BETSY | MARIETTA
6FEET
I worked on the process and look of the photos
while photographing the people in my home - my
wife, son, and mother-in-law - and then, nervously,
began asking friends if they’d be comfortable
participating. I was surprised to get almost all yeses.
Alan was the first person outside of my home that I
photographed. As I was shooting, I slowly started to
realize that the process of making the photos was just
as, if not more, important to me than the photos
themselves. I was able to have a focused, in-person,
one-on-one conversation with a friend at a time when
we normally wouldn’t be able to. As the project grew
and I made more portraits and collected more
conversations, I started feeling better about things in
general. The looming topic at hand was always where
our conversations started, but we almost always inevitably
transitioned into more meaningful and personal
topics. I began to feel more comfortable with sharing
my feelings and trusting my friends with them. They
seemed more willing to do the same. The conversations
I have been having feel safe and familiar, yet
stronger and more precious.
There’s something about this pandemic and
quarantine that is bringing us together. I’ve been
talking with people online that I haven’t talked to in
years. People are being more vulnerable and honest
about how they’re being affected. Folks are reaching
out to one another in a very genuine way to make
sure they’re okay. Societally, we are more united now
than at any other time than I can remember. Humanity
is flowing freely. I (perhaps naively, and quite against
my nature) have begun to feel genuine optimism for
how things will turn out and that we may actually learn
a lesson in how we should prioritize the ways in which
we care for each other. We are (re)learning just how
much we need each other.
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ABOUT THE Photographer
Justin Hadley is a Marietta resident and one-half of the team at HADLEY(s)
Photography (the other half is composed of his wife, Rickelle Hadley).
Their studio is located on the Marietta Square at Winters Street Studio.
The Hadleys have captured many of Cobb Life’s cover features, including
the Santa Claus on the cover of the December 2019 issue, the 20 Under
40 winners on the cover of the January issue, and many other award-winning
cover shots and photos. They also specialize in headshots, conceptual/
narrative portraiture and theatrical production photography.
These photos and more will also be displayed on the Fence Art
Gallery on the M2R Trail through the Marietta Square, which premiered
during TrailFest on May 9 and will remain until July 9. The gallery will then
travel throughout the county over the course of the next year.
Photos continue on the following pages.
JUNE 2020 | COBB LIFE 29