Atikah Zata Amani’s lockdown images are filled with silence – a stillness that’s comforting and unsettling in equal measure. Turning the camera on her immediate family, she captures beauty in the mundane. A bike propped against a tree, a flash of pink, the delicate interplay of light and shadow.
While there’s a feeling of safety and protection in the quiet suburban setting, the masks and visors say otherwise. They are reminders that even they are not totally immune from the threat posed by the outside world.
Although she was already documenting her family life pre-Covid, the turn of events has inspired a deeper gratitude for the small things. For Atikah, photographing becomes an act of appreciation and a means of making sense of these uncertain times.
Atikah, can you introduce yourself and tell us what you do?
I am Atikah Zata Amani, mother of one, a freelance writer and photographer based in Bogor, Indonesia.
How has Covid-19 affected your day-to-day life and work?
I live with my husband and 5-year-old daughter. Since the pandemic, everything has changed. We struggled to build new rhythms at home, we slowed down, and the days felt longer. We’re also more concerned about maintaining good hygiene and try not to get sick.
Since the pandemic, everything has changed. We struggled to build new rhythms at home, we slowed down
I’m still busy with house chores, but surprisingly I could spend the afternoon biking with my daughter a little longer, starting new hobbies like gardening and continuing my photo story.
Why did you feel compelled to document your daily life during this time?
Actually, I already started my own photo project before the pandemic. It’s an ongoing photo story about my daughter, Aluna, focusing on our daily life. Suddenly, life has changed because of the virus in every part of the world – and in my family’s world too. I just try to continue to document that.
For many, lockdown has given people a greater appreciation for the things they once took for granted. Do you feel this way? What things do you miss from life before Covid-19?
I absolutely do. Since the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Indonesia in early March, my family and I chose to stay at home. The pandemic helps me to slow down. I don’t need to rush. I am grateful for all that; being able to stay at home during a pandemic is a privilege.
I don’t need to rush. I am grateful for that; being able to stay at home during a pandemic is a privilege
Lots of people here still have to go outside for work, because staying at home means they can no longer afford daily needs. One thing I realized is just how precious our ordinary lives were. I miss everything from a normal day.
It can be challenging to photograph the familiar things we’re used to seeing day in, day out. Are you finding that you’re beginning to see your surroundings in a new light?
Of course it can be challenging to photograph a subject that’s very close to you. What I’ve learnt from this process is that photographing someone you’re familiar with requires a lot of time. I invest my time in being there, so that I could develop the whole body of work.
I don’t think I’m seeing my family in a new perspective because I photograph them, but when I make a photo story about my family, I do have a greater appreciation for every little thing that makes us happy and for the things we have now.
I have a greater appreciation for every little thing that makes us happy and for the things we have now
What impact do you think the isolation, school closures and changes to everyday life will have on young people – what impact do you think it’s having on your own daughter?
My daughter, Aluna, is an only child. She’s really active and she likes to be around other people. She does swimming, plays around with her bicycle and loves to attend storytelling sessions – she took English classes too – so there’s usually lots going on with her.
Next July, she’s supposed to be going to school for the first time, but she has to stop doing all of these things because of the pandemic. However, it’s the same for children all over the world. I thought this would be difficult for her at first, but after we got used to the new rhythm, everything was fine. She remains as cheerful and active as ever. Hopefully she’ll remember this as a time of discovery and resilience, and also remember how we kept them safe and loved.
