5 Year Anniversary of Porchraits (The Book!)

This picture of us during the pandemic means the world to me. It’s the one I used in the introduction of the Porchraits book, which we never got to celebrate when it was first born—because, like so many moments in 2020, it quietly arrived in the middle of the storm. But I always said, “Let’s have a big party in five years or something.” Well… here we are.
You are welcome to join us for a joyful, long-overdue celebration of “Porchraits: Pittsburghers on their Porches during the Quarantine” on Sunday, July 6th – but you have to message me to get the official invitation and special details!
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were so scary!! Like many of you, I was freaked out but I also felt an urge to do something so I grabbed my camera and started driving around photographing friends, families, strangers—people on their porches all across Pittsburgh. It was my way of making lemonade out of a very large pile of lemons.
Over the course of two months, I captured about 250 “porchraits.” It became a mission of love, hope, and human connection in a time when we needed it most.
Together with my amazing collaborator and BFF Ellen Beckjord , we asked each person or family the same five questions:
What do you miss?
What are you enjoying?
What is surprising you?
What are you learning?
What do you hope for?
Their answers—and their faces—form a time capsule that is full of heart, wisdom, humor, and truth. This book is more than a collection of photos. It’s a tribute to resilience. A piece of history and a reminder of what we shared. A celebration of how we kept showing up for each other, even at a distance.
Now, five years later, let’s gather in person to honor that chapter, share stories, and raise a glass to what we’ve learned and how far we’ve come.
We’d love to see you at this special celebration on July 6- message me for details!
Thanks for this photo, Melanie Fitzpatrick!