What started out as a year of possibilities quickly turned into a time and space that was unrecognizable. For many of us in the touring community, we were either already on the road or packing our bags when the “Covid-19” news broke. One by one, each tour or show that was booked had cancelled with no promise of new dates (that would stick). Live music and photography as I knew it was put on an indefinite hold, and I didn’t know how to deal. The music community has served as a second family to me for ten years, one that I miss terribly. The all-consuming thoughts that I had were: “Does everyone have cash to cover bills? Has anyone gotten sick? What if I get sick? Will I see my friends again?” I spent some time reflecting on what I could control and tried my best to remain calm after every jarring headline was published. It felt like drowning, like my friends and I just lost everything we had ever worked towards in the industry. After a few weeks had passed, I knew things wouldn’t go back to “normal” for a while. Reports of tours and shows being postponed until 2021 was an absolute shock, how could this be real?
Instead of allowing myself to continually get sucked back down the rabbit hole, I made the conscious effort to start giving back to the community. Working with locals and donating my time to those in need is something I normally do, but the Covid impact obviously doesn’t allow for much personal interaction. With that in mind, I thought maybe I could continue doing shoots from a safe distance and at no charge. Several of my friends had reached out and helped me cover the losses I had, which meant I wouldn’t have to worry about eviction (thankfully). I wasn’t sure how else I could possibly help during such a devastating time and with little resources. It was completely uncharted territory, but I knew I had to do something.
I researched “front porch photos” and saw so many wonderful photos pop up. There must have been thousands of photos to look through, but what got me were the blog portions. I read accounts of people suffering through job loss, sickness, depression, etc., but seeing a smiling face made a difference in their life. In a world overcome with uncertainty and loss, I knew it was time to fight for change the best way I knew how.
After posting feelers for “Front Porch Photos by Cozi” I was surprised to see how many people wanted to get involved! With safety in mind, I started booking and traveling to homes in and around Austin. So many families and non essential workers faced displacement and truly looked forward to some genuine human interaction. I was lucky enough to work with a few front line nurses who gave accounts of what was happening behind hospital walls. I have all the respect in the world for essential workers worldwide, thank you!
A dozen or so shoots later, I have a collection of photos that reflect joy and community. When nothing in life makes sense, we create. I hope this project helped at least one person, I know it made all the difference for me.
