Photographer Nina Schmidt has been taking pandemic portraits of islanders for the past couple of months. The following is an Undercurrent Q&A with Schmidt.
BIU: Tell me about your project!
Schmidt: would love to. My project is called “PAUI ISE.” I started photography as a teenager and worked in a portrait studio in Berlin, Germany. When I moved to Vancouver in 2009 I assisted on wedding shoots. But then I slowed down, had a kid.
Photography is my one passion though that surrounds me on a daily basis. Wherever I go I capture moments with my eyes. It is so important for me to have major life moments captured. This is wheremy isolation project “PAI ISE” comes into play: capturing the Bowen community during COVID-19, while they stay home. I come to islanders’ houses and take pictures from a safe distance through their windows or doorsteps.
How did this project come up?
I had this urge to pick up my camera one day and started capturing my own family. It made me happy being able to capture this unique time. Then, I texted my neighbour Harmony to see if I could take some pictures of her family through their window. It felt great being close to other humans again, yet from a safe distance. That’s when I came up with the idea to capture the Bowen community while also getting to know them in some way as I haven’t had the chance yet, moving here at this challenging time.
What kinds of moments have you captured?
Mainly moments of joy. There is beauty in needing to slow down and having time to be with loved ones or yourself or animals. Time to reflect what we actually need and want in life. The people I’ve met so far, from a safe distance, are all so welcoming. The joy on their faces to see another human will never get old. How wild is that. Photography for me is about getting to know people, getting close to them. Observing them and following them around. I like to create a story rather than a posed picture. The restriction in interaction and movement definitely made this harder but yet it feels even more rewarding when you were able to make a connection from six feet away through a window.
How did you come to live on Bowen?
A series of signs from the universe. It all happened in January within a couple weeks. We had only been to Bowen once before, for a hike. So it was definitely very spontaneous and a tiny bit nerve-wracking. Plus moving with a three-year-old is no joke. But all so worth it. We had outgrown our 600 sqft apartment in Vancouver. And we were dreaming of growing our own food, working towards less waste, having our wild child grow up surrounded by nature in a beautiful community. We were so lucky to have moved a few weeks before the lockdown. I couldn’t imagine this time in the city.
How has this project affected how you see the island (as a new resident!)
...it helped me fall in love with Bowen Island even faster. It feels like a dream that I get to live here. The nature, the people and the light....oh I don’t how many times a day I comment how beautiful the light is. Every photographer’s dream.
This island is literally everything I wanted. I had the urge for years to move back home to Europe but I am pretty certain I found my home here. I am dreaming of building a house on Bowen.
Are you still taking photos for the project?
Yes most definitely! Life won’t be back to normal for a while so I would love to capture as many people as possible.
What is your dream at the end of this project?
An art show would be awesome! And ideally one where we are actually all allowed to come together to reminisce over this special time
Also I am just finalizing my website www.nina.ca and I am hoping for more interesting projects.
