Photographer Captures Quarantine With Neighborhood “Porchraits”

Tony Drewry from Fort Worth, TX recently made the big decision to quit his day job and become a full-time musician and freelance photographer. However, just like the rest of us, he never could have predicted the current state of the world due to COVID-19. 

Tony found himself in a tough position with little work and lots of spare time. He came up with a creative side-hustle to not only build out his portfolio, but to also capture this strange moment in time with a historic photo journal. Tony posted on Nextdoor to offer up drive-by family “porchraits” for neighbors and families that were quarantined at home and feeling restless. The result of his post? Over 140 photoshoots of neighbors at home around his local community.

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He documented these “porchraits” with black and white photographs inspired by the photographers of the Great Depression, and captured many of life’s special moments along the way. In return for this fun project, some neighbors offered Tony donations and tips while others offered toilet paper, paper towels, and even sanitized six-packs of beer as a thank you. 

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Tony was honored to snap some photos of Raphael at 4 days old. His parents welcomed him to the world on April 4, 2020 in the middle of the coronavirus quarantine. 

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He also captured several birthdays, but Esme’s birthday was an extra special surprise party! She walked out of the house onto a fully decorated porch complete with fancy ice cream cones and a photographer to pose for. 

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This newly engaged couple had to cancel their photoshoot, so Tony stopped by to take some unique photos for their save the date announcement. 

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This neighbor reminds us that even during quarantine, you can look fabulous! 

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Finally, Tony made sure to get a photo of his parents on their 47th anniversary, but was surprised when they came out wearing the same outfits from an old photo to recreate the moment when his dad proposed to his mom while serving in the army.

Even during this challenging time when neighbors are physically isolated, Tony has been able to meet plenty of new neighbors and friends at a safe social distance while creating memories to look back on for years to come. Follow Tony’s journey at @drivebyporchraits on Instagram.

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Howdy amigos, I'd like to introduce a new series I'm calling "Drive-by Porchraits" (Porch + Portrait = Porchrait!) Through this project, my goal is to capture the lives of my family, friends, new friends, and a few willing strangers during this unusual moment in time, whereas humanity as a whole is taking unprecedented measures to flatten the curve of the virus now known worldwide as COVID-19. . Strange times indeed, but even in the worst of times life goes on, and it's important to recognize the beauty and simplicity of it, for in the end it's the only thing that truly matters. You, your loved ones, your journey. . I'm still in the process of shooting and editing and intend on getting to a certain point before I share any of the images captured. This is important because for one, I didn't want any of the photos taken to influence the next photos I take so that each one would be unique. Another reason is that the greater purpose of this project is document this time for historical purposes and gather stories, thoughts and data from a variety of people to tell the incredible story of us, for now and later. . One more really important point to note is that every photo I'm shooting for this series is captured from inside my truck out on the street of people who are sheltering in place in their homes, at a minimum 20 foot distance. I've gone to great lengths to be able to make this project happen safely for myself and everyone during our collective efforts to practice social distancing. If you have specific questions, please ask. . Intrigued? Stay tuned.

A post shared by Drive-by Porchraits (@drivebyporchraits) on Apr 2, 2020 at 9:01pm PDT

Note: for up-to-date information on the coronavirus (COVID-19), refer to official sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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