A city without people: Bratislava during covid-19
I used to hate people in my photographs. I just wanted everything to be sterile and geometrical. I would usually wait several minutes to take a photo of a street without a person in it. During my very first tutorial in architecture school, the tutor asks me: How tall is this building? How big is this door? How are people using this space? And I have no idea because all I’m doing is waiting for everyone to leave. Trying to make my angles perfect, capturing the materials and using negative space for framing object.
As I was not a professional photographer, I ended up with emotionless environments that made mediocre compositions. I was advised to use people to add context, emotion and stories. I learned to use photography as a means to document. Somewhere on that journey, I fell in love with street photography. Very recently I was reminded of why.
On 6 March, the first coronavirus case in Slovakia was confirmed. On 12 March, border control was instated and no traveller without a permanent residence or employment in Slovakia would be admitted. Then all international airports were closed for international passenger flights. The seriousness of the situation was communicated very efficiently with the residents. People were incredibly disciplined. And I decided to capture the effects it had on Bratislava during the first week of social distancing.
The streets were absolutely quiet. There were only homeless people in the city centre. No cars in shopping mall parking lots, no commuters at bus stops, no kids in the playgrounds. Empty, quiet and sterile. This for me is what silence looks like. I miss the people in the streets.
All of the photos were taken on 22 March.
#stayhome #staysafe
