contributed photo Cristina Castellanos is taking photos of families on their porches next week free of charge.

Photographers are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic in creative ways.

One photographer, Cristina Castellanos, is making plans to go house to house and take pictures of families on their porches for free.

“It gets people out of their home, gives them a family picture and shows how they’re living in this pandemic,” Castellanos said.

The idea came from Castellanos’ family and friends in Illinois.

She’s reached out to families in Marshalltown through her Facebook page and immediately got replies from interested families.

“People from all over town were wanting photos,” Castellanos.

She’s only been doing photography a short while, focusing on friends and family. Recently she was taking photos of new born babies for $50 per session.

“Just an extra thing I’m doing,” Castellanos said.

She’s not charging families for the front porch portraits and will make the photos available digitally.

“I will share, each day, all the images with their permission and they can either take it off of the page or I can email them a copy,” Castellanos said.

A local nursing home asked her to take photos of their residents through the windows.

Normally photographers would arrange a set time and date at a studio or other location to take portraits, but the social distancing requirements have shut down a lot of prospective shots.

Photographers like Castellanos are using new methods to take pictures and document what life is like during the COVID-19 world wide pandemic.

At least 46 people have reached out to her to photograph their families in a variety of different ways and she’s still taking requests.

“The more the better,” Castellanos said. “They can make it how they want with a theme. Some are doing a beach theme, others are doing it in their pajamas.”

The pandemic is forcing a lot of businesses to adapt their model or close their doors and Castellanos is making adjustments.

“I’ve been asked if I can still do a shot inside, but I prefer not because you just never know,” she said. “For their safety and my safety.”

Front Porch portraits allow Castellanos to socially distance and she can still take photos using a zoom lens.

She was originally going to take the portraits this week, but the wind and snow made her postpone the shots to next week.

“I was planning it for Monday through Thursday,” Castellanos said.

She’s still taking requests and can set up times as needed. Anyone interested can contact her via her Facebook page Endless Memories Photography.

“If for any reason they don’t want to come out, they can stand in a window and I can take the picture like that,” Castellanos said. “It’s just the way they’re feeling, captured in a moment.”

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Contact Thomas Nelson at (641)753-6611 or tnelson@timesrepublican.com