- 2020 Year in Review -

It’s hard to believe that 2020 is coming to a close. This definitely may have felt like the longest year of my life, but I am so grateful for every opportunity that came my way. I moved back to Michigan in March, not knowing where my journey would take me next.

Being able to look back on everything I have documented the past 12 months is truly astounding. From starting my freelance career as the pandemic hit to documenting the 2020 presidential election, I have been able to capture history in ways I never dreamed of. I did my best to highlight the moments that stood out to me most. This was a tremendous year of growth and opportunity and I am forever grateful to those who have supported me along the way and my editors who believed in me.

Thank you - from the bottom of my heart. Here’s to 2021.

January

Rebecca Burrows walks back to the dressing room after trying on a gown during the annual January Prom Dress Super Sale hosted by Church Street Bridal on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 at the YWCA of Central Virginia in Downtown Lynchburg. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

Volunteer Tom Kennedy from Campbell County passes out “Gun Saves Lives” stickers to people walking in to attend a Lynchburg City Council public hearing on whether to declare Lynchburg a Second Amendment sanctuary city on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020 at E.C. Glass High School. (Emily Elconin/The News & Advance)

A reflection of family and friends gathered to remember victims and survivors from the Appomattox shooting ten years ago as Rev. Jim Gallagher leads a prayer service and vigil held at Our Lady of Peace Parish on Friday, Jan. 10, 2019. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

February

Over a thousand skiers flock to Wintergreen Resort ahead of President’s Day Weekend on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 at Wintergreen Resort. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

WA Stratton Construction Company Superintendent Matthew Carter oversees workers as they install brackets on garage doors during construction for the expansion to the Concord Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

A school bus is seen parked in the Heritage High School parking lot after sunset on February 9, 2019 in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

March

Dana Baer and her son Jacob Baer wish Avery Slutsky a happy birthday from their car as the family stands in their the front yard as cars lined down the street to make his birthday special in West Bloomfield Township. Michigan, U.S. on March 24, 2020. Alexis Aweisbrod, Avery’s mom, made a Facebook event for the birthday drive-by and was shocked at the amount of cars that lined up to wish her son a happy birthday. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Rabbi Michael Moskowitz answers questions during the final portion of a virtual Friday night Shabbat service where viewers can ask the rabbis questions about anything relating to Judaism inside Temple Shir Shalom, a Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, U.S. on March 27, 2020 amid a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak across the country. Picture taken March 27, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Liberty players celebrate after they defeat Lipscomb in the ASUN Conference Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the Vines Center. (Emily Elconin for The News & Advance)

April

Members of the Michigan National Guard set up hospital beds as the Detroit TCF convention center is converted into a field hospital amid an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., April 1, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Medical workers collect patient data at a Michigan Health Professionals COVID-19 drive through testing facility at Millennium Medical Group in Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S., on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. *Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

The T-Rex Walking Club, a group of people that gather in a variety of inflatable costumes parade through neighborhoods in hopes of cheering up the community in Ferndale, Michigan, U.S. on April 27, 2020. (Emily Elconin for AFP)

May

ER doctor Anne Messman poses for a photo amid a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., May 6, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Houses surrounded by flood water are seen in this aerial photorgraph taken after dams failed in Midland, Michigan, U.S., on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. President Donald Trump said he's sending federal emergency workers to Midland, Michigan, where dam failures have flooded a Dow Inc. chemical complex and homes in a disaster that may force the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

Construction workers install frames for windows and doors in a home being built in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, U.S., on Thursday, May 7, 2020 per Governor Whitmer's Executive Order to authorize commercial and residential construction to resume. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

June

A server reviews a customers bill at a reopened restaurant after restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are eased in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, U.S., June 8, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

A crowd of over a thousand people kneel and chant on Woodward Avenue to protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd at a rally in Birmingham, Michigan, U.S., June 7, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

A woman enjoys a moment in the pool at Wabeek Country Club in Bloomfield Hills Township, Michigan, U.S., as pools are permitted to re-open Monday, June 8, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

July

Left to right, Groves High School junior Olivia Alford, her father Ed Alford, mother Robin Alford, and brother Bryce Alford, 13, stand together in prayer during a protest in support of a fellow Groves High School Black fellow student, who was jailed due to a probation violation of not keeping up with her online schoolwork, in front of the Oakland County Circuit Court and Prosecutors Office in the Detroit suburb of Pontiac, is U.S. July 16, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Jace Brand swims in a pool in the warm July heat in summer 2020.

A customer orders food and drinks from outside at Pond Hill Farm in a Phase 5 area that has fewer state coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Harbor Springs, Michigan, U.S. July 11, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

August

Students and faculty protest in-person classes for fall semester amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, outside Fleming Administrative Building at the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, U.S., August 19, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan elbow bumps a child in the parking lot of a polling station in Inkster, Michigan, U.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Blooomberg)

Machhadie Assi poses for a portrait on Sept. 3, 2020 in Dearborn, MI. (Emily Elconin for The Los Angeles Times)

September

A students waits in line to register to vote as another students casts their ballot for the upcoming presidential elections as early voting begins in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S., September 24, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Democratic U.S. vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris arrives in Flint, Michigan, U.S., September 22, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

An attendee holds up a campaign flag as people gather during a 'Great American Come Back' campaign rally with U.S. President Donald Trump in Swanton, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

October

Nuns stand in front of a 'Make America Great Again' sign while waiting for the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally in Waterford, Michigan, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about his “Build Back Better” agenda during a campaign event at UAW Local 14 Hall in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday, October 12, 2020. (Emily Elconin for The New York Times)

Customers watch the U.S. presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden at a bar in Clawson, Michigan, U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

November

A counter protestor gives the middle finger to a Trump supporter during a gather to protest led by Trump supporters in response to voting results from the U.S. presidential election in front of the TCF Center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 5. 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

A supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump wearing the colors of the U.S. flag raises her fist as she participates in a "Stop the Steal" protest after the 2020 U.S. presidential election was called for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, in Lansing, Michigan, U.S. November 14, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump protest Michigan election results in Lansing, Michigan, U.S., on Monday Nov. 23, 2020. (Emily Elconin for The New York Times)

December

A volunteer gets ready to fill up a syringe with the Pfizer Inc./BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S., on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

Customers wearing protective face masks are seen in a glass reflection shopping for decorations at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan, U.S., on Friday, Dec.4, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Bloomberg)

Volunteers from Forgotten Harvest food bank sort and separate different goods before a mobile pantry distribution ahead of Christmas and amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Warren, Michigan, U.S., December 21, 2020. (Emily Elconin for Reuters)

Personal Work

2020 was the year I delve into self portraiture. I never anticipated that in creating these images I would also learn so much about who I am and the power of self expression. Every time I make a self portrait, it feels like I am revealing layers of myself, sometimes without even knowing it. I have challenged myself to be raw and vulnerable as both the creator and the model, controlling all aspects of the scene. I’ve learned that I should follow my intuition and take risks, especially In the midst of all the uncertainty in the world. Creating these self portraits was a risk worth taking, and was simultaneously an extremely therapeutic and rejuvenating process.