Pandemic

Pandemic is a photographic project that focuses on the social and financial effects that the 2020 coronavirus pandemic had on Preston, England. Through the project, I highlight key aspects of how the virus affected Preston such as how deserted the streets became due to the public’s wariness towards congregating in groups, the negative financial implications that the government lockdowns had on local businesses and how everyday life on the streets changed since concerns about the virus became prevalent.

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The project stemmed from a prior interest in social documentary photography coupled with a desire to explore the issues currently affecting my everyday life from a photographical standpoint. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect my everyday life more and more, I decided that these effects would be a great foundation to revolve a series around. As the project progressed, I began to explore how the urban landscape shifted as anxieties over transmission of the virus reached their peak and people were divided through government guidelines such as mask wearing and social distancing.

 

I also began to question the forced closure of non-essential businesses, the ethics behind this and what this means for the future of a local economy as most began to lose profits rapidly and others entered administration. Driven by the themes of isolation and the emptiness of the streets, my work began to embody these themes through visuals of closed down establishments and derelict streets usually bustling with life but now desolate due to the virus.

 

My final body of work is a photographic series that reflects a sense of loneliness and isolation felt by me personally, business owners who felt abandoned by lack of government support and many others whose everyday lives grinded to a halt during such an unprecedented period of time.