As many of us find ourselves returning to photographing projects after several months of limited work, the most common consideration of the times when working out the logistics of shooting spaces in these unprecedented times is whether to depict models/people within the spaces wearing masks or not. Even well before we returned to shooting, I was having conversations with several clients discussing what photography would look like when we were able to safely return to it and most specifically, how do we think about the treatment of our new normal of wearing face masks in shared spaces. Early on, many of us felt that it would likely feel reactionary to photograph people wearing masks when creating imagery for a project that will be used long after the pandemic is over. As things have evolved and we continue to see rising numbers and no end in sight for the near future, I have experienced a variety of viewpoints on the subject as we all work through how to best depict projects in the current times.
The answer to this question may be largely dependent on project type. For civic, cultural, education and public spaces, I think that it can make sense to show people as they are (or would be, if spaces are not opened) in the moment, giving the images and honest, journalistic quality. I have heard from designers of these types of projects and their PR teams, that it may be particularly desirable if there are plans for the work to be published in the near term. Workplaces, retail, restaurants and hotels on the other hand may not have an immediate benefit or obvious use for showing people masks and images of those spaces with masked subjects may lose their usefulness over time as we move past the current situation. Many design teams recently have been opting to have us capture a few images in the set featuring people both wearing and not wearing face masks in order to have the option for the immediate use, but also having the ability to use the unmasked photos with more flexibility down the line. This is the case with the image shown in this video that was created recently in collaboration with the design team at Perkins + Will Dallas of an office for a health care company.
This question is just one of several floating around our industry these days as we all adapt to the current situation and return (at varying frequency), to work. Others include what project types are appropriate to photograph. Education projects have been pushed back because as campuses are empty, how do we consider documenting the spaces in an era of architectural photography where it’s common and desirable to show people using a space. Workplaces, office buildings, and other commercial spaces have incorporated significant efforts in signage and restrictions on usable spaces, requiring us to often have to adapt on the fly as we enter a space that may not be quite as expected or that poses significant challenges when trying to photograph them free of clutter that take away from the original design intent. Many firms are reprioritizing their strategies for photography to fit with what makes the most sense to photograph in a time of limited occupancy and sensitivity to the unknown future of certain project types.
What are you experiencing in the sectors that you work in? How do you feel we should be portraying these spaces and the people within?
