Kris Cheng Shoots Portraits of a COVID-19 Survivor and His Family

San Francisco and New York-based Kris Cheng’s photography career began during his undergraduate studies at Stanford University after receiving an email from a university-wide mailing list seeking a portrait photographer for Stanford Anesthesia’s annual report. A world of difference and several years later, Stanford Anesthesia welcomed Kris back to shoot for their 2020 annual report.

It had been quite some time since I had last worked with Stanford Medicine, but we reconnected this year just before the pandemic hit. Stanford Hospital ended up being on the front lines of the pandemic as well as a leader in establishing some of the COVID-19 protocol and treatment we see today.

Kris was hired to shoot several portraits for the cover and interior of the annual report. One portrait featured COVID-19 survivor Baudel Rubin-Mendoza and his family. The 36-year-old restaurant owner was admitted to Stanford Medicine in mid-March and spent a grueling three weeks in a medically induced coma. After six weeks in the hospital and a multitude of treatments, Baudel successfully recovered and was sent home.

Baudel’s story was particularly poignant and miraculous. Having just purchased La Cabaña in Newark, California, he came down with Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic. Mayra was tearful recounting that dark period — unable to see her husband in person, not knowing if he would make it home to their 2-year-old daughter, and the restaurant indefinitely shuttered in the lockdown.

The portrait shoot took place inside La Cabaña and at a surrounding park. Kris was careful to mitigate unnecessary risks by shooting mostly outdoors, wearing a mask, and staying as far away from others as possible. The photographer also conducted the shoot by himself to lessen the number of people present.

Once I saw the inside the restaurant, I knew that the cover shot was going to have to be in there. Not only was the restaurant itself a large part of their story, the otherwise dark interior pierced by beautiful window light from one side felt apropos for their entire ordeal.

I’ve noticed the trickiest aspect for these types of shoots has been dealing with the loss of communication through facial expressions. You really need to consciously make up for it verbally, in addition to practicing the ‘smize.’

Kris was able to easily communicate his idea for the shoot with Baudel and Mayra, but their two-year-old daughter, Angelica, did not open up so quickly. Though the girl’s initial shyness worked well for the tone that Kris wanted in the photos, the photographer also wanted a few shots of her that expressed more of her personality.

I eventually trotted out with some really mediocre goofy dancing to show Angelica I was willing to lose all dignity for the sake of her enjoyment, along with the help of her cajoling parents.

Throughout the shoot, Baudel and Mayra opened up to Kris about their experience with Baudel’s hospitalization. Even though Kris was not present at the interview, Baudel impressed him with the gratitude that he felt for his doctors and his wife.

Seeing who they were as people was both painful and incredibly uplifting. Painful to think about the relentlessly growing count of lives lost, livelihoods turned upside down, loved ones grieving alone. But I was left grateful that such a beautiful and loving family are still together and navigating the best they can through the rest of this pandemic.

Credits:
Clients: Dr. Larry Chu and Susan Lorimor, Stanford Anesthesia

See more of Kris’s work at krischeng.com.

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