Facing Covid

PhotoSC caught up with photographer, filmmaker and visual artist Gerry Melendez by email and asked him a couple of questions about his photographic work covering the coronavirus at Lexington Medical Center. Melendez’s black-and-white images resonate with viewers, and has become the backbone of Lexington Medical’s messaging across all platforms during the time of the Covid-19.

PhotoSC: How did the project covering Lexington’s pandemic | Covid-19 response get started? Was this something that you pitched to the hospital? Please talk about this process as many institutions might not have taken this position to showcase what the pandemic looks like close to home.

Melendez: The project began after a conversation with one of our marketing managers here at the hospital. She knew my background in photojournalism and approached me about documenting our efforts during this pandemic. The documentary photojournalistic approach was really the only way to tell such a story. This was something the hospital had never done, but they trusted me since I had nearly 30 years of newspaper and documentary photography experience before coming to the hospital. I pitched focusing primarily on photography. Video is good too, but nothing compares to a powerful still image to tell a story.

PhotoSC: Most of the time, hospitals market themselves with cheerful, color photographs hoping to portray the idea of health and wellness. What was the decision making to use black and white photographs vs. color images of the current medical situation at Lexington?

Melendez: I knew BW images would resonate with viewers. I pitched BW knowing how timeless that approach can be. There's a grittiness to it, and I knew BW images would resonate with viewers. After two weeks we had produced two powerful TV commercials and an ad campaign all focusing on the still images. The response was tremendous. We have ended up using the images in color as well for various publications, websites and social media, but the BW approach is still the best in my opinion.

PhotoSC: How long have you been shooting the hospital’s Covid response and what do you foresee as the future of this work with predictions that there will be a reoccurrence of the virus in the fall?

Melendez: I have been shooting since the beginning. The hardest part is finding new ways to approach the project. I think we've become desensitized to people in masks and PPE, so now, I'm looking for fresh ways to document the pandemic. One example is finding success stories of patients that have recovered. We're reaching out to them now and will be telling their stories soon.

PhotoSC: Is video being shot as well? If so, how will it be used?

Melendez: Yes, video is still an integral part. I'm using it to compliment the images. We recently mic'd up an ER nurse and followed her during her shift. The video was done in BW to compliment the images. Having sound can also add a lot to this story.

PhotoSC: On the business side, what about releases of the patients, doctors and nurses?

Melendez: We are allowed to photograph and market employees. It's part of their employee agreement when they're hired. That being said, we make sure they're okay with us using their images. We want it to be a team approach and a positive one. We don't use patient images at all unless they sign a release. With COVID, since they're extremely sick and can't give us permission, I find ways to tell the story without showing patient's faces.

PhotoSC: How do you physically prepare yourself to shoot in this particular environment – physically, mentally, emotionally?

Melendez: Covering this pandemic has been tough on all fronts. It's an emotional roller coaster, seeing patients get better one day and then become extremely ill the next. We recently interviewed one of our doctors who broke down talking about a patient they lost.

For them, these patients are family. Our nurses and doctors have become a second family for COVID patients since visitors aren't allowed. For me personally, it helps that I've experienced grief and wars during my photojournalism career. I know how to use the camera as a protective shield but it does affect you eventually.

Find out more about Gerry Melendez: https://www.gerrymelendez.com .

All images ©Gerry Melendez | Lexington Medical 2020.