The Covid-19 outbreak has ripped throughout the world, leaving a catastrophic loss of life in its wake and posing severe challenges even for those who remain healthy. With around 20% of the planet’s population currently in lockdown, circumstances are forcing people to adapt as best as possible – but for many, that’s easier said than done.

Within the broad spectrum of the creative community, some roles lend themselves better to remote working, with teething problems being ironed out day by day. For creatives involved in any kind of production, however, it’s quite another story. In most countries around the world, film studios have all but shut up shop, art, music and theatre venues have called off landmark shows, and photographers are facing dried up budgets, cancelled events and a period of looming uncertainty.

As more countries are thrust into this new normal, three photographers talked to us about their experiences of the pandemic so far, the biggest challenges that lie ahead, and whether there are any silver linings to life under lockdown.

CHRIS MAGGIO, STREET PHOTOGRAPHER, NEW YORK

[Life is] OK at the moment! There’s an obvious lack of leadership in the country right now (what else is new). For sanity’s sake, it feels like it makes the most sense to act locally: just trying to be a good neighbour, see friends on the internet, and keep it together.

The pandemic has absolutely [had an impact on my work]. A few folks are out and about shooting, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around what I think I can contribute to the conversation about this whole thing. As of right now, I’m taking the time at home to develop some projects I’ve been working on.

This is my 10th year freelancing in one way or another, so I’m somewhat used to the feast/famine nature of this whole thing. I’ve been unemployed for pretty long stretches when there wasn’t a pandemic, so I’m just trying to embrace that discipline. Rule #1: get dressed in the morning no matter what. No pyjamas allowed in the home studio.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of us photo folks will be unemployed for quite a while even after corona starts to decline. I have some personal work to finish that I’m super excited about, and I’ll reach out to folks as much as possible for assignments. But there’s a lot of us looking for the same type of employment in NYC, so I think it’s a lofty expectation that things will return to normal so quickly.