Wide Angle

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Shane Wynn is capturing moments in the United States that can only be seen right now. The country is facing a pandemic and a contentious political climate, and the Akron photographer is right in the middle of it, recording the effects firsthand.

Because freelance work slowed down for Wynn and her husband, videographer Josh Gippin, they hit the road in September with their kids, 12-year-old Amelia “Hannah” and 9-year-old Malcolm, and Josh’s mother, Michelle — in a 21-foot trailer hooked to their Kia SUV.

Their journey is documented in a multimedia project, Where the Wynns Take You, that you can follow along with via the online platform Patreon. Wynn says their posts create a balance of silly and serious, touching on politics, history, national parks and the kids goofing around. They’ve been to Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania; New York; New Jersey; Connecticut; Maine and more. They’ve camped and taken many spontaneous day trips.

The idea was originally born over a glass of whiskey while Josh was drinking with a friend. “He said, You know what? Maybe we should just get out of here. … The kids have remote schooling anyway. And I was like, Great. When are we leaving?” Wynn recalls.

The photos, videos and blog posts document this unique time in the family and our country’s history.

Her genuine photos send home the events we only hear about on the news and the evidence of how they affect a family in America.

“I feel like I’m offering a little window to what’s happening nationally,” Wynn says.

1. Entry Gate

For Wynn, “A History of Immigration,” a mural in Philadelphia featuring families of many cultural backgrounds and a sign with the words on the Statue of Liberty, provided a stark contrast of our country’s past to our present. “Our current situation looks more like this fence in front of it,” she says.

2. Daily Dish

“You can see the scope of how small this space is,” Wynn says. At a campground in New York, Josh and Michelle drink coffee together at breakfast, huddled at a table that folds down into a bed. Wynn enjoys using the two burners to cook “elaborate” camper meals with local spins like salmon caught in New Hampshire with pineapple, avocado, orange peppers, pomegranate seeds, green beans and rice.

3. Close Quarters

One way Malcolm gets personal space is by doing his third-grade homework on the bunk bed, such as here in New York. Wynn takes walks, Josh edits videos, Michelle goes to the laundromat and Hannah often does her sixth-grade schoolwork in the Kia. “We are very together,” Wynn says. “For our kids, I think when they get back home, they’re really gonna appreciate their huge Akron house.”

4. Soft Spot

Through Harvest Host, a program for RV travelers, the family camped at unconventional locations like breweries and farms — including an alpaca farm in New York, which kept the kids engaged. The owner, Red, got them in on the fluffy action. “The kids can easily run in and out and visit with about three dozen alpacas,” Wynn wrote on her blog. Afterward, they bought alpaca scarves and hats from Red’s shop.

5. Picture Perfect

Malcolm drew a picture of mountains for his art class, referencing their recent visit to Acadia National Park in Maine. “I love [how] the little picture looked like … the little adventures we’re on,” Wynn says. He’s also done a presentation to his class, pointing to all the spots on the map that they’ve visited.

6. Sea Siren

The family traveled to Rockland, Maine, for a day trip, surrounded by boats and ports, wooden storefronts and muted colors. The fog was thick near the Maine State Ferry dock. “The way the fog rolls in is so magical,” Wynn says. “It’s so very romantic. … We had a lot of great days like that in Maine.”

7. Fresh Catch

In Bar Harbor, Maine, a patron waited outside the Happy Clam Shack for his order, alongside the family, who stopped there for lobster rolls and chowder. “We love to eat all the local foods,” Wynn says, “so whatever is the thing in a place, we’re gonna eat it.”

8. Split Screen

The family saw several presidential candidate signs visually representing the country’s divide. In Rockland, a town of over 7,000, they witnessed political protests about President Donald Trump’s handling of the pandemic. They rushed back to the trailer to watch “the first debate — the crazy debate.” “My mother-in-law, I mean, her look of worry says it all,” Wynn says. “Just all of the tension everywhere — we were really worried.”

9. Center Space

A protestor stopped for a portrait in a sparse Times Square in New York City. “If you think about a place that would normally be crowded, that’s pretty much the epitome,” Wynn says. She watched as costumed characters motioned to passersby for a picture, and people “recoiled in fear. ” “It was like everyone trying to grab their Purell and get out of the way,” she says. “It was the upside-down world.”

10. Bear Witness

A powerful memorial to those who have died of COVID-19 across the country can be seen at the D.C. Armory Parade Ground in Washington, D.C., with a white flag representing each lost life — now upward of 246,000. “It was this huge learning moment, and my daughter walked through,” Wynn says. “People in Akron were like, I’ve never seen this. This really drives it home. My grandmother could be represented in those flags — chilling.”