Big Changes, Small Story: A Photo Essay From An Artist in Quarantine

As an artist, it has been a struggle to create while being in the constraints of my own home. I can imagine the same for many other creatives, as well as people who work in other industries. 

Despite the struggles to stay motivated, positive, and resourceful, I wanted to take this quarantine as an opportunity to get extremely creative with the small amount of equipment and resources I have at home. 

With this small project, I wanted to document my own family and the little moments within our household that reflect the pressures that many people are experiencing around the world. I am aware that our ability to respond to these pressures may look very different than that of other families. However, I believe there is a consistent theme of togetherness that everyone is looking for, including my own family. 

I made sure to capture everything from small moments like my brother laughing, to a more posed image of my family in masks and gloves. I even captured photographs of my parents sanitizing groceries to bring inside, so as to get a holistic view of my personal experience. 

For myself, having this project to work on has helped me stay active and creative in a time where I’m struggling to do so. Overall, I believe there is value in everyone’s story—big or small—and I hope that others are willing to share theirs’ in whatever creative manner they choose to do so.

Fabiola Lopez is a young LA-based photographer, who is passionate about documenting her diverse community, focusing on people of color.