Whatever we thought the year 2020 would be when we were younger, I don’t think anyone predicted this.  Well, actually a couple of fiction books came close, but that would be another article entirely.  But for the rest of us, and especially ones that grew up watching the Jetsons as kids, being locked in our homes for over a year, while still having to live and drive on the ground and make our own meals, 2020 was a huge let down.  Worse than that, thriving small businesses had to close and many for good. New businesses were shut down before they even started. Others had to shift how they did business, with many moving to online sales and curbside pickup. Photographers, including myself, offered photos from a distance and “porchtraits” in a covid safe manner and across North America, many raised money for charity with The Front Steps Project.  

It has been a trying year, and one that I am sure most of us are ready to put behind us and forget, at least for a while.  It has been difficult not seeing distant family and spending time with friends. Our children have had over a year where they could not do the typical activities of childhood.  People have lost family members to illness, or lack of health resources due to covid.  It has been extremely stressful for many people just getting by, or those that have lost so much. Personally, I feel that I have been spared the worst of it.  My family has been mostly healthy. My income as a sports photographer was essentially nothing with no sports in the region for over a year.  But despite that, I have had a roof over my head and my family has not gone without the basic needs thanks to my husband’s hard work and his ability to work from home for his job.  We both work from home on another new company we have started, but it doesn’t pay us yet as it is still in the early stages.  I am grateful for what I have. 

With all of that said, I did find a silver lining.  I believe it saved my mental health and provided a little joy to others as well.  I transitioned my sports photography to nature.  I hit the local community trails and found many amazing greenspaces within the Waterloo Region to walk or just sit, and take pics of the beautiful surroundings and the wildlife within.  I probably took over 70,000 pictures and kept about 10% of them.  I photographed over 300 different species and kept an electronic journal of each new find using a great app called “iNaturalist” for my phone (also online).

As I posted many of my images on my website, or online using Facebook or Instagram, friends and family encouraged me to post more.  So I continued my hikes and spent countless hours editing and uploading photos.  I have never in my life spent so much time outside and in nature.  I found many “common” birds, snakes and bugs that I had never heard of.  It was incredible and it gave me a bit of peace in an otherwise difficult time.  It might have even allowed me to lose some covid weight had I not eaten past my steps each evening. :)  But all in all, it was an amazing experience that I might not have the time in life to repeat once our schedules return to normal.  

I decided I wanted to remember the fun I had with nature in 2020.  So I created a photo book.  It has 60 pages and every page has multiple pictures.  It will be a fun activity to look back and reflect on all the wonderful walks I took and wildlife I saw. Remembering the early morning trips out before first light to catch a coyote or fox.   The evening walks to get a bird in that low sun glow.  It is a tangible reminder that 2020 wasn’t all bad.  I feel a bit guilty that I have such wonderful memories during such a difficult time.  That said, my hope is that others can find joy in my pictures and provide a bright spot during their day.

My online gallery can be found on my website at: WILDLIFE | fsfotos