Lockdown - STEVEN R. TABOR

Lockdown

Do lockdowns work?

As the year 2022 begins, we are experiencing our third lockdown in two years time. Prior to 2020, I worked in public policy, but had no experience at all with “lockdowns”. On the contrary, much of my work involved assisting governments promote economic and social development, and it was only during this time of pandemic, that economic activity was brought to a halt to try and safeguard public health.

People experience lockdowns differently. Some despise it, and feel trapped, depressed and anxious by the restrictions placed on their activity. Others find it refreshing, and see lockdowns as an opportunity to avoid commutes, to spend more time with friends and family, and as a time for quiet contemplation and reflection.

This series was conceived and executed together with another photographer, Rob Polder. It aims to capture the wide array of feelings and emotions that lockdowns provoke. An art-nude model, Esmé Cordus, and a number of props, are employed to convey both the sense of frustration that some feel, and liberation that others feel during a lockdown.

If you'd like to see the full series, download the PDF catalog here.