When You Can’t Find The Words (2020)

Alkistis Kafetzi, Expressive Reflections | Rupture
(Wünsdorf, Brandenburg, Germany, June 12, 2020)

Brianna Johnson, Untitled
(Buffalo, NY, June 8, 2020)

Sue Evans, Pepper Pain
(Buffalo, NY, June 6, 2020)
“Being cooped up for 3 months has been frustrating on so many levels. While preparing dinner, I cut this pepper in half and discovered its expression perfectly captured how I have felt all this time.”

Linda Troeller, Virus #3, 2020
(Lakewood, NJ, May 2020)
Read more at BerkshireFineArts.com

Sabine Kutt, Vanishing
(Buffalo, NY, March 29, 2020)
“The image is from my new series, Vanishing. The title refers to the new situation women are pushed into due to the Covid 19 changes in our society. Actually it is a global problem women are facing. There is a big rise in domestic violence and also an enormous set back of the achieved emancipation. Right now there is a growing loss of equality. Many more women than men are loosing their jobs. Now they are back as it was in the 1950s. Child care, household duties, and the loss of independence by being dependent again on the income of others. The real sad thing is, that we are just in the beginning of this process.”

Jessica Marais, Solitude
(Cape Town, South Africa, May 31, 2020)

Charl Marais, Untitled
(Malmsbury, South Africa, May 1, 2020)
“We were allowed to move 5km, so we had a picnic. We felt free like that crow.”

Robin Dahlberg, May Snow
(Lakeville, Connecticut, May 8, 2020)

Mason Papirio, Out Of Touch
(Pittsfield, MA, May 3, 2020)
“I chose this image seen as we are supposed to be isolating. I feel as a lot of people are becoming out of touch with reality and we are watching life go by through windows.”

Isaiah J. Morales, Pandemic Effects
(Westfield, MA, May 4, 2020)

Jeshua Darnell, COVID-19
(Jamaica, NY, USA, May 1, 2020)

Cornellious Waite, As I Wait Alone For The Delicious Food That I Can’t Smell
(Thayer St. “Mike’s Calzones,” Providence, Rhode Island, April 29, 2020)

Raz Perl, Sunset Shown In Two Different Ways
(Newton, Massachusetts, April 28, 2020)

Avril Gail Marais, Lockdown On “Freedom Day”
(South Africa, April 30, 2020)
“We have to travel to feed the cattle.”

Sairam Reddy Potlapadu, Still Need Groceries To Survive
(Oswego, New York, March 27, 2020)
“Loneliness, quarantine, and groceries. Had enough of it all.”

Robert Kuechle, The Mask
(Amherst, NY, April 15, 2020)
“I wear one professionally, now the sign of the times.”

Suzanne Du Charme, Empty Playground
(Tallman State Park, NY, April 27, 2020)
“I’ve been feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness as the days go on. I wanted to find an image that evoked that sadness. An empty playground marked by a coronavirus sign is just about as sad as it gets. I decided to convert it to black and white, but to leave to image of the sunburst shaped monkey bars in color for contrast.”

Regine Winifred, Fight Back
(Hartford, CT, USA, April 27, 2020)

Elizabeth Randell, Whimsy
(Buffalo, NY, April 27,2020)
“A neighbor ran a clear fishing line of balloons from the house, across the sidewalk, to a tree. The effect from afar was as if the balloons were flying across the yard. The whole effect, plus the contrast between blue sky and yellow balloons, was so uplifting!”

Diego Maeso, Nostalgia
(Bristol, United Kingdom, March 27, 2020)
“I’m photographing myself and my immediate environment during isolation. I’ve always worked in self portraiture as part of discovering my identity as a non-binary person and my relationship with my family. Thanks to this project I keep exploring my identity and working in self acceptance and healing.”

Katelynn Leclerc, Caged
(Holyoke, Massachusetts, April 3, 2020)
“The wire fencing served as a cage to me. Visually showing that we are all caged inside during these times.”

Kristin Rey, Untitled
(Jamestown, New York, April 24, 2020)

Marie Kemp, All Things Passing In A Blue Sky
(Orchard Park, NY, April 1, 2020)

Warren Murphy, Mom Grocery Run
(Hamden, Connecticut, USA, April 24, 2020)

Ruth Arzuaga, Shadows
(Holyoke, Massachusetts, April 23, 2020)
“It can be difficult to get creative and take an image when you are limited to the confines of your home but today I had a little help from my window blinds and the sun.”

Elijiah Barriga, Earth Day In LA
(West Covina, California, April 22, 2020)

Reinhard Reitzenstein, Daily Dusk Orchard Walk
(Grimsby Mountain, Ontario, Canada, April 22, 2020)
“Thinking about Earth Day today . . . how to see the earth today . . . what will we see in the near future.”

Joshua Jensen, Untitled
(Wales, NY, USA, March 24, 2020)

Jalah Oates, COVID-19 Or Work?
(Springfield, MA, April 22, 2020)

Catherine Gillespie, We All Would Like Spring To Really Come Not Just Tease With Pretty Flowers Then Snow
(Buffalo, New York, April 16, 2020)

Gwen Elizabeth Bullock, Réservé
(Ithaca, New York, April 2020)

José Gomez, A Patch of Blue
(Elmira, New York, March 19, 2020)
“One afternoon, while walking down Water Street, I quickly realized I only had a few seconds to take this ever-changing shot. And I must thank a couple of friends of mine for sharing their insightful thoughts with me. I am very grateful to them for suggesting and making me realize that these ominous, threatening clouds, surrounding a very small patch of a bright, beautiful blue sky is a metaphor for our current global calamity. This small patch of blue symbolizes and is manifest to a glimmer of hope; something we can try to hold onto; a light at the end of a long dark tunnel.”

Beatriz Correia, A Rainy Day In The Neighborhood
(Far Hills, New Jersey, April 21, 2020)
“The sun was out in the morning, so I took the time to refresh my soul with deep sun light rays. The sun started to disappear around noon and the storm came, so every human being went inside. This is a moment captured by me, representing the ups and downs of just one long day.”

Liz Raymonda, Camera Obscura
(Rochester, NY, USA, April 15, 2020)
“Being pregnant for the first time feels much like a camera obscura, dark, and upside down, yet beautiful and exciting. Being pregnant during a global pandemic has only amplified my uncertainty at becoming a mother, although it can not take away the joy I feel with every kick.”

Antonio F. Petracca, On An Average Covid-19 Day You Can See Clear Down Broadway For Miles Without Seeing A Car Or Person
(Broadway and Spring Street, NYC, April 14, 2020)

Tracey Jones, Experiments
(My Garden, Port Douglas, Australia)
“As covid has taken over I have had a chance to experiment with different types of photography. I am normally a nature photographer, but also love creating and photographing patterns. These photos were created using milk and food colouring. I have actually done a video on this.“

Serena Vittorini, Mon Temps Est Précieux
(Bruxelles, Belgium)

John Nordell, Home
(Greenfield, MA, March 22, 2020)
“I kept walking past my camera bag thinking, ‘I really should take some pictures.’ Distracted by the impact of Covid-19 on my life, and learning how to shift my face-to-face courses to online delivery, my camera remained untouched. Finally, I grabbed it and started shooting. It felt so good to take pictures. This process has been a love of mine for nearly 5 decades. Preparing to take a multiple exposure, I take a single frame to test for exposure, like an artist’s sketch. The layered images that emerge from my digital camera are flat looking, so I treat the files to pull out vibrancy and details. In this case, I reversed the image to look like it was a color negative. A mere ten minutes of shooting opened my heart and mind to a present moment of peace. I printed the images out and put them in my kitchen. Each time I walk by and see them, I smile. In the face of current uncertainty, feeling competent and creative helps me feel a sense of needed normality.”

Christopher Woods, Porch Buddies
(Chappell Hill, Texas, USA, April 4, 2020)

Bailey Ann Rosen, Keep Your Distance
(Manhattan, NYC, April 10, 2020)

Molly Tent, Untitled
(East Aurora, New York, April 12, 2020)
“I was playing around with the shadows from my window. Since I have more time, I’m going to start picking up my camera way more.”

Parker Schultz, Untitled
(Clarence, New York, April 2020)

Joseph Poloncarz, Untitled
(Buffalo, New York, April 2020)

Mary Wyrick, Untitled
(Buffalo, New York, April 9, 2020)

Alex Cassetti, Times Square, New York
(Times Square, New York, March 10, 2020)

Donna Jordan Dusel, Doubtful Sound
(New Zealand, 2020)

Sam Stephenson, Fun is Closed
(Chichester, UK, April 3, 2020)

Paul M. Nicholson, Lamp
(Emmaus, PA, March 20, 2020)
“The sunlight hits this ceiling in my house everyday, and yet only by staying home was I allowed to finally see and capture this nice moment.”

Kathy Corff Rogers, Light Keeps Us Strong
(Sedona, AZ, 2020)

Linda Appleby, Untitled
(Buffalo, New York, April 7, 2020)
“Took this picture today at one of the creeks at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Upon further inspection of the picture, it looked like I had also captured some iridescent angels. This Frederick Law Olmsted Park design is so peaceful to me, and I was thrilled to find that you could actually walk along this creek. During these challenging times, I find peace in nature now more than ever. I am also reminded of the song ‘Everything Must Change.’ It’s time to be quiet and listen.”

Esther Baum-Taylor, Mood: Blue
(Waterport, NY, USA, March 18, 2020)

Carl Schifano, Pandemic Wave
(Buffalo, New York, March 20, 2020)

Nicole Freezer Rubens, Up And Down
(New York, NY, March 29, 2020)
“This is the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning after the rain. Temporarily closed, like all museums, these majestic steps normally bustling with patrons and people watchers sitting a spell, are completely empty. The fountains are off and dry, but for the rainwater that has collected and created a reflection that is a work of art.”

Tan Chee Hon, Untitled
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 2, 2020)
“Pandemic series are created in time of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in my homeland Malaysia. Malaysia is one of Southern East Asian countries had effected by COVID-19 virus that cause million Malaysia people need to stayed at home since implemented Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18 March 2020.The series still images reflect my view on public space in silence moment during COVID-19 lockdown period throughout Kuala Lumpur the capital Malaysia.”

Hope Grunert, Untitled
(Buffalo, New York, April 1, 2020)
“In this time of isolation, it’s been extremely hard to find things that bring us together. Everyone is scared and unsure about what will happen next. To shed some light on this mainly negative situation, people all over my community have been placing rainbows over their neighborhoods. These rainbows have been a way to bring us back together. Rainbow hunting has become a fun activity for kids and making the rainbows has been a fun activity for adults. While it is so easy to hide away and focus on all the bad things that are happening in the world, these rainbows have served as little reminders that we’re in this together. Always remember that after a storm, there is always a rainbow.”

Vojtech Veskrna, 3D Printed Part Of Newly Developed Respirator
(Prague, Czech Republic, March 23, 2020)

Ella Thomson, Untitled
(London, UK, April 1, 2020)
“Taken as part of a series of self portraits around my house whilst in lockdown.”

Max Doray, No Customers
(Công viên Hoàng Văn Thụ, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, March 27, 2020)
“After the government asked all non-essential businesses to close and for people to stay home, the street food vendors are having a difficult time making a living.”

Sam Beams, The Dark, Empty Streets Of Home . . . Only Transited By The Wind During Lockdown
(Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa, February 4, 2020)
“In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” —Francis Bacon
“We are on a 21 day lockdown here. I took this photo from my driveway, of our once busy Main Road which normally has traffic day and night, and in peak season we can’t get out of our driveway. We have to get into the oncoming lane and go around the Voëlklip Traffic Circle to get into the traffic going to town. There is only one road that goes through our town and this is it. Freight, goods, emergency vehicles and many others, all travel this road to their various destinations.”

Matt Kenny, McCarthy’s Wings, A Beer, A Parking Ramp, And A View!
(Fernbach Ramp, Buffalo, New York, March 29, 2020)

Tracey Largue, Before Dark
(Belhaven Beach, John Muir, East Lothian Scotland, March 4, 2020)

Maria Tsormpatzoglou, Moon Portal
(Berlin, Germany, March 6, 2020)
“My work as a photographer is dedicated to demonstrate that perspectives are crucial in order to understand and lead life. Taking this into account, I like to raise discussion about what each and everyone sees in a specific image and to which extent their current emotional stage plays a role in their perception. It is a work that aims to psychoanalyze to a certain degree as well as promote self knowledge. This is what I am attempting to do with the pictures attached: explore different dimensions (of self, the planes of reality, dimensions of the cosmos) by looking outside of my apartment’s windows while forced to stay indoors. I play with the focal point of my 35mm lens, the moon, objects in my room and photoshop. This way I can imagine exploring other galaxies and dimensions of the cosmos while observing the impact of the quarantine on my inner universe.”

Marcus Bastel, Social Distancing
(Hackney Marshes, London, March 25, 2020)
“The right to exercise remains and everyday we try to make the most of it, while staying local. On a Sunday this field is usually teeming with footballers, today there are just a few people and their dogs standing apart in solidarity while the city towers behind them.”

Kathy Kearnan, Working From Home, Keeping The Trains On Time
(Albany, New York, April 3, 2020)

Diane Bush, Untitled (from Wish You Were Here series)
(Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2, 2020)
“Before the virus hit, my husband and I discovered traveling the world via YouTube ‘Walking Tours,’ and were using our VR headsets (synchronized) to compensate for having to cancel a trip to Europe last November, due to a sciatica attack I endured. Research has shown that this type of distraction can help seniors and others cope better with pain, depression, and isolation. I began taking pictures of seniors I work with, as test models, and I wanted to find a visual solution to illustrate the wide variety of experience available. Instead of showing specific landscapes or scenes, I chose colorful abstracts. These are crude mock-ups, but I think they still work to show the contrast of reality and VR experience. Since the virus and home confinement hit, we have been indulging in daily VR walks around the world.”

Rosemary Miklitsch, The Offer Of Hope
(Los Angeles, March 9, 2020)
“Shot at LAX, I took this photo on the way home to Lewiston for my father’s funeral. He had suddenly died the night before. Each sunrise offers hope; each day is a new beginning. During this period of social distancing, we’ve come to appreciate the many things we take for granted.”

Bailey Ann Rosen, Marquee At The Apollo Theater, Harlem
(New York City, March 27, 2020)

Lisa Grisanti, Shining Light
(Niawanda Park, Tonawanda, NY, May 14, 2020)

I experienced a slowing down in my life during Covid that I had never experienced before and during this period, I spent some time doing things that felt good for my soul like watching sunsets, writing, reading, meditating, trying new comfort food recipes and being creative. I watched more sunsets during the past four months than I had in my whole life and with not being able to travel to Europe like I normally do during some of the summer, I spent more time exploring my community and home state of NY. I also spent more time alone, just with my camera (Nikon D3500) that I purchased less than a year prior and now had more time to learn and practice, often taking photos using the camera’s self-timer and my tripod. Each one of the photos I took during Covid gives a snapshot of how I was able to experience more stillness while becoming more aware of myself, others and the world around me.  This has been a time of “shining light” on self-care, growth and things that matter.