Throughout our entire lives we have connections, we may lose them or make some new ones, but they’re always there, and they’re often one of the most important things in our lives. They teach us important lessons, open our eyes up to new experiences, and help us express ourselves.  There are many ways to show connections in photography as well. It can be a photo of things that are literally connected, or you can go deeper with it and think about what you connect with.

Here are some questions to think about to help you get started:

• In many ways, the events of the past year have included experiences of disconnection for many people. What are some of the ways that disconnection has or is showing up in your life?
• While disconnection has been a part of our lives, we have also found and developed new connections and new ways of connecting. What are some of the new connections and new ways of connecting that are now a part of your life?
• Relationships form some of the strongest and most dear connections we have. How have your relationships with others been impacted by current events and your experiences over the past year? How are your social connections being impacted by the current circumstances you find yourself in both positive and negative ways?
• In what ways have your connections with various communities been strengthened or weakened by your experiences over the past year?
• How was your connection to any specific community helped enhance or bring value to your life?
• How has disconnection from any specific community impacted your life in negative ways?
• What patterns do you see in your life looking back over the past year, and how could you capture those patterns in a photo?
• What are some ways that you have noticed interdependence in your life more over the past year?

For this photo, you’ll need an activity that you do that keeps connections strong in your life over the time of Covid. For this example, I used my electric scooter. Scooter rides were something that me and my best friend constantly did together when we socially distancing and first started hanging out again. I then simply took a mask and put it on the handle to show that this was during Covid and that we still need to practice safety to get rid of the virus. Finally, I took a ruler and pulled out 6 feet and took the picture from 6 feet away once again showing what kind of times it was. Think of something you did to stay in touch with people and keep a connection in your life and put your own twist on it.

This photo is very easy and anyone can do it! You’ll need a sheet of cardboard, thumbtacks, and some string or yarn. Simply take multiple thumbtacks and stick them in various places on your cardboard. Then, take your string/yarn and connect all the thumbtacks together. This shows things that are literally connected to one another. It also adds a lot with having the blurry thumbtacks in the back showing that some connections may feel fuzzy or far away from us right now, but they are still in our lives.

You don’t need an animal for this photo! Think, who have you become more connected with over the past year or since quarantine started and simply ask if you can take their photo. I used my dog because we spent, and still do, a lot of time together. This has made our connection/relationship even stronger and better. You could even include multiple subjects in a photo like this. Think of the person you want, the shot you want, and put your own story behind it.