Tanner Oswald completes his #TheFrontStepsProject social distancing family photography project

By Kathy Smith

On April 19th [2020], 22-year old Tanner Oswald put a message on his Facebook page asking if people were interested in having a family portrait done during this time of isolation due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. He outlined how it would work at a safe distance, waited for people to message him, then made arrangements to go to each of their homes.

After he finished taking photos of 23 families along with some of their pets, Tanner wrote, “This is Fort Nelson’s first edition of #TheFrontStepsProject … couldn’t be happier with how yesterday went! After putting the camera away for more than a month it felt really good to pick it up again!

“A huge thank you to the 23 families involved in every mini session. It was awesome greeting you guys in your driveways and seeing all the smiles. A little hope goes a long way lately and I’m glad we could all come together (distantly, of course) to share it.”

Tanner says he’s never taken a photography course, though he’d like to. “I’ve always loved taking pictures on my camera phone for my friends, and once I realized my natural talent, I decided to try and make a business out of it…this started off as a fun hobby which has now transformed into a business. I’m excited to grow and expand my clientele!”

He started both of his business pages through Instagram and Facebook, and worked professionally with a few paid sessions the month prior to the Covid-19 temporary business shutdowns. “I’ve recently opened up bookings again, and I can be reached at Facebook.com/tanneroswaldpictures or Instagram.com/tanneroswaldpictures through direct message!”

Fun was had by all who participated in #TheFrontStepsProject, and Tanner gives a big Shoutout to Robin Nicole Blundell for adding her skills and energy to the project, and to Trent Conway for driving them around during this 3-hour photo tour that brought smiles to all experiencing isolation in these changing and unprecedented times.

Tanner’s planning another fun project that he’d like to involve the community in, but for now it’s under wraps. He says, “Keep track of my Facebook page and I’ll keep you updated!”