Class of COVID: Senior portrait photographer gets creative during quarantine

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A local photographer isn't just capturing moments: she's recording a milestone with memorable portraits of the "Class of COVID."

Local photographer Sherry Coberly is helping families commemorate high school graduation with some outside-the-box thinking.

"I think one of my greatest strengths is being creative and just doing something new. Sometimes the traditional things are great but I like to do things out of the ordinary," Coberly said.

According to Coberly, business was down 50% until she came up with the "Class of COVID" portrait ideas: high school seniors wearing protective masks and holding toilet paper while in their traditional graduation attire.

"I've been getting calls daily about the cap and gown, the smoke shoots. Can we do COVID-19 style? This is awesome, this is amazing, this is so much fun. I want to give my child this experience," she said.

Soon after Selma High announced it was closing, Senior Johnny Valdez realized he'd likely miss the chance to walk across the stage to get his diploma.

He says he's disappointed to miss out on the traditional ceremony, but having these Class of COVID portraits will definitely be fun to look back on someday.

"I'm glad I took these pictures because if I didn't, then I would have no memory," Valdez said.

Johnny's mom saw a Facebook post advertising Coberly's COVID-19 senior pictures and immediately made an appointment with Sherry.

"This is history, who has pictures of them with toilet paper and a mask? People are never going to forget 2020, there going to go back and look at these pictures and this is going to be a great memory for them," she said.