Ballard photographer chronicles coronavirus shutdown with ‘Portraits from Six Feet’

A local photographer has been capturing the feelings of Ballardites in the past couple weeks in a project he calls “Portraits from Six Feet.”

Paul Edmondson is a landscape photographer whose trips and projects have been put on hold during the lockdown. So, he turned to portraiture to channel his creativity.

“I frequently take long, daily walks around Ballard and on a whim I started shooting for the project on the first day of Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement for the stay-at-home lockdown in Seattle and Washington State,” Edmondson tells My Ballard. “Since then I’ve been photographing every day.”

Edmondson asks each person, “How are you feeling today?”

“Many of the most common sentiments that people express to me are feelings that relate to anxiety, worry, apprehension, fear, boredom, etc.,” Edmondson says. “But I also hear a lot folks allude to feeling hopeful, grateful, and even love. These are the ones that make me stop and reflect at how remarkable this entire situation is and how we’re all processing our emotions in very different and unique ways.

“This project has had a surprisingly cathartic and almost therapeutic affect on me. By connecting with so many different people from my immediate community and during such a challenging time, I’ve come to quickly realize that I’m not alone in my worries. There’s also a lot of hope out there, and that’s important to see.”

Here are a few of the photos from Edmondson’s ongoing collection. (Click here for the full collection)

Edmondson will keep adding new portraits to his website—he plans to keep taking photos until the lockdown order is lifted.

Featured photo: David. Age 27. How are you feeling today? “Compassionate”