When I was returning to the car after making a quick grocery store run in the spring of 2020, my eye caught the hand painted message captured in the below photo. I was touched by its words. Troubled times can make us reassess what is important in life – EACH OTHER.
The March Madness poster on the left window took on a whole new meaning – disruptions and changes caused by the pandemic. Notice the chairs socially distanced in the lobby of this store. This message remained up until May 22nd when hair salons were allowed to reopen as part of North Carolina’s Phase 2.
Seeing this touching message sparked my curiosity. I grabbed my camera to see what other responses and messages were posted around town (Cary, North Carolina). I also wanted to document the impacts of the coronavirus. My photos follow, all of which were taken prior to the start of Phase 2:
More Photos of Responses to COVID-19
You can alternatively view the following photos as a slideshow by hovering over the bottom of the first photo and clicking in its caption. The same holds for the other subsequent photo collections.
The Cary Theater in downtown Cary, NC. I liked the encouraging words on the left side of its marquee. The message on the right side of the marquee reflected its status until it started a virtual cinema program in late 2020.
Despite having to close their stores, several businesses like the one in this photo posted a positive message along with their closed sign.
Another message of reassurance.
After less than five months after its grand opening, the Cary Regional Library in Wake County was closed as COVID-19 outbreaks continued. The sign shown in this photo shows how the librarians were missing their readers.
Many of us missed attending our group activities when states locked down. This storefront message shows how instructors likewise missed seeing their dancers, who were each represented by a colored heart. The feeling of melancholy is also characterized by the empty bench in this photo.
Photos of COVID-19 Impacts
Each of the following photos has a caption with documentary notes. To read the full text of a caption, hover over the bottom of each photo or view the photos in a slideshow as directed above.
We all quickly became educated on “social distancing”
Students switched to online learning. News stations were covering how teachers and students were missing each other. My favorite story was aired on the Today Show. To see it, go to
https://www.today.com and search for “inspiring elementary school librarian” to find the story, including her heartwarming surprise
Online ordering and curbside pickups became the “new norm” when states were locked down during the COVID pandemic. Streets quickly felt like ghost towns as people were directed to try to stay at home. Notice in this photo how the benches were chained off to discourage people from sitting on them.
Playgrounds were closed, but it was nice to see families taking neighborhood walks together or biking
Congratulations to our resilient and flexible seniors from the class of 2020!
How many of us learned how to use ZOOM for the first time?
People attended worship services online via livestream
Social distancing at stores and plexiglass was quickly installed at checkouts
Photos of Appreciation or Support
Each of the below photos has a caption as well.
Sunrise of Cary
Appreciation of postal workers, who were among the “essential workers”
Teachers at St. Michael the Archangel School served as food drive volunteers and enjoyed the face time with their students
A sign of encouragement to the staff at Sunrise of Cary. The pandemic has also been hard on families who have a loved one in a hospital or nursing facility
Food drive for Dorcas Ministries at St. Michael the Archangel Church. There was a subsequent collection by members of St Mother Teresa church. The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC and Inter-Faith Food Shuttle are other organizations accepting donations for those in need
Healthcare workers continue to be our front-line heroes in the fight against COVID. When families weren’t permitted to visit with their loved ones, we saw on the news how the healthcare workers stepped in by facilitating phone calls or videos or holding patients’ hands. On May 14th 2020, the Bandit Flight team did a fly over tribute to health care workers at seven area hospitals including WakeMed Cary Hospital. Families attended the event to show their support and appreciation too. This photo captures some of them applauding health care workers who were heading to their cars at the end of their shifts.
Cary High School had a parade for its seniors on Monday June 1st from 8-10pm. The seniors were in cars with their families and drove on a loop around the school. Families posted signs along the route to congratulate their soon-to-be graduate and teachers were on hand to congratulate them as well. Several cars were decorated. One car had a sign that read: “The tassle was worth the hassle.” On June 10th, the Cary High School seniors will be graduating via a virtual ceremony.
My favorite photos of the seniors parade are shown in the slideshow below.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
This is a moment in time that we will all remember. Photography is a great way to document such moments, so be sure to take photos of what you encounter and experience.
Be safe, be kind, and remember we’re all in this together!
NOTE: Information and guidance on the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be accessed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
For more photography blog posts, click here to return to the home page.
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Composing Cool Photos 
Very interesting motif to document. Thanks for sharing.
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These are interesting times. Thanks for viewing the photos.
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Cool stuff, Kathy.
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Thanks, Bob!
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I enjoyed seeing this montage . Thank you for capturing so many images that reflect the heart of our community.
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Yes, we have a great community! Thanks to those who posted signs that were endearing or encouraging.
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Thank you for documenting and sharing this unprecedented time in our lives.
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Please share those with the State Archives as they are collecting images and artifacts related to the pandemic. These will help them document this moment in history.
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These feel so personal to me because I saw several of them myself. Thank you for thinking to capture this unprecedented time on film. A community working together by staying apart.
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I’m not sure why, but my favorite was the smiley faced mailbox with the thank you sign hanging below. Very nice work Kathy, and it will cause me to take more note of similar signs in my own community of Pittsboro.
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Kathy – you’ve done a fantastic job of documenting this crazy time period we’ve been living in. Your pics show how the heart and desire to help others comes out in times of need. Glad you shared this link because I had forgotten about your blog but now I have bookmarked it and will be visiting more often. Thanks again for the uplifting post!
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Wonderful project Kathy! Really impactful images and a well documented moment in time…I’m sure there will continue to be more images to capture. Because, who knows where we go from here?
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Nice work Kathy!
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Thanks, Dawn! Seeing the responses within our community was heartwarming.
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