Brooklyn residents held messages to the world out their windows, and the photos are incredibly moving

• A photographer has created a portrait series which beautifully documents people self-isolating at home, taken through their windows.
• Each photo taken by Stephen Lovekin shows a person or family sharing a message to the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Messages include “hope,” “alone together,” and “the machine can stop.”
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The photos were taken in Lovekin’s local Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park.

He was searching for a way to help people feel more connected to the outside world, despite being physically separated from one another.

So Lovekin decided to ask neighbors to share a message with the world, whether personal, political, or spiritual.

The first person Lovekin photographed was a 91-year-old artist, who happens to be his neighbor. “She is our landlady and lives alone in a studio in the top half of our house, where she continues to create artwork. I was inspired by her dedication to her work,” he said.

“Through word of mouth and sharing on social, other people were asking me to get involved in the project, and it eventually started a snowball effect. I feel like I’m busier than when things were normal!” Lovekin added.

The “Hope” image of a photographer with his family is Lovekin’s favorite. “I remember seeing the daughter with her hand on her knees, and her mother came out behind her with the word ‘Hope,’ and I knew that it would be a great group shot,” he said.

“I enjoy photographing children — to see the innocence and naivety in the kids is bittersweet and beautiful,” Lovekin said.

But he admitted it’s “hard to pick” one favorite image.

Some people chose to write inspirational quotes …

… others sent a powerful message …

… some signs offered reminders to slow down …

… and some simply documented this unprecedented situation we all find ourselves in.

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