by Yvette Depaepe

and Editor Vicente Dolz

In many countries all over the world, the pandemic confinement means that we cannot not leave our homes, we cannot go to work and we cannot … go out to take pictures.

Time to develop our 'inner' creativity.

We still can take 'indoor' and 'outdoor' images right in our close environment to express our current state of mind during this worldwide crisis.

A time ago, 1x released a photographic challenge to capture these rare moments and send in your indoor or 'close' outdoor photographs taken in quarantine.

We had a lot of response, but this will be the last edition of this series as all countries start to ease the confinement measures.

Big thanks for all the submissions and stories.

Best wishes of health and bright future to all the participants.

 Moein Hashemi Nasab  - IRAN
I tried to relate the subject of these photos to social and political issues in Iran.  For women, dancing is considered as a crime and they cannot dance freely in my country.
But in these shots, we can see that thanks to the corona mask, this lady has a face and is ble to dance freely! 

I wanted to express here that she doesn't have to fear prison hidden behind the mask and partly uncovered face and that she fully can enjoy her freedom.

'The Corona Dance' by Moein Hashemi Nasab

'The Corona Dance' by Moein Hashemi Nasab

'The Corona Dance' by Moein Hashemi Nasab

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Rob Darby  – UNITED STATES

Since it is not suggested that we leave the house, I decided that my drone could still safely do so! 
This image was taken in Palm Springs, CA which is a resort town in Southern California where we are sheltering-in-place. May is generally a very popular time here, with temperatures rising into the 30s C during the day. There are numerous resorts, such as the one captured in this image, that are closed and all of its workers furloughed or laid-off. I took this image from about 300 feet up looking straight down onto the grounds of an empty resort.  If you look closely you can see that the pool chairs are neatly arranged, but the walking paths and the grounds are empty.

This resort is  Waiting to Reopen' like so many business in the world.

'Waiting to Reopen' by Rob Darby

And another 'closer' drone shot from a different resort …

'Shelter in Place – The Lucky Ones' by Rob Darby

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Magda Fulger  – ROMANIA
Trying to be creative during quarantine, I gathered some stuff around the house to make this photo expressing 'hope'.

by Magda Fulger

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Rita Kapitulski  – ISRAEL
I would like to share three works from this days.
Due Covid- 19 Pandemic , I have been at home in quarantine without work.I began make photo shoots with simple wild plants from outside. Simple still life images at home. Playing with light from window . It get me fill, that it is vacation kind and I can make things, that in normal life I can't time for them.

'Rustic Still Life with dry grass in vintage bottle' by Rita Kapitulski

'Simple and Fragile Dry Grass on sunlight' by Rita Kapitulski

'Dry Grass in Black and White' by Rita Kapitulski

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Wanda D\'Onofrio – ITALY
At the time of Covid-19 pandemic, future mothers and fathers are worried about what could happen, but the hope in the future makes them stronger to protect what they love the most.

'Mother and Father at the Covid-19 time – I will protect you!' by Wanda D\'Onofrio

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Marcin Michalowski  – POLAND living in BELGIUM
During the #stayhome (#restezchezvous) period I tried to come back to ideas that have been in my mind for some time but - as time is of the essence in my activities - I could never fulfill my desire to create them. This time I gathered myself and created a work which can be perceived currently as a symbol of confusion: we will have to find a way out of this chaotic world. To make it I of course stayed at home and used my small studio, a hat and a stick and put it all together into a misty overlay which I swirled to match my idea.

'finding a road' by Marcin Michalowski

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Andrea Manni  – ITALY
During the lockdown here in Italy I felt so depressed I wasn't even capable of think about anything except the virus, the dangers for my loved ones and how all this was totally out of our control. Almost an entire month of fears and stress blocked my mind, making me feel like I was a salt statue. But photography is my muse, my way to externalize what I otherwise would not be able to express, my way to exorcise my fears and anxieties and once again in my life it saved me giving me a way out of this catatonic state.

This picture of my daughter was my way to break my mental wall, my way to compress all the stress and fears in a single moment and let them out forever. And it’s all I have to give you, in the hope that an image will also help you to convey your emotions as well as create it has helped me to vent mine.
It will be a long and painful journey, but if we all do our part we will come out of it. And when everything will be finally over, I'm sure we will give much more value to the really important things!
And it’s gonna be beautiful.

'The tear' by Andrea Manni

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Lourens Durand  – SOUTH AFRICA
I worked on during lockdown in South Africa. This is an old photo, but I modified it and called it isolation.  I spent a lot of the time under lockdown relooking at old photos and learning new techniques.

 'Isolation' by Lourens Durand