A picture: worth a thousand words and maybe worth a job

September 2, 2020

Gary Barragan

When Gary Barragan, maintenance planner at our Mill Creek Generating Station, is off the clock, he spends his time using another skill set: professional photography. With COVID-19 leading to higher unemployment numbers around the world, Barragan has joined photographers in a nationwide volunteer effort known as 10,000 Headshots.

“We live in a digital world, and a lot of times when you first make a connection, it’s online before you even see that person,” said Barragan. “Looking professional, confident and approachable is so important.”

Earlier this summer, Barragan and a colleague spent a day providing free 10-minute photography sessions for people who lost their jobs during the pandemic. All told, they photographed 65 people. He said he hopes the headshots will help people recover from the COVID-19 crisis. “The way COVID-19 hit, it ravaged communities and the economy, and people are left scrambling without jobs. For photographers, being able to use our art and our talent to help people gives us a greater sense of purpose. Maybe we can change lives and bring a better outcome to our society.”

For more about Barragan’s photography, visit garybarragan.com or check out his work on Facebook.