‘I was just like a queen’: Seniors pose for royal portrait sessions at Manitoba care home

A Manitoba photographer is helping seniors feel like kings and queens with a new project.

A Manitoba photographer gave dozens of seniors a chance to live like a king or queen for the day.

Last month, Jenessa Kohler hosted a series of photoshoots at Betel Home, a personal care facility in Gimli, Man.

Residents weren’t just posing for a regular portrait in their good slacks or a nice dress.

Instead, they donned tiaras and crowns, capes and pearls.

Dubbed king and goddess photo sessions, Kohler came up with the idea after seeing similar shoots on social media.

“I thought, ‘Hey, this is kind of a neat idea,’” she told CTV News.

“I decided to put my own spin on it. I put out the idea to Betel. I reached out to them one day, and it just kind of went from there.”

Turns out, Betel volunteer Pat Nuspl had a similar idea last year, having seen other care homes host photoshoots for their residents. She started gathering costumes to stage an outdoor, royalty-themed shoot but wildfire season foiled the plan.

When Kohler volunteered to take the photos for free, Nuspl jumped on board to help.

“We already had purchased costumes, and Jenessa had a bunch of stuff already, so they were able to pick whichever costume they preferred, choose colours, whatever they wanted to wear.”

Thelma Lomenda, a retired health-care aide who turns 93 next month, was quick to sign up.

The second of nine kids and a mother to six of her own, the Gimli native is never shy in front of the camera.

“I was so proud. I figured that I was just like a queen,” she said.

“Getting the crown on and the veil and all that and everything, I felt so important.”

Kohler watched as her royal subjects transformed in front of her lens, decked out in regalia and rising to the royal moment.

“We didn’t actually let them see themselves until they were in front of my lens,” she recalled.

“So, I started taking photos, and then there was a mirror handed to them and, for the most part, most of the expressions were flabbergasted, amazed, definitely in awe of themselves.”

Nuspl said the portraits are being printed and framed using money raised by a care home fundraising group she heads up.

“They get an 8x10 framed professional print, and so we’re going to present those to the residents in about a week,” she said.

“It’s such a lovely keepsake for the families, too.”

Lomenda plans to hang her portrait in her room.

“I’m sure my family will want to snatch it for themselves too,” she joked.

Kohler hopes to host more photoshoots that bring seniors into focus—a generation that has witnessed world wars and recessions, countless days and decades.

“When is the last time that they have gotten dressed up or dressed up at all to do something like this, to do a photoshoot?” she said.

“I figured that this was something special to do for them.”