. Families received a couple images and in exchange, made a donation to the Edina Education Fund. The Edina Education Fund is doing a lot of great work to help meet the needs of Edina families during the COVID-19 pandemic right now, and their ongoing mission is to raise funds to support educational needs and opportunities of all Edina Public School students.

The purpose of this project was to bring us together when we might feel isolated, and to document this time spent at home with your family. I wanted to highlight the faces of our community and neighbors and show that we really are all in this together, from our own homes. Participating in this project was also an opportunity to help those who need it most right now in Edina.

THE PROJECT WAS A BIG SUCCESS!

We had over 200 families participate and get photos taken by Hillary or me, and raised over $8000 for the Edina Education Fund!

We feel so lucky that we got to do this project and see so much of our community. One of the main things that stuck out to me during this crazy and difficult time was that life is still happening. There were still smiles and joy and love. We got to be there with families to document birthdays, anniversaries, new puppies (SO MANY NEW PUPPIES), new babies, selling a home or moving into a new home, high school graduation, etc. It was amazing to see so much celebration and life happening even in the midst of sadness and chaos and feeling stuck inside.

Here are the images of families that I got to take photos of in Edina. Enjoy looking through them and seeing the emotions of the human experience:
LOVE, COURAGE, SACRIFICE, JOY, COMPASSION, HUMOR, KINDNESS, PRIDE, PLAY, PERSEVERANCE, and ultimately: HOPE.