SARS-CoV-2 - Then & Now (2021)

At the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (2020), I documented impacts at several locations.  This past Spring (2021), I returned to those same spots to capture how things have changed in a year’s time.

An Important Note About Timing

Although I’m posting this Then & Now in late Summer, all of the “Now” photos in this post were captured in April and May of 2021, to compare to those images from “Then” in the same months of 2020.  I’ve been behind in posting to my Blog and social media accounts, so although I captured and edited these photos earlier in the year with the intention of posting immediately, work and life got in the way and I’m catching up and sharing this comparison with you now.

Please keep this in mind, as some things have changed, locations have updated even further, and more retailers have reopened in the months between these pictures being captured in Spring, 2021, and being posted in late Summer, 2021. Because of this gap and the rapidly changing landscape in the midst of COVID-19, pictures in this post from 2021 may already be out of date and not accurately represent current operating status - please refer to the appropriate respective website or physical location for the most up-to-date information.

In my original 2020 posts, I documented the shelves at numerous local retailers, but I’m not including a Then & Now comparison for these in this post because this is a well-documented difference everyone witnessed to some extent or another.

Fairfax County Neighborhoods

In 2020, I captured several local playgrounds which had been closed following national, state, and county level guidance and executive orders closing parks.  Although orders to close were mandated by Governors, state health departments, and local governance and property owners alike, many people flagrantly disobeyed, tearing down barriers and signage to access parkspaces and playgrounds.

A closed Fairfax County playground in Spring, 2020.

Today, these parks and playgrounds have been reopened, the barricades removed, and temporary signs replaced with permanent signage displaying rules for use including social distancing, and waivers of liability.

A reopened Fairfax County playground in Spring, 2021.

Airports

Washington Dulles International Airport

Airports across the World were hit hard as travel became unsafe and oftentimes impossible with sweeping flight cancellations and suspension of air service for many carriers.

Washington Dulles International Airport was hit especially hard as almost all international travel was halted for the majority of 2020.  At the Main Terminal, the normally bustling Departure Level had no cars present whatsoever.  Inside, all ticket counter stanchions had been stowed to open up a the freshly cleaned terrazzo floor.  All but one security checkpoint was closed due to so few travelers passing through and needing to be screened.  An eerie silence filled the spacious building as background music had been turned off to save on licensing fees, and the only people present were a handful of employees.  Only the drone of HVAC filled the space.

With very few flights scheduled, FIDS screens were replaced with guidance on proper handwashing techniques.  Social distancing signage was hastily printed and posted on Travelers Aid desks, but the now-ubiquitous 6ft spaced floor stickers were only present at the lower level Starbucks.  No guidance on masking was posted anywhere at this very early point in the pandemic, although I was already wearing an N95 at this time.

Downstairs, the Arrivals level was somehow even more vacant.  Signage pointed United employees to a dedicated temperature screening area, mandatory for each employee to visit prior to starting their workday; remember, this was even before COVID testing had been developed, let alone rolled out en masse.  At the time of photography, this screening station was unstaffed, as vacant as the rest of the lower level.

Washington Dulles International Airport in Spring, 2020. Security checkpoints close and passengers are scarce as airlines suspend operations at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Today the departure level is once again bustling, with traffic wrapping all around the “racetrack” in the afternoons (although this isn’t shown at the time I photographed this follow-up set), and passengers crowding the interior during morning and afternoon banks such that social distancing is frequently an impossible task.  International air travel has resumed along many air routes Dulles serves, and in some cases new domestic and international routes have been added in as demand has changed - the entire aviation landscape has shifted in a year’s time.

FIDS are still not completely filled like they were pre-pandemic, but are well above the 50% mark once again, with the dead space now showing directions to retailers that are currently operating.  On all entranceways, permanent signage has been added displaying that all persons entering are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

The lower level was even busier, with visitors once again awaiting loved ones aboard resumed international flights, and passengers gathering their luggage from baggage claims.  Mirroring the social distancing stickers placed on the Departure level floors at ticket counters, each baggage claim how has decals asking travelers not to crowd around the belts as luggage arrives.

Washington Dulles International Airport in Spring, 2021. Security checkpoints reopen and passengers return as most airlines resume operations in 2021.

Ronald Reagan National Airport

When SARS-CoV-2 surged in Spring of 2020, DCA was similarly impacted.  Upon arriving, the first indication that this wouldn’t be a normal airport experience was the empty parking garage.  Inside, National Hall wasn’t strictly vacant like at IAD, however the only people present were employees.  Airlines that had suspended operations had dire messages reading “Closed due to COVID-19” displayed on their check-in counters.

All information desks were closed, with signage simply stating Shopping & Dining retail hours had been adjusted, but with no further details.  On a nearby column, a “COVID-19 Hand Sanitizer” dispenser was placed, and nearby ad space instead displayed messages encouraging social distancing as a lone unmasked passenger walked by.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2020. Passengers are scarce as airlines suspend operations at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Since DCA is a smaller and much more densely laid out airport, it was even more visually apparent seeing all concessions closed together, many still decorated for the Cherry Blossom Festival which had come and gone several months prior.  Many showed evidence of their hurried closure, with signs hastily printed and posted crooked on storefronts.  Some had more permanent signage on display.  Most had no signage at all, including some which had just newly opened several months before the pandemic.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2020. Restaurants and retailers close as a safety precaution and as required by law at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Most striking was the closure of security checkpoints and the entire concourse behind them.  As many airlines cancelled flights, operations were consolidated to other terminals, cutting back on manpower to screen passengers and maintain sections of the airport.  Stanchions were stowed away opening up the terrazzo floor’s design in the sunlight as CDC guidance displayed overhead promoting proper hand-washing.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2020. Security checkpoints close as airlines suspend operations at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Today, DCA’s parking garages are almost as difficult to find a spot in as before the pandemic, and National Hall is once again filled with people; masked passengers trickle in to departures, and flock through terminals as flights arrive.  Some airlines are still not operating, though most have resumed operations or are near original operating capacity; some have even added new routes.  Check-in desk signage has been updated to the much more succinct and less ominous “Closed.”

Travelers Aid desks have reopened, with the early-pandemic signage replaced by airport-wide mask usage advisories.  Some things have remained the same; hand sanitizer stations are still present and still branded with COVID-19 labels, and some of the original social distancing signage remains - that was good advice from the beginning.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2021. Passengers return as most airlines resume operations in 2021.

Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons, some of the retail stores and restaurants have not reopened.  Some that have remained closed still bear the same printed paper signage, though someone has come along to straighten or update the “temporary” notices.  Others, sadly, are completely gone a year later; vacant and awaiting a new tenant.  Since I’ve worked closely with the concessions programs at IAD and DCA for almost the last decade, photographing every single store and restaurant at both airports, the sweeping closures have been truly saddening to see, but it’s hope inspiring to see the majority of concessionaires one again open and serving passengers after witnessing last year’s necessary pause in operations.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2021. Most restaurants and retailers reopen, though some remain closed for a variety of reasons in 2021.

Most concessions, however, have reopened, and construction has completed on an entirely new terminal with new concessions gradually opening inside it the rest of this year.  At Terminal C, which was closed in 2020, the TSA screening checkpoint has reopened in 2021, with the same CDC hand-washing signage still cycling overhead as passengers stroll toward their flights.  The picture below was taken just one day before the new Terminal C expansion was opened for public flight operations, so the dustwall shown below is now open to public at time of writing.

Inside the new 14 gate Terminal C expansion, departure boards are filling up quickly as the new gates are already being utilized by American flights.

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Spring, 2021. Security checkpoints reopen and passengers return as airlines resume operations in 2020.

XpresSpa & XpresCheck

The XpresSpa & XpresCheck retail space merit a closer look.  This is a location I didn’t specifically capture last year because when I captured my Before pictures in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, XpresSpa hadn’t transformed into the clinical testing chain it would become later in 2020.

XpresSpa opened at DCA in 2015, offering massage, mani / pedi, and other relaxing services to pamper yourself before or after a stressful flight.  The interior featured massage chairs, manicure stations, and two private massage suites, as well as cosmetics and personal care items for sale.

These images were photographed in 2015 upon XpresSpa’s opening for marketing and press release purposes.

Today, the entire XpresSpa has pivoted their business to COVID-19 testing, and rebranded as XpresCheck.  In 2020, XpresSpa had locations at 80 airports across the nation; flash forward a year, and only two XpresSpas are currently open - all others have closed or converted to one of the 13 XpresCheck COVID-19 testing clinics located at 11 US airports.  XpresCheck at Reagan National is equipped to handle 300 tests per day, and 500 per day at Dulles.  At $250 for a Rapid PCR Test, the move that took a mere 75 days to execute from inception to deployment not only saved the brand in a year where the personal care industry was upended by the need to social distance, but in fact is more profitable, even with less than 1/5th the locations.

These images were photographed in March, 2021 upon XpresCheck’s opening for marketing and press release purposes.

Inside, XpresCheck has 4 private screening rooms, and offers Rapid Molecular NAAT Tests, Standard Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Tests, and Rapid PCR Testing.

Rapid tests are processed on-site, with results delivered within an hour; crucial for travelers en route to national hotspots and foreign countries with entry requirements including negative COVID-19 tests.

You can read more about XpresCheck’s services and schedule an appointment on their website.

These images were photographed in March, 2021 upon XpresCheck’s opening for marketing and press release purposes.

Like at DCA, the XpresCheck testing clinic at Washington Dulles International Airport is also pre-security, so individuals do not need a ticket to be screened for COVID-19.

XpresCheck at Washington Dulles International Airport, Spring, 2021.

Final Thoughts

Everyone can agree that 2020 was not a normal year; the pandemic changed everything in Spring, 2020, but a year later, although the World is different, it has adapted and risen to the challenge. 2021 has shown that although change can be big and fast, and things may be different, we can achieve and overcome almost anything with a bit of time and ingenuity, even if things aren’t quite what we imagined a year prior. Just like the shelves at our local supermarkets that were once empty, in 2021 the World has adapted and created solutions to 2020 problems.

Best of 2020

Let’s just say it: 2020 sucked. For everyone. At moments the year flew by, at many others the year seemed endless. But 2021 is upon us, and although for many, myself included, it meant more time at home than out in public, I still captured perspectives of this year the World will never forget.

It’s unsurprising that many of my photographs in this year’s Best of 2020 are barren of people, and those that do have people are individuals or small family groups. I quickly enacted a number of COVID-19 best-practices that meet or exceed those required by Virginia law, and have strived to maintain the safety of not only myself and my vulnerable family members, but those of my clients. Because of the unprecedented reduction in assignments this year, particularly of commercial clients due to the cancellation of events, a greater portion of this year’s Best Of consists of personal work, but you’ll see that although it’s personal work, much of it is relatable and has affected everyone in some way or another.

Here’s to 2021 redeeming all the hardship, loss, and overwhelming disappointment 2020 inflicted on the World. May these pictures put 2020 to rest, and may your 2021 be filled with joy and prosperity.

A “barn find” Porsche on display at the 2020 Washington Auto Show.

A Foggy February morning in Northern Virginia.

Toilet paper became scarce in early March as shifts in the supply chain shifted from commercial to retail bathroom supplies, while more population working from home, and public fear incited hoarding, drove demand, emptying store shelves of basic cleaning supplies for months.

Hand sanitizer, gloves, surgical masks, and N95 respirators became nearly impossible to come in Spring. By Summer, the market was flooded with price gouged, counterfeit, or unregulated KN95 masks, antibacterial sanitizing wipes, and hand sanitizer.

At Ronald Reagan National Airport, nearly all concessions closed indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

At Ronald Reagan National Airport, airlines cancelled all flights indefinitely for the safety of passengers, and due to low demand while citizens quarantined in place.

Inside Ronald Reagan National Airport’s nearly empty National Hall, a COVID-19 branded hand sanitizer station is affixed to a shuttered Information Desk.

As air travel all but halted, entire terminals of airports were shuttered. With fewer travelers, ad spaces receive fewer impressions, leading to marketing campaigns to be rolled back or cancelled entirely. Above a closed terminal at Ronald Reagan National Airport, a digital ad site displays a creative encouraging proper hand-washing technique in place of normally cycling ad campaigns.

"Black Lives Matter" blazed several neighborhood trailheads, but were defaced with the arguably racist "All Lives Matter," then subsequently corrected back to BLM during the height of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

In Northern Virginia, many parks and playgrounds were closed by guerrilla citizens even before executive orders explicitly closed such facilities. Meanwhile, other inhabitants ripped away barriers or ignored HOA shutdown orders, creating a kind of suburban anarchy.

Jack Zarinsky, CFP, walks into his office in Fairfax City, Virginia.

Jack Zarinsky, CFP, speaks into a microphone while recording for his podcast.

A Polaroid of pickerel hyacinth growing at Ellanor C. Lawrence Pond.

Erik and Jennifer walk in a lavender field on their wedding day, June 27th, 2020. Many engaged couples had to delay or downsize their 2020 wedding due to COVID-19 safety and legality of gatherings.

Polaroid of Alyssa McGuire carrying an elephant ear plant at Merrifield Garden Center, Centreville, Virginia. Alyssa’s favorite animal is the elephant, and as a self-proclaimed “crazy plant lady,” she chose a Colocasia to add to her Rhode Island garden. Alyssa drove from Providence to Memphis, stopping in Washington, DC for a week, to care for her aging grandparents who struggled to get supplies and home maintenance during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

At Washington Dulles International Airport, a health supply kiosk is shuttered inside a deserted terminal.

Rubin and Madonna stand on the ramp at Washington Dulles International Airport with the historic ATCT and taxiing aircraft behind them after Rubin proposed to Madonna minutes prior at the gate they first met.

Elizabeth laughs at James’ jokes during their July engagement session. James and Elizabeth planned for a Spring engagement session coinciding with the April Cherry Blossom Festival, but this became unsafe and illegal as DC enacted executive orders that made visiting the Tidal Basin legally impossible, while the National Park Service feuded with DC Mayor Muriel Bowser by continuing to sell photography permits. Meanwhile in Virginia, early executive orders explicitly closed or kept open specific businesses, but failed to provide operating guidance for unlisted non-essential businesses, forcing many people, like Elizabeth and James, to postpone scheduled sessions.

Lily pads float at Ellanor C. Lawrence Pond, seen through an antique Lubitel 2 medium format lens converted to work on Canon EOS mount cameras, shot on an EOS R mirrorless camera.

The Cumberbatch family poses among the Autumn leaves during their family portrait session in Sterling, Virginia.

J. David Buerk, owner and photographer of J. David Buerk - Photography poses in a werewolf mask and gloves, holding an authentic rusty scythe on Halloween in Fairfax, Virginia. Despite ample candy and decorations, not a single trick-or-treater showed due to COVID-19 scaring off young goblins and ghouls.

Kevin drops to one knee and asks Rhoda to marry him at a snow-covered Stone Tower Winery.

With vines in the background, Rhoda places her hand on Kevin’s chest to display her engagement ring minutes after saying “yes” atop a snow covered hill at Stone Tower Winery.

The sun shines on the steering wheel of an Infiniti G37 S 6MT coupe’s steering wheel.

A handmade, artisan designed and crafted embossed leather journal cover with pewter clasp, featuring a flourishing acanthus leaf pattern. I first spotted this journal five years ago at the Renwick Gallery, and have regretted not getting it at the time, and had been unable to find the creator until recently. To my surprise, it is still available, and the maker even has an Amazon storefront now, with limited supply available. My most loved Christmas gift this year, this beautiful, naturey journal in my favorite color holds the notebook I’ve been using for years, and will hold future notebooks as this one nears filling, fitting perfectly into my daily leather Tumi backpack.

Erik and Jennifer: Married June 27th, 2020

Many years ago, when I was a freshman in college, just as my interest in photography was taking off, and way before I knew I’d pursue it professionally, I switched positions at Washington Dulles International Airport from a customer service position to an office internship more closely aligned with the engineering major I was studying toward at the time. This is how I met and came to be friends with Erik.

Erik and I have always shared the same love of photography; he even worked in a photo lab developing film for a time in college. So as my career path started to change course, Erik understood, and continued to mentor me, even as my imaging talents eventually took me away from the airport’s Maintenance Engineering Division I’d been a part of for the better part of my college career. Erik is also largely responsible for familiarizing me with Nikon cameras, which although certainly not my preference, has continually proven useful to this day.

At the time Erik and I met, he had just had his son, Noah, and I saw him grow through baby photos in his office and periodically bumping into Erik taking Noah to airport events or Star Wars screenings at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s IMAX. So while I know Noah is as old as I’ve known Erik, it was still a bit of a surprise when he’s now in his early-teens and taller than I am, talking about cars at Erik and Jennifer’s wedding. Time flies.

As you can see, Erik and I go way back. Jennifer and I, not so much, but it’s clear they are happy together, and Jennifer’s sense of humor compliments the dry and oft deadpan wit Erik bears. Erik and Jennifer were engaged last year, but like so many other couples right now, the COVID-19 pandemic changed their wedding plans. Venues are difficult to come by, and everyone is still adjusting how to do even basic tasks, like safely traveling and meeting. Erik and Jennifer’s ceremony was outdoors and shared with a small group of socially distanced close relatives in order to maintain everyone’s safety while gathering to celebrate.

Although their wedding was abridged due to the pandemic, I ensured their wedding portraits were not. Taking advantage of the clear, warm Summer weather, and the rural Virginia manor in the Shenandoah Valley where they said “I do,” I captured portraits of them in the gardens and fields of lavender at sunset; without a reception, this wedding portrait session had a refreshingly more relaxed vibe than some of my pre-pandemic weddings with extremely limited time constraints for the couples’ portraits. I enjoyed capturing them, and am happy Erik and Jennifer have them to enjoy for many years to come even in the face of the pandemic.

Behind the Scenes

Normally I wouldn’t post my bathroom mirror selfies on my website, but it’s 2020 and here we are. I think it’s important to take a minute to show what I look like at all my sessions in the age of COVID-19. Not only am I protecting my clients, but I’m protecting myself and loved ones I care for, and wear an N99 respirator during the entirety of my sessions, even in 96º Summer sunlight; it’s not a problem, and is just one of numerous strict precautions I take to protect my clients and myself. I only break out the bowtie for special occasions though ;-)

I’ve also been taking fun-photos with a Polaroid lately; I’ve been curious about them for years, but only started playing with one this Summer. I accidentally had the focus set to Portrait / Close-up for this one, but perfection-in-imperfection is the exact thing I find so enchanting about film photography.

SARS-CoV-2 - May

In keeping with my last post, I’m compiling all the unusual (or usual by now) sights I’ve spotted in my quarantine outings. Honestly, beyond the requisite safety precautions, “quarantine” seems like an American misnomer compared to the much earlier and more comprehensive prevention protocols in other countries; so much is still allowed and considered essential.

Retail

While March and April saw widespread shortages of staple commodities such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer, May is seeing these items make a gradual reappearance in stores. In fact one store I visited at the end of May, while following a tip on disinfecting wipes, had a cornucopia of TP taller than me, and larger than a pack of cars.

All images shot and edited on iPhone.

Although I had a limited supply of disinfectant wipes, I’ve been trying to secure a few more containers so I don’t have to outright ration their use on my gear, etc. In the last two weeks alone I’ve found disinfectant wipes in stock at at various websites, but they’ve sold out by time I’ve made it to the shopping card 5x now. Then, I managed to get an order to process for one before it sold out, but when I received the shipment from Amazon proper, I was delivered an unopened shipping bag empty except for a piece of scrap cardboard; the stocker had obviously not placed my item in the bag - what happened after that; my guess is probably the same as yours. However, since then, between the help of some close friends and a little luck, I’ve secured what I need for now.

Restaurants

For takeout, I’ve mostly done curbside or drive-through, but those that I’ve gone inside… it’s still weird seeing once bustling places empty and quiet.

All images shot and edited on iPhone.

Burke Lake Park

Virginia’s county, state, and national parks have been closed for some time now (and as of this writing, they are still closed for anything but recreation - the facilities are still shuttered and offices are not open for business). With gyms closed, I’ve been endurance training harder than even the season following my knee surgery rehab, and Burke Lake Park offers a lot to me as a runner - at 4.5mi, one lap can be stretched to 5mi, two laps easily stretches to a 10 miler, and 3 laps is just over a half-marathon. So though I’m not hiking every other weekend with friends like a normal Summer, here’s a little nature for you.

All images shot on EOS R and edited on a color calibrated computer.

Playgrounds

Following that, although county, state, and national parks have been largely closed, not all people or organizations have understood the orders, or have flagrantly ignored them - locally, this has emerged as people disagreeing about the usage of playgrounds. For some HOAs, it took legal threats from the Department of Health to finally close recreational facilities restricted by Executive Orders. Here is what that looks like in some places.

All images shot on EOS R and edited on a color calibrated computer.

SARS-CoV-2 - March & April

As you are more than well aware, quite a lot has changed since the last time I posted.

Right around the time some family health issues that had taken most of my time were finally settling down a bit, the newly infamous novel coronavirus hit the US. You can learn more about my professional response to COVID-19 and subsequent service changes here.

This is a collection of photographs I have captured since SARS-CoV-2 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization to today’s mid-May posting. As I am a caregiver to someone at very high risk, my outings since before quarantine even began have been limited to grocery / food / fundamental shopping, healthcare and pharmacy visits, and my regular trail-running (hey, I stopped going to the gym due to the high risk before they even closed - I’ve never been up to half-marathon distance so early in the running season - I’ve already run two 13.1s and one 10 miler this year, on top of my standard training regimen).

Grocery

By now it’s not just common; it’s an expected sight - barren paper aisles, empty soap sections, cold medicine picked over and packages haphazardly ripped into, the contents stolen. It was only after weeks of this that stores even began limiting purchase quantities on high-demand items.

I’ve been lucky and have thus far been able to source everything needed to stay safe with the help of friends. Some hard-to-find items I’ve even had enough to safely share with friends or give to their high-risk or frontline-working families.

As an aside, the health and legal implications of COVID-19 have disrupted the paper industry even for printing - print production for most things like prints and albums have halted from almost all printing partners - it’s an odd industry impact I’ve been continually watching.

All images shot and edited on iPhone.

Restaurants

Quarantine food has mostly been a case of creating meals with what’s available at the grocery store a given week, which is fun because it has forced some creativity, while sometimes also leading to frustration when you have every ingredient but one - at one point I was searching for garlic for over 3 weeks!

There have been occasions where grabbing food to-go while out has either made more sense, been more convenient, or has simply been par for the course (birthdays, holidays, etc). I’ve been doing contactless curbside pickup for all of this, except for the two instances below, which show what the interiors of some restaurants look like in response to not allowing dine-in customers. For reference, Panera Bread and Jason’s Deli are among the many restaurants offering grocery orders and delivery.

All images shot and edited on iPhone.

Airports

Washington Dulles International Airport

Finally, while my business is currently limited in what it can do (click here to read how my business is impacted and responding to COVID-19), basic operations still must go on. One of the most fundamental of business operations is maintaining currency of security training and credentials. I visited both Dulles and Reagan in order to renew my security training and badges, and documented all changes I saw while on-site. I only stayed pre-security since I did not have need to enter the SIDA for my renewals, and am not taking unnecessary excursionary risks.

Noticable changes are Dulles are the nearly empty parking lots, completely empty Terminal loops (which are usually bustling), consolidation of security checkpoints, closed ticket counters of airlines that have suspended operations, and to me most notably is how clean the floors look - I don’t think I’ve ever seen the terrazzo so brightly polished and shiny. The departures level has been cleared of most stanchions, and background music has been turned off, leaving only the ambient rumble of HVAC noise - walking the Terminal, with nobody around but a few other employees, reminded me of my days in Dulles’ engineering department, doing facility walkthroughs in the back-of-house corridors surrounded by nothing but the buildings’ natural sound and your own echo.

All images shot on EOS R and edited on a color calibrated computer.

Ronald Reagan National Airport

Reagan was the same story - I did my renewals as required by FAA / DHS, and explored the impacts pre-security. Because there was no traffic, it was easy for me to capture photos of the Ronald Reagan statue I’ve never gotten before.

Impacts that were most apparent were immediately being greeted by a nearly empty parking garage, the people in National Hall were almost entirely employees - incredibly the handful of passengers arriving off a flight were all maskless.

The saddest part of this, for me, was seeing all the shuttered concessionaires. At both airports only a handful of concessions are operating at time of writing - this is sad for me because I’ve photographed each and every single one of these. What is most striking about the closed retailers is how abruptly they closed - many are still decorated for the Cherry Blossom Festival, the height of which is when most quarantine orders took effect, or have Now Open signage on their closed storefront hastily left in the rapid closures. It saddens me to see so many beloved stores and restaurants closed for the time being.

DCA, like Dulles, has prominent signage encouraging proper mask usage and hand washing. One difference, however, is, although both airports have the same hand sanitizer dispensers, DCA’s are COVID-19 branded.

All images shot on EOS R and edited on a color calibrated computer.

Spottings

Although I’ve had opportunity to see friends and even use private gyms if desired, I haven’t taken any of these opportunities because I know how lackadaisical (read: virtually non-existent) the social distancing was. That being said, I’ve had a few chance run-ins while out and about, which, although brief, has been a nice break in the monotony.

You may recognize David and Tiffany from their engagement session and wedding I shot last year. By the way, that picture of the Dulles Main Terminal over my shoulder is a photo I shot in 2012.

All images shot and edited on iPhone.