LI Coronavirus: Photographer Snaps Happy Moments In Trying Times
SYOSSET, NY — If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what photographer Oksana Pali Federico of Syosset is doing around her Long Island community during the “age of the coronavirus” is beyond beautiful. With camera in hand, Pali Federico is on a mission: to capture happy moments of families during some obviously trying times.
“I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback, and people are so excited to take part in something like this, they feel like they are giving back and getting memories in the process,” Pali Federico said.
After the coronavirus outbreak led to the cancellation of Pali Federico's scheduled photo shoots this month, like many people, she began to worry how she would make ends meet while still remaining calm in the midst of chaos.
“I was really getting stressed out and upset,” she said. “I knew I was going to be affected by this, but I didn’t know to what level. It was really getting depressing for me.”
However, she refused to stay drowning in her self-pity party for long. She quickly turned a negative into a positive. Since last week, Pali Federico has been taking "porch-raits" of families stuck in self-isolation due to the coronavirus. It's just one of the ways she believes she can help lift peoples’ spirits as many, like her, cope with stress, isolation and the uncertainties brought on by COVID-19.
“People get so excited that I stop by. It gives them an opportunity to dress up,” she said. “They’re sharing their photos, and their friends are now calling me. There’s a big demand for it. Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to be that big. I was just like, let me put it out there and see what happens.”
So far, there’s been no shortage of families reaching out to her. The photo shoot is free and so are the photos; however, there is a small catch. After the photos are taken, Pali Federico asks that folks make a donation, big or small, to one of three charities listed on her website:
The Life Enrichment Center at Oyster Bay: The organization helps provide meals on a daily basis to seniors who have no other access to adequate nutrition. It also offers social activities and programs for the elderly.
CDP COVID-19 Response Fund: This fund focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations working directly to respond to the pandemic among the most vulnerable populations in order to help build their capacity for response.
No Kid Hungry: With schools closed due to the coronavirus, this organization is helping schools and community groups feed kids in need.
“Every single person has donated so far. It’s all based on an honor system,” Pali Federico said. “After they have donated, some of them have been taking a screenshot of the amount they’ve donated and then post it on my Facebook page.”
So far this week, Pali Federico said she has 12 families lined up for one of her free photo shoots. While she takes joy in providing this free service, she admits it comes with a few challenges. To make sure she and the families stay safe, she snaps the photos from about ten feet away.
“It’s not the easiest photography because I have very little control with what’s going on,” she said. “I can’t pose them really. I can’t touch anything. It’s still fun. It kind of gets me out of what I normally do, so it helps me creatively with how I approach the situation.”
While Pali Federico isn’t making a dime from these photos sessions, her compensation comes in a non-traditional form. She benefits by making new contacts. For her, it also serves as a form of therapy.
“I set out to give, but I’m getting so much out of it, too,” she said. “I’m not just dwelling on things and thinking of things. It really keeps my mind busy by doing something not for yourself. It changes your mental state.”
According to Pali Federico, she plans to keep offering her front-step photo shoots as long as many families are forced to stay indoors and practice social distancing. In the future, she said she is looking at the possibility of offering free photo shoots to businesses impacted by the coronavirus.
Anyone interested in Pali Federico taking their "porch-traits" can sign up at this link.
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This article originally appeared on the Syosset Patch
