Gasp families pose, at a distance, for once-in-a-lifetime photo project

Four hundred and sixty-sixhumans, 42 dogs, 16 cats, one alpaca, one chicken, two rabbits, a clarinet, a banjo and bagpipes.

That's what Matane, Que., photographer Caroline Vukovicwas able to capture during the ten days she spent drivingaround the Matanie region with her camera, collecting snapshots ofday-to-day life in eastern Quebec in the early days ofthe COVID-19 pandemic.

Vukovichad to hit the brakeswhenthe Quebec government asked people to avoid all non-essential travelon March 28.

But in the meantime, she was able to capture a unique moment in the history of her region.

"At one point, I was so moved I had to stop my car by the side of the road because Iwas so choked up," Vukovic said.

She never left her car while she was taking the photos, keeping a safe distance between herselfand her subjects.

Families steppedout ontotheir porch, stood beside their barns or peered out the window smiling and waving, many of them holding up the now iconic a va bien aller "Everything will be OK"rainbow,a symbol Quebecers have put up everywhere as a message of hope for passersby.

The idea for Projet Matanie came to Vukovic onMarch 19. A photography professor at the CEGEPde Matane, Vukovic said she missed her students and her colleaguesand decided she wanted to continue to work on the one thing that unitesthem photography.

She turned to Facebook, asking families willing to be photographed during the quarantine to sign up.

"I was so surprised," said Vukovic, whose inbox was flooded.

Her friendAnne-Marie Lamontagne joined her to helptake down addresses and plan an itinerary, so Vukovic couldvisit as many homes as possible in one day.

"I think people needto be part of something," Lamontagne saidin an interview on CBC's Breakaway.

"We all are part of something big now. We all know that. But to be part of a project that is fun,colourfulI think it's really important."

Lamontagne also creditsVukovic's contagious, upbeat personality for the beaming faceson every one of the 193 photos that were posted to Projet Matanie's Facebook page.

"I think people here are showing great resilience," said Lamontagne. "In those pictures you can see their smiles."

Having a lot of space to breathe and move around also helps people in regions get through the ordeal, Lamontagne said.

"We don't have to rush to get into thegrocery store. We have no problem fighting over toilet paper," she said.

Now thatVukovicis back home, she has asked her students to send in some of their photos capturingtheir lives under quarantine.

She said she is looking forward to the day she can invite all those who posed for her to meet in one room,tolook at the pictures togetherin a photo exhibit.

"It's a project that will reflect who we are," Vukovic said.

"When you go to Matanie once, it's tattooed on your heart forever."