My project is about time and its contrast between this year and last year. It’s about how we are living our lives indoors, how we used to live our lives differently, and the things we took for granted. This is our new reality and through these photos I’ve captured mine. These images are part of my personal visual journal looking at how I’ve been feeling and how my family has been coping. Through snippets of my day-to-day life, you will see a progression of emotions and memories that document my experience.

I usually like to take pictures of people, but
now, forced to stay inside, I turned the camera toward myself.  It felt very awkward at first because I am
very insecure about my physical appearance and I don’t like being stared at by
strangers. Turning the camera toward myself is out of my comfort zone, and
putting on makeup was like adding that extra protective layer between myself
and the camera. I felt as if the makeup changed the way I looked, and I did not
feel so insecure anymore. People in quarantine can get so caught up in their
emotions, so I showed my emotions through my pictures.

The last three months have been particularly challenging. Being forced to stay inside, I was able to capture my appreciation for the small things in life. I made images of my parents and the little details I saw everywhere. I reconnected with simple pleasures and was able to capture my appreciation for the details of life.

The first two photos of mine were taken when remote learning first started. Myself and others quickly realized that the amount of work given to us became overwhelming, so much so that lost sleep and stress were becoming a part of our daily lives. The first photo is supposed to represent the endless work we had; it felt like after finishing one assignment ten more took its place. The second photo represents me stepping back from school and trying to focus on my photography, considering the last time I shot was in February and I had no motivation or ideas since.

My photography is a combination of photos of my
family and photos of light that I saw in my house. In the beginning of this whole quarantine when we began class online, I began to observe what I could take pictures of in my house. The first thing I noticed was the light around my house, especially during the afternoon when the sun was setting. Light was always on some surface and it would shine through windows beautifully during the afternoon, so I decided to take pictures of that. I also captured moments throughout this quarantine of my family; I wanted to show how they were feeling through the photos I took. I felt like it was important for me to include them along with the photos of light. I used what I had to my best ability and this photography project is the product.

Metamorphosis.

I wanted this project to act as my eyes during quarantine. Being stuck in my home, with occasional family outings, filled my life for the last four months. Family has always been important to me, but going through this pandemic journey with them has allowed me to view my family, along with the world and its pain and misery, with different eyes. 

Evolving Reflection

Quarantine has left me with nothing but my thoughts for three months. In lieu of things in my life changing and looking into myself, I’ve realized that my problems won’t be dealt with unless I can find and understand myself and what I’m lacking.

I don’t need to be the one to tell you that times are tough, everyone already knows that. I don’t need to tell you that everyone misses their friends and family. We long for the normalcy that will be lost forever, even after this pandemic ends. It’s depressing and isolating. Confined to our homes, we must get creative with the way we communicate. From celebrating Passover over Zoom to sitting six feet apart on park benches, I have documented the ways in which communication has been altered during the days of Covid-19. To demonstrate our connection with our phones and with each other, I enhanced my photos using paint and string. I sought to convey the feelings of loss and hopelessness we experience, we are all inexplicably linked, and the human spirit thrives in times of struggle.

Sometimes the most mundane of things are the most interesting. 

Trouble in Quarantine

In this pandemic, a lot of people have been through so many emotions and most of them are negative. It could be about schoolwork, family, etc. Sometimes, it doesn’t even feel real and its part of a dream/nightmare. These photos portray the feelings most people get sitting at home in this pandemic.