((PKG)) MASK SMILES
((TRT: 4:10))
((Topic Banner: Capturing Smiles))
((VOA Russian))
((Reporter: Anna Nelson))
((Camera: Vladimir Badikov))
((Editor: Natalia Latukhina))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: New York City, New York))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
That's part of what excites me to go out now and be
selective about which kind of mask.
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But I think what makes the photo great is the smile of the
person. You know,
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they could all be
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surgical masks
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and I think
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what makes the photos interesting is the sincere smile.
When COVID-19
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came to New York City, I guess that was mid-March, people
started wearing masks and I noticed that there wasn't a lot of
eye contact happening or engagement. And I thought to
myself, “We can still see smiles.” I think I had an interaction
with a stranger on the street and I smiled at them with my
mask on, and I saw that they saw my smile and returned it,
you know, and I saw in their eyes. And so, I started a project
called Mask Smile, asking New Yorkers to smile with their
masks on,
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through their masks, for me. And it's been a really, really
rewarding series that I've been continuing to work on. I think
I have hundreds and hundreds of Mask Smile
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photos of New Yorkers compiled at this point.
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
I never know if you want me to look or not.
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
I believe that, you know, a genuine smile shows in your eyes
more than anything else. And yeah, at this point, seeing all
of the different smiles that I've compiled, you know, I can
really see the sweetness in different photos and I'm so
grateful to everyone who shared that genuine smile with me.
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
So, my friend here gave me a great Mask Smile. Stay
positive, man, okay? I'll see you later.
((Courtesy: Laura Fuchs))
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So, when I go out with my camera for these short walks, I'm
wearing a mask and I keep a six-foot [2m] distance and, you
know, I approach someone usually with a wave so they can
see that I'm trying to engage in conversation, and I ask them
if they wouldn’t mind if I
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photograph them while smiling with their mask on. And
oftentimes, people's response is,
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you know, “Well, how will you see the smile?
((Courtesy: Laura Fuchs))
How are you going to see the smile with the mask on?” And I
let them know, “It’s all in your eyes. I can see your smile.”
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Appreciate the energy that I'm trying to
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inject New York with. And I guess my hope is that they
continue to smile at other people, and kind of spread this,
like, you know, our own positive energy virus, you know.
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((NATS))
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
On one of the first days that I was photographing Mask
Smile, I was getting rejected left and right. I think it was like,
out of 20 people that I asked, I got, you know, 18 noes.
I see this female bus driver, beautiful bus driver, and I think,
“Okay, one more try before I finish for the day.” And I say,
“Hi, miss. Do you mind if I take your picture? I'm doing this
project, blah blah blah blah blah.” And she goes, “Of course.”
She smiles at me.
((Courtesy: Laura Fuchs))
She's gorgeous, beautiful smile. And I say, “Okay, quickly,”
as the bus is like, raising up, you know, “How do I send you
your picture?” And she gives me her email address and she
says, “lovelife”, followed by a couple of numbers
@gmail.com.
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And I just thought, that spoke so strongly to me.
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Traffic cops, construction workers, FedEx, FreshDirect, Uber
Eats delivery people, guys on bikes, every single New
Yorker. Everyone is going
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through different things. It's been, as a photographer and
someone who documents New York City and is a street
photographer, it’s been certainly a very interesting
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experience to go from trying to raise New York spirits with
these Mask Smile photos to now the protests for Black Lives
Matter.
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((Laura Fuchs, Photographer)
It's crazy how it changes. It really is.
((Laura Fuchs, Photographer))
I feel connected. I feel connected to strangers. I feel
connected to my city. And I think it's just naturally and the
subject matter has changed, you know.
I think, certainly
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people will continue to smile. And I think, of course, it is
important that we continue to smile through these difficult
times.
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((NATS))
