UPDATE: With the "stay at home" order (prohibiting leaving one's home for all but essential activities) issued by Maine Governor Janet Mills, which takes effect Thursday, photographer S. Peter Lewis has been forced to pull the plug on this offer. "I plan to re-open the offer as soon as things loosen up a bit," Lewis informed The News Wednesday.

By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Peter Lewis wants to put a smile on people’s faces.

As a columnist for The News for many years, Lewis brought smiles to many readers’ faces with his witty, off the cuff and articulate pieces “Views from the Uppermost House.”

You know, he’s the (“nutty,” that’s from the author himself) guy with the nifty treehouse off Route 93 in Bridgton.

Like many others, Lewis was recently laid off from his design/photo job, but has been given assurances from his employer that once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, he will be hired back.

But, it may be months before businesses are given the “all clear” signal.

Peter Lewis is never one to sit idle.

“I have been busy trying to boost my freelance business. I have a new website, have been doing a daily photo blog, and have other projects in the works,” he e-mailed The News the other day. “One thing that this all means is that I am home here in Bridgton and available virtually all the time. These are really hard times, and I’d like to try to make life just a bit happier for our community.”

Lewis recently saw a short news clip about a photographer in the Midwest who was taking family portraits of people on their front porches (because he couldn’t bring anyone into his studio right now).

“I thought, I can totally do that,” Lewis said. 

So, Lewis would like to offer anyone in the area a free portrait or family photo during April.

“All they have to do is get in touch with me through my website, which has an easy contact form for them to fill out. I’ll come to their house and take a family or portrait shot (maintaining proper social distancing, of course), e-mail them proofs, and then e-mail them a high-resolution, digital photo that they can do whatever they want with (plus a small version for social media). No charge, no obligation, nothing,” he said. “And, it doesn’t matter one bit if I ever get any future business out of this (most of my work is product photography, anyway).”

The website is: https://www.speterlewis.com/project/free-portrait/ 

“I hope I can make a small difference, and help people feel connected,” he added.

Of, there is one (understandable) caveat — “I will have to decline your photo shoot if I am not perfectly well, or if you or anyone who will be at the shoot has been sick in the past two weeks or is currently symptomatic. We just can’t be too safe. Stay safe and healthy. I hope to hear from you soon.”