Well, we’ve almost made it.
Starting with so much promise, with its seemingly auspicious numerology, 2020 has been full of twists and challenges. What with the pandemic, the pivots, the protests and the presidential election, it’s been a head-spinning year.
This was all brought into focus while I was reviewing Senior Photographer Jay Paul’s photos to make selections for our “2020 in Photos” compilation on Page 128.
I’ve known Jay for more than 20 years, and back when people used to gather frequently, I could almost guarantee I would run into him when I was out on the town. Jay was ubiquitous at festivals, benefits and other significant events, always with camera in hand, ready to document the proceedings.
His documentation of 2020 tells a poignant story of this unusual year. Interspersed with shots of masked Richmonders, protesters, the dismantling of Monument Avenue statues, the election and everyday moments are Jay’s frequent images of nature, reminding us of the beauty that persists through our darkest days.
I’m thankful for Jay’s keen artistic eye, his technical know-how and his endless curiosity, all qualities that make him a great photographer and a valuable asset to Richmond magazine.
Whenever I see something that is quintessentially 2020, I wonder what I would have imagined was going on with the world had someone shown me that same image last year. One such picture appears on Page 27, a depiction of what a typical visit with Santa Claus will look like this holiday season, with the jolly old elf ensconced behind a plexiglass barrier while wearing a face shield. There will be no need to write the date on the back of your 2020 Santa photo to remember when it was taken.
In Rodrigo Arriaza’s profile of Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras on Page 74, some images are conspicuously missing. You won’t see any photos of students in classrooms, since RPS is teaching all students remotely for the entire school year. “We have literally reinvented our school system,” Kamras says as he shares some of the challenges he has faced since the pandemic began. This year, school looks like a Zoom meeting.
And finally, on Page 80 we shine the spotlight on 35 people, organizations and locations we think should be on your radar in 2021. It was refreshing to look ahead and come up with a list of all we have to look forward to.
While life won’t magically change once the calendar flips, I’m hoping next year’s photos bring mostly happy memories.
