You are invited to enter your submission to our communal COVID-19 slideshow. 

During the next two days photograph your life, family and work, home, volunteer efforts, sorrows and fun.

We will compile many of your images into a slideshow documenting "48 Hours in April" recording our actions and reactions during this pandemic.

Please begin after 12 midnight today (April 25). We will accept images and works created on Sunday and on Monday. All works should be produced between April 26 from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm Monday night, April 27, 2020.

Submit up to five images each. There is no fee. Although this began as a South Shore centric project it has been changed. We've decided to encourage submissions from everywhere. Get your kids ready. There is no age restriction but we will ask submitters if they are adults or minors. We will ask you to sign a simple release (for the use of your images solely with this project).


For content consider:

•  How your life has or has not changed, and what's important or even trivial to you now

•  Does someone in your household go to work in scrubs?

•  Are you an essential worker?  What are you doing? What is your product or service?

•  Are you volunteering?

•  Do you make masks, display signs of hope or gratitude?

•  Did your child take his or her first steps?

•  Are you and your neighbors helping one another?

•  Attending webinars? Zooming with family or friends?

•  Home school teaching or being home schooled?

•  Are your pets delighted you are home or sad you're away so much?

•  Attending or delivering religious services or taking classes online?

•  What keeps you in balance? What throws you off balance?

Express what you choose in photographs, or written pieces (up to 250 words).

You can also submit photographs of other artwork you create or finish during these two days.


It normally would have been in my nature to want to capture the world's experience of this coronavirus once the outbreak spread here. However, this time I realized that this was something so beyond my personal scope -- and admittedly, fears. I love telling the stories of other people's accomplishments and lives with my camera and photographs. This, however, is so much larger than anything I cold handle. Who better to tell your stories from behind your doors than you?

Please let me know if you have any questions. I will add submission guidelines here tomorrow. 

For now, if your camera allows you to shoot RAW or shoot larger sized images, please choose those settings. The larger files are better to work with and much better for you if you ever want to print your images. If there is enough interest, we could even have a book of submitted images printed for you, but that's a concern for another day. If we decide to do that, I'd certainly ask for your permission to have your image(s) included. For now, let's rest up, charge our batteries, and be prepared to tell our own unique story during this unprecedented time. 

We will include a screen of credits at the end of the slideshow. Pro photographers will have links to their websites, if they'd like. 

I hope you are as excited as we are. Our community has so much heart and creativity. We hope this gift of our works reflects your life and experience. 

We hope you're safe, sane and well.

Thank you for your participation. Thank you, essential workers!

Need inspiration? Look through the word cloud below!


You are also welcomed to contribute to an "In Memoriam" page to be added to the end of the slideshow. We will not lose sight of how devastating this pandemic is. As with too many people, I already have far too many names to add to this list. One name was too many.

Please take precautions in all you do. 

Guidelines:

Create your works on April 26 or April 27,2020.(Just use your time zone.)

Realizing that some people are working and they might like to edit their photos, we will accept submissions through 11:59 pm, April 29, 2020. Please only include work initiated on April 26 and April 27.

Send an email to:  slideshow@thewelcomegallery.com

Include the following information:

Your name and email address. (A phone number would be helpful but isn't mandatory.)

Your location:  town or city, state or province, and country.

Whether you are 18 years of age or older. (You may be younger.)

Since this is open to amateurs and professional please don't get hung up on the following suggestions. If you can follow these guidelines the slideshow will be produced significantly faster:

If possible, please rename your files to read "Sun" or "Mon" at the beginning.

Then continue the filename with modified military time, so that we are able to sort chronologically. Do not include ":" between hours and minutes.

Some people might be challenged by this. If so, don't worry. Just be sure to tell us when an image was made.

Follow with your last name, then first name.

Ideal example:  Sun-0530-Garcia-Chris

or Mon-2315-Garcia-Chris

By using this format upfront, we will be able to compile your works much faster.
 

Many cameras have the wrong time set. Follow your camera's instruction manual to reset the date and time, if needed.

If your camera won't reset readily or automatically, please reset the time and date following the time at www.time.gov.

If all else fails, write a note in your email stating, for example, that image007.jpg was taken on Sunday at 4:45 pm.

If you have titles (or titles and captions) for your images please include them.

If you have a photography website please include its url.

We request that your images be sized at 72 dpi .jpgs, at 1920 (w) x 1080 (h) max, sRGB.

If that's Greek to you then just submit your photos. When the Pulitzer Prize committee calls on us we'll get back to you for your original images. :-) 

We realize that both amateurs and professionals will be submitting. Don't let the specs get in your way. Submit anyway. Your voice and perspective are much more important than some details. If COVID-19 has taught us anything it's that your voice and actions matter -- now.

It is understood that since you are submitting to participate in this project you are granting Connie Drapeau Kennedy and The Welcome Gallery Photography and Communications permission to include your submitted works for slideshows, websites, publicity, and social media renditions of this project. You retain all rights. We will not use your images for any other purpose without a formal written contract.

If you disagree with this statement please indicate that in your email.

Thanks for reading this far. 

Please put down your screen and now document your precious and unique life.

Stay safe, please.