WELLINGTON COUNTY – Families in Elora and Fergus had something to look forward to as they posed for front porch portraits.
Jessica Stiller, owner of Red Suitcase Photography, was inspired by Massachusetts photographer Cara Soulia to do front step photos.
“I had a lot of clients in the area tagging me in her posts and asking if I would do this,” Stiller said. “We decided, why not try to give back to everyone in the area?”
Stiller and her husband offered to do the photos in Guelph and Wellington County. They ended up doing 76 photo sessions in a single day with about half of them in Elora and Fergus, last week.
“We’re a little bit of over-achievers we think,” she said. “It was a lot, it was a nine hour day.”
They offered this service for free but would accept donations for missionary friends in the Philippines who are in complete lockdown. She said others also donated to the local community or food banks.
Christa Niravong and her family in Elora were one of those who took part in the front porch photos.
“I felt like we were documenting a very significant time in history,” Niravong said adding that it’s a way to bring some joy to the community. “This way it kind of gets people up, putting on make-up and getting all dressed up. It lifts people’s spirits.”
Stiller stressed that she practiced proper social distancing, often with her back against her car or far on the sidewalk. She said she loved seeing people being creative with their costumes or decorating their porches. Some decorated with toilet paper and lysol wipes or dressed up as princesses or like “Lord of the Flies” characters.
“They loved the chance to do something creative with their families,” she said. “It was really cool to see everybody come together and to see a little hope and joy.”
Stiller said seeing family love and meeting new people all day gave her a needed boost.
“I got more out of it I think for my own soul then everybody else did,” she said. “It was heartwarming to my husband and I to get to be part of that.”
Groups in Drayton and Rockwood have asked her to come to their street to do more photos. She said she is considering doing another day but is cognizant of the fact that she isn’t an essential business and perhaps shouldn’t be going out.
“I don’t want to offend other people or any of our first responders,” she said. “Should I go out and do it again? I’m unsure.”
In a follow-up email, Stiller said she hopes to do another day, with one for first responder and essential worker families.
Stiller has created a facebook group called Guelph & Area Front Porch Portraits – RSP to document the day and for others to request them to come to the area.
