“Photographs I Took Remind Me That Nothing Will Be As It Was Before”
New York based photographer Joelyn Dalit provides first-hand experience of the realities faced within the epicenter of a pandemic and the fighting for change that followed.
It’s nearly impossible to define in one photograph the period in which COVID-19 brought the entire world to its heels. Every day that followed the first few weeks of quarantine carried with it a new headline that would throw everyone into a whirlwind of anxiety and stress, both on a social and economic level. For some, it felt like it was the end of the world.
An Empire Reduced To a Ghost Town
I live in New York City where the virus has impacted the most compared to any other city in the United States with over 220,000 reported cases according to the COVID Tracking Project. As an avid street photographer I’m used to seeing a high level of vibrancy and life on every corner and crossroads throughout every borough. After seeing the number of cases and deaths rise at alarming rates, the very city I love to immerse myself in, eventually became a ghost town. The sidewalks that would normally see a constant stampede of locals and tourists were left uninhabited and instead littered with discarded masks and latex gloves. Walking the empty avenues taking photographs felt surreal and at times the only noise I’d hear is the shutter of my own camera. The first few weeks included sights of high-end retail stores boarded with plywood, amusement parks locked by chains, and individuals meandering through the city seeking a sense of normalcy behind surgical masks. Amidst the chaos and confusion between the people over the proper course of action, New York City entered a twilight zone bringing to the surface a beauty found in a sleeping metropolis. Photography helped me bring a barren city to life in other ways by introducing new compositions, highlighting the oddities of social distancing and allowing the infrastructure of an iconic city to speak for itself.
Fighting for Change in the Midst of a Pandemic
On May 25th, everything changed and I witnessed the world come together on another issue. Outrage over the death of George Floyed at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department resulted in nationwide protests against racial and human rights injustices. Communities converged to question an entire system of government. What was for months a city vacated, now became filled with passionate protestors risking their health and safety to demand change. Just as I felt compelled to photograph life during a pandemic, I knew I would also need to capture this public outcry. Looking back at some of the images I would feel a sense of raw human emotion shared among thousands of people. The ramifications of the pandemic and the desire for immediate justice has weighed heavy on everyone.
Through it all, I found solace in a deserted cityscape as well as optimism towards the complete recalibration of our society. The effects from the virus have been swift and jarring, but are only the catalyst for unprecedented change within the new decade. From Manhattan to Coney Island, every neighborhood shared the same ambience and seeing the photographs I took remind me that nothing will be as it was before.
Op-ed and pictures by Joelyn Dalit
