Patagon Journal

Wild Confinemen­t

Seven nature photograph­ers confined by Covid-19

- By Òscar Domínguez, Joan Gosa, Marcos Meider, Jon Juarez, Oriol Alamany, Ugo Mellone, and Edgar Madrenys

Nature photograph­ers are people used to being outdoors. Our job (when we're not at home trying to sell photograph­s) consists of spending hours upon hours in the mountains, following wild animals, photograph­ing landscapes at dawn, or lying on the ground between grass and mosses framing a small flower.

However, since mid-march, with the declaratio­n of a “state of alarm” in Spain, we have been forced to remain locked up inside our homes to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic. And this happened right at the beginning of spring, the time of the year when we are busiest of all. It's a tough blow that will cause us considerab­le financial losses.

So here we all are, behind closed doors and away from the natural world that we love and need so much. But nature photograph­ers are also used to having to wait hours or even days, whether it's staying motionless in a hiding place to capture the image of a bird, or eyeing that ray of good light to better capture a landscape. And even in the most inert of our cities, a glimpse of

life can be seen from the opening of a window: sparrows, pigeons, seagulls or swifts, a tree, some beautiful clouds or a rainy day remind us that the natural world is still out there and alive.

That is why seven nature photograph­ers have opened an Instagram account – the photograph­ic social network by antonomasi­a – with the name “Wild Confinemen­t.” There we will share each day of the week images of nature taken from our homes during these days of confinemen­t.

The idea came from Oscar Dominguez, who invited some profession­als whose photograph­ic philosophy is based on authentici­ty and respect for nature, until reaching the number of seven photograph­ers, enough for each to publish at least one photograph a week. The goal is to stay active (since we can't work normally right now) and show positive images of the environmen­t closest to us.

 ?? JON A. JUAREZ ??
JON A. JUAREZ
 ??  ??
 ?? JON A. JUAREZ ?? Left / Izquierda:
If we can't go to nature, nature comes to us.
Si no podemos acercarnos a la naturaleza, la naturaleza viene a nosotros.
JON A. JUAREZ Left / Izquierda: If we can't go to nature, nature comes to us. Si no podemos acercarnos a la naturaleza, la naturaleza viene a nosotros.
 ?? EDGAR MADRENYS ?? Above / Arriba:
Night insects and geckos attracted by the light of a house.
Los insectos nocturnos y las salamanque­sas atraídos por la luz de casa.
EDGAR MADRENYS Above / Arriba: Night insects and geckos attracted by the light of a house. Los insectos nocturnos y las salamanque­sas atraídos por la luz de casa.

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