Local photographer creates 'Quartraits', collection of pictures taken during COVID-19 pandemic

VALLEY VILLAGE (KABC) -- Back in April, we told you the story local photographer Innis Casey taking free family photographs, all from a safe distance.

He coined a phrase, calling his quarantine portraits "quartraits."

Casey's idea caught on.

He started his picture-taking as a way to do something positive during this scary time as his own He wanted to brighten a day for others as his own photography work essentially stopped because of COVID-19.

"I had to keep that thing going inside of me. I had to do something and the cameras were right there. I could do it alone. I could do it safely on a long lens. Boom! And now this is what we got," Casey said.

He is referring to "Quartraits," his new coffee table book. Inside are pictures of friends, neighbors, people who heard about it and asked he take their quartraits, too. It is also full of celebrity photographs. Among the stars who invited Casey to their homes: Eric McCormack, Brad Garrett, Danny Trejo, Emilio Rivera and Kate del Castillo.

"We were all these human beings going through this same thing with the same emotions, like, 'What's going to happen next?' We got to just be here and wait this out and see how this rolls," Casey said. "The stories in this book, you know, there's phenomenal stories that make you laugh, stories that make you cry. People experience death, loss, their jobs, parents, celebrating birthdays. It just goes on and on," he said, "and you're going to see all those things in here and I think really relate to it."

Casey created "Quartraits" with the help of his stepsister, Kimberley Lovato. In the process of putting the book together, it became a great bonding experience. "Now I'm speaking with her daily, like three or four times a day," Casey said, "and we're really connecting and creating something together.

In fact, the siblings had such a good time with this, they're already planning another book.

In the meantime, Casey is working on a mixed media art project involving marbles.

You can find some of that creativity on his Instagram page, @themarbleousart.

For more information on the book, go to quartraits.com.

George Pennacchio, ABC7 Eyewitness News.