In a time when the whole world feels disconnected, sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to show us how close we really are. That's what Nadia Wilder, a Birmingham photographer, is bringing to the tight-knit community of resident members at Greystone Golf and Country Club – one family portrait at a time.
Inspired by the nationwide photo project, staff at Greystone reached out to their members, inviting them to step outside for a photograph. The club sent Nadia Wilder Photography to capture the images of each family in quarantine, then sent the photos as a gift from the Club.
"We knew many families were home, and we wanted to capture for them in this rare time of togetherness, even as social distancing kept us apart," says Ashley Devine, Membership Marketing Director at Greystone Golf & Country Club. "For the past 29 years, our Club has honored traditions and gathered the stories of our families, one smile, one round, one moment at a time. We saw this as a beautiful way to show them, and the rest of the world, just how special our Greystone family really is."
As part of the project, Greystone member families all across the Birmingham area were asked to pose on their front porches – normally a place for gathering with friends and neighbors – to emphasize each family's unique personalities and dynamics. "A couple of the families that utilized props had their own ideas and we worked together to make those shoots work," Nadia pointed out.
But at Greystone, #TheFrontPorchProject does more than give little glimpses into the personalities and lifestyles of members. Seeing these photos together highlights the connection that families have to one another, creating a feeling of closeness even in a time when neighbors are physically separated. They remind families everywhere about the ties that bind, and how they'll be that much stronger when quarantine restrictions finally lift.
"They really all capture the spirit of Greystone in their own unique way," Nadia Wilder said. "From the families with babies to the empty nesters and everyone in between, the photos collectively represent a beautiful community from people in all seasons of their lives … I'm connecting with them through the image."
Families at Greystone Golf & Country Club are uniquely stitched together, and each portrait is like a section of a quilt that brings the whole community closer. Nadia says, "The families have enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity to have a family memory captured during this unusual time in history. Everyone has been so delightful to meet, and they've been welcoming and appreciative of the club providing this gift to them."