Here are a few images I created during Fresno’s shelter-in-place order. I figure I’ve gone out on assignments maybe once per day and only when I felt it was a worthy story and necessary to get images and video. I’ve been wearing a mask and staying as distant from people as I can. I don’t even mic people up – just using the shotgun mic on camera.

The Chinatown story was pretty cool and allowed me to be especially socially distant, since I shot it with the drone! Also the overhead shot of the boat on Pine Flat Lake. Although I was confronted by security on that one. They say they don’t allow drones because of national security concerns but I couldn’t find any documentation to show that.

Seems we are getting close to back to normal but I for one will continue to work from home, and wear a mask and stay away from crowds when I’m on assignment. I hope we do get back to normal but until these infection numbers drop, it’s not worth taking extra risks.

I was assigned to shoot photos and video for a Sacramento Bee story that also ran in other McClatchy papers including The Fresno Bee.

The story focused on the future of nursing homes amid the coronavirus pandemic since many have seen high infection rates and death.

My assignment was to meet a woman who has been caring for her father who is suffering from various ailments. She feels that he is at his best when she and his friends can visit him but due to coronavirus concerns, she can only visit via his apartment window and her cell phone.

It was super sad to watch her with what she was dealing with and how she really just wanted to give her dad a hug.

Minority-owned small businesses are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to COVID relief. From the video: “So you have multiple barriers that puts them in the back of the line, if they manage to get into the line at all,” Xiong said. “You continue to put these small businesses who are the least apt to handle this pandemic in an even worse situation.”

Here’s a link to the story: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article242203451.html