Public Story
Safe Haven
Joel and I met in 2009 and married in 2012. He had been divorced, and I was a widow. We were both in our 60’s when we married. Although we felt like honeymooners, we each brought life experience and physical and emotional baggage to the relationship.
I began making intimate portraits of Joel as we moved through our daily life together. The process of taking these pictures helped me to express my tender feelings for this man. I observed him at home and away, sometimes with humor, always with love.
Then 2020 came and we found ourselves sheltering in place, doing our part to protect ourselves and others from contracting Covid-19. Previously, we each had a full life both in and out of the house, each with independent interests and friends. Now, Joel and I are together constantly in our 2-bedroom 1 bath apartment.
Not that we were surprised by this, but we found that we truly are best friends and partners. We’ve been finding our way through the long days and weeks, each dedicated to staying engaged with friends and community. Joel cooks, tends to his plants, crafts lovely trees from wire and minerals, and tries to stick with an exercise routine. We read, discuss future travel plans and watch TV. I have been photographing him - and occasionally us together – as always. We follow each other around the house, trying not to yell across the square footage, aware that we’re surviving the confinement just fine.
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