Covid-19: Pandemic portraits of St Albans show city's 'resilience and angst'

Nic Madge's diptychs are accompanied by a comment from the subject

A photographer who has taken portraits of people living through the pandemic says the photos show their "resilience" but also highlights the "pain and angst" caused by Covid-19.

Nic Madge has taken pictures of people in St Albans, Hertfordshire, since October, and will exhibit them at St Albans Museum + Gallery.

He said the virus was the "biggest challenge to people living in the city for over 70 years".

"We are living through history."

Each of his subjects is shown with a facemask on, and off. Next to it is a caption which describes who they are and how they have been feeling.

Mr Madge, a retired judge who lives in St Albans, said: "By listening to the people I've come to appreciate how many different responses, how many different lives there are.

"The portraits reflect the vitality and diversity of St Albans.

"The lives of some have been devastated. Others have hardly been touched.

"I've learnt how much people are working together to survive the pandemic and I've seen great public resilience and also significant personal pain and angst."

On two occasions people have "understandably burst into tears talking about the loss of a loved one", but others have been "very positive", he said.

"It's not just taking the photographs, it's meeting and listening to people that has reaffirmed my belief that most people in the world are good," he added.

The Pandemic Portraits collection is being shared on Mr Madge's Instagram and website and will be exhibited at St Albans Museum + Gallery, when it is allowed to reopen.