Bo Bridges' 'Porch Pics' Raise $10K For Meal Programs
Jul 03, 2020 02:51PM ● By Jeanne FratelloPhotographer Bo Bridges has managed to capture a unique moment in time for South Bay residents - while also raising $10,000 for local meal programs.
For the last three months, Bridges has shot socially distant "porch pics" of individuals and families as they waited out the pandemic.
In return, each subject paid a nominal fee of $45. Of that amount, $15 went toward a print. The rest Bridges divided equally as donations to MB Feeds The Heroes (funding meals from downtown Manhattan Beach restaurants to donate to front line workers) and L.A.'s No Kid Hungry program. All told, Bridges' portraits raised $5,000 for each of the two programs.
Capturing a 'Pure Moment In Time'
Bridges, whose eponymous photo gallery is located in downtown Manhattan Beach, is a world renowned advertising photographer and director. His portfolio is filled with ad campaigns, images of
professional athletes and celebrities, and movie posters for some of
Hollywood's highest grossing action franchises. His passion for
adventure has led him to capture some of the industry's most dangerous shots, and once earned him the title of "The World's Most Badass Photographer" by Elite Daily.
The idea for the porch portraits, however, came from much earlier in his career.
"When Bo was in college, he used to do 'porch pics,'" said Vanessa Zippo, Bridges' studio and gallery director. "He would gather up friends in their various houses and take their pictures. He wanted to capture this pure moment in time, of people at home with their friends. When everything started to go down with the coronavirus, he came up with the idea of bringing it back, and to do it for a good cause."
Zippo emphasized that the shots were meant to be "in the moment," not planned and posed.
"It’s not meant to be a full-blown family shoot, where they’re figuring out what their shots are going to be," she said. "This pandemic has been the literal opposite of that. Everyone’s pared down, in comfy clothes. They're kind of showing the true authentic version of themselves, which we so rarely photograph."
All told, Bridges shot more than 300 portraits for this series. You can view a video compilation about this portrait series below.