What photographers miss most: Stunning images reveal post-pandemic dreams

Snappers asked to share examples of what they missed during Covid crisis

Vietnam-based photographer Rehahn shows us a young girl sheltering from the heavy rain under a giant leaf. 'I wanted to submit an uplifting image, and the smile on the little girl’s face says it all. We will get through this pandemic but we know the only way is together,' he said. Rehahn

Zina Hamu, a Yazidi refugee, fled her Iraqi village when ISIS invaded in 2014. She lived for many years in a camp with her family, before moving first to Lithuania and then to Canada to study journalism and photography. She is desperate to return to the Middle East to see her mother, brother and sisters but is unable to because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. 'My photograph of the boys huddled around a fire always triggers memories of my own time living in the camp. I hope that the vaccine will be available in all regions so that I can return there very soon. I am desperate to visit my family. I cannot wait to give my mother a hug.' Zina Hamu

Sam Pearce is a keen amateur sailor in her spare time and it’s something she just can’t wait to return to. 'The photo of a racing flotilla off Weymouth (on the UK’s south coast) fills me with so much pleasure but at the same time, so much frustration. We have not been able to sail at all during the pandemic and I miss it terribly.' Sam Pearce

The Covid-19 crisis led to many countries suspending marriage ceremonies or severely restricting attendance at weddings. For wedding photographers like Brad Wakefield, this is a disaster. 'This photo is from Ben and Kay’s wedding in August 2019 and I have not shot a marriage ceremony since then. I’m really looking forward to photographing them again. I just can’t wait to get back out there.' Brad Wakefield

People living in the Turkish city of Istanbul have been under tough Covid-19 restrictions for months, meaning photographer Sevil Alkan’s work is severely limited. 'All social activities are banned and we cannot go out at all after 9pm. Istanbul is marked as a red city, which means the pandemic rate is very high. This is why I chose the photograph of the children playing in the fountain. I long to be able to return to capture these scenes of pure joy again.' Sevil Alkan

South Africa-based Ingrid Irsigler’s stunning photograph from a fashion shoot in Cyrildene, Johannesburg’s Chinatown, makes her feel hugely nostalgic for the times before Covid-19. 'I look at these photos with such a heart of fondness at the sheer life happening all around me. These days, the streets are empty and we are in the grip of this pandemic. I do hope one day soon the world will be free again from this terrible thing.' Ingrid Irsigler

Sara Jabril likes to take time off from her African photo assignments to explore the cities she visits. Her stunning photo of worshippers heading to a mosque in Kampala, Uganda was taken on such a trip. 'Due to Covid, all trips and a lot of our project activities came to a halt. So unfortunately, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been able to shoot in new locations. Hopefully I can pick this up again once we’re all vaccinated and the travel restrictions between African countries ease.' Sara Jabril

Angus Beaton has worked for NGOs and charities since retiring from the military. His is an image from the marshes of southern Iraq. 'The light was just incredible the day I photographed the two children paddling in the water. It is the most beautiful part of the world and so unexpected when you think most of southern Iraq is barren desert. I have not been able to return there for a year and it’s incredibly frustrating. We need to keep telling people’s stories in this very difficult part of the world but we simply can’t until the vaccine allows us to.' Angus Beaton

Marcus Kaufhold travels the world from his base in Frankfurt, Germany, but he cannot wait to be able to work closer to home. 'One of the biggest things many of us are missing is attending a concert and watching live music. I cannot wait to step back into a theatre, stadium or concert hall again and take pictures of the artists and their adoring fans. I chose this photo because of the look of absolute joy on their faces – this is the spirit we need to get back!' Marcus Kaufhold

British photographer Sebastian Rich produced a stunning image of Argentinian gauchos returning home after rounding up the cattle. 'It was such a beautiful sunset after a blisteringly hot day. The gauchos were hard as nails and the landscape was equally tough. The assignment was so different to my normal work of photographing the victims of war, famine and poverty. I long to be able to jump on a plane again and return there.' Sebastian Rich

Like the others, Josh Mainka’s work has been severely restricted by the pandemic. He spent weeks last year in Norway’s Lofoten Islands recording the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). The results were incredible. 'This photo reminds me of one special night under the stars in the stunning Lofoten archipelago, when the lights began to dance after a week of clouds and constant rain. This global vaccination programme has allowed us to imagine the day when the dark cloud of Covid has passed and things get back to normal. The lights are there, we just have to be patient a little bit longer.' Josh Mainka

Best known for his work documenting the long-term effects of war, the British photographer Giles Duley cannot wait for vaccine equity to reach a stage that allows him to begin his award-winning work again. 'I have always said I take a better photograph if I have shared a meal with that person first. Once a global vaccination programme is in place, I look forward to breaking bread once again with those I love and with the friends I’m yet to meet. Once the world is vaccinated, we can once more eat together.' Giles Duley

Leading photographers shared images of what they look forward to seeing when the world emerges from coronavirus lockdowns and vaccines offer a return to everyday life.
The images include a girl sheltering under a leaf, a wedding, crowds at a live music venue and cattle ranching in Argentina.
Many photographers, including Giles Duley, Zina Hamu and Sara Jabril, joined the UN's #OnlyTogether campaign, which demands equal access to the Covid-19 vaccines available.
Photographer Angus Beaton shared a photo from the marshes of southern Iraq.

“It is the most beautiful part of the world and so unexpected when you think most of southern Iraq is barren desert. I have not been able to return there for a year and it’s incredibly frustrating,” he said.

The Only Together campaign was launched by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on March 11 – when most of the world went into lockdown in 2020 – and asks people to share what they missed doing.

"Only together can we protect healthcare workers and the world's most vulnerable people," Mr Guterres said. "Only together can we end this pandemic and recover. And then, together, we can all get back to the things we love."
The biggest vaccination campaign in history began with the delivery of millions of doses around the world, but only 10 countries possess nearly 80 per cent of Covid-19 vaccines.
Some of the world's poorest countries are struggling to cope and the UN wants more vaccines made available to Covax, a global vaccine-equity mechanism.
Covax has shipped more than 28 million doses to nearly 40 countries, including about 10 African nations, in recent weeks.