This Vancouver book captures candid quarantine moments "through the window" (PHOTOS)

For over a decade, Ryan Walter Wagner has worked as a photographer in Vancouver. From headshots to portraits to events to content, he's shot a variety of photographs in different locations. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to think about his craft in a new way.

While Wagner often shoots clients in his photography studio, Good Side, physical distancing didn't allow for in-person close-ups. Instead, he travelled to people's homes across Metro Vancouver and photographed them through their windows, on their porches, or on their balconies. Sometimes their windows were open, other times they left them closed. In some photos people smiled, while in others they looked somewhat sombre. 

Wagner's portrait project aimed to show, "how we’re all adapting from the perspective of physical distance, and looking out to a weird world trying to find our “new normal."

"One day we were going to work, school, and enjoying the spring cherry blossoms, and the next we were forced inside and apart from almost everyone we knew," writes Wagner. "The next few months were spent adjusting our routines, trying to stay connected to those we cared about, and watching things change right in front of our eyes. We were more connected through common experience than ever, but often alone or isolated in our glass bubbles."

 And while it might seem unusual, Wagner says that people seemed quite comfortable with the experience. In fact, he notes that they opened up.

 

 

 

 

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We’re offering PRE-ORDERS of our Through the Window book! Click the link in our bio to get yours! Pre-order now - shipping August 2020! In March 2020, we all faced something we’d never dreamed of or imagined before: within weeks - maybe even days - our normal daily lives changed with a global pandemic. One day we were going to work, school, and enjoying the spring cherry blossoms, and the next we were forced inside and apart from almost everyone we knew. The next few months were spent adjusting our routines, trying to stay connected to those we cared about, and watching things change right in front of our eyes. We were more connected through common experience than ever, but often alone or isolated in our glass bubbles. Ryan Walter Wagner of Good Side Photo created a portrait program to capture that very unique and challenging moment in time; he visited people in their homes and took socially distant portraits of them and their families, often through glass or “the window”. Some of these photos have now been collected in a new self-published book, titled “Through the Window”. This 60-page, full colour book of more than 100 photos is available to pre-order now, and will be shipping by August 2020. A portion of proceeds with be donated to the DTES Response Fund in Vancouver. . . . #vancouverphotographer #photobook #throughthewindow #quarantine #portraitphotographer #goodsidephoto #ryanwalterwagner

A post shared by Good Side Photo (@goodsidephoto) on Jul 16, 2020 at 4:16pm PDT

The Through the Window portrait program was created to capture this unique and challenging moment in time, and the candid moments are reflected in the pages of Through the Window. The 60+ page full-colour book — consisting of more than 100 photos plus narrative essays — will be available to own on Aug.1 and sold online HERE and through various local book and retail vendors.

The book will be sold for $25.00 CAD (plus all applicable tax and shipping costs) and with a portion of proceeds being donated to the DTES Response Fund. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

This is Wagner's first self-published book of photography to date. Read his interview with Vancouver Is Awesome  HERE.