Local photographer Cobi Sharpe (Wild Mama – Motherhood Photographer) participated in a global movement called The Front Steps Project to raise money for local food banks in Muskoka through the Muskoka Community Foundation during the COVID-19
pandemic.
As a professional photographer, Sharpe’s business has come to a complete halt due to the
CORONAVIRUS. However, she didn’t take that as a reason to stop documenting life.
After seeing a project from Boston photographer, Cara Soulia, on Facebook, Sharpe became inspired, and on March 21st she photographed her first family. The project aimed to capture families on the front steps of their home from at least 10 feet away and to provide an opportunity for families to be excited during social isolation.
“This project was a way to bring us together when we might feel isolated. I wanted to show our community the faces of Muskoka families who care enough to donate to help local food security programs.“ Sharpe said.
“With over 400,000 families who have lost their jobs in Ontario due to this pandemic, I knew Muskoka would need some assistance in regard to our food banks.”
Sharpe lives in Bracebridge, but she traveled to Rosseau, Utterson, Gravenhurst, Milford Bay, Huntsville, Bracebridge and Port Carling.
“As a professional photographer, my main focus is to capture moments and document life happening now. It’s a strange time and now these families have a portrait to remind them of their strength and courage during this unprecedented time.” Sharpe said.
Although Sharpe has since decided to stop doing the portraits following new guidelines of selfisolation, which she feels are very important, she wished that she could have visited every single one of the over 100 families that signed up. “I managed to photograph about 60 families before physical distancing recommendations became stricter.” Sharpe said.
Sharpe “practiced all safety measures to limit the spread of the virus” and with uncertainty surrounding her career as a photographer, she hopes that her efforts to stay home as well as
others’ will flatten the curve and enable her to get back to photographing what she’s most passionate about, motherhood.
Anyone who would like to find out more about Sharpe’s Front Steps Project or her photography can visit www.cobiphotography.com
