a girl's silhouette showing fro behind a curtain

Stress, love, joy—what mothers photographed during the pandemic

More than 27,000 images have been submitted to the Eye Mama project, launched to bring mothers together during the isolation of COVID-19 and beyond.

Brazil

Paula Brandão moved with her family from São Paulo to Barra do Sahy, a small beach on the country’s coast, during the pandemic. “We experienced the fears and uncertainties of that moment,” she says, “but also the wonderful and challenging experience of being isolated together 24 hours a day in a very different setting full of nature.” One day she photographed her daughter, Olivia, playing with her shadow in the curtains. 
Photograph by Paula Brandão

Like many people, photographer Karni Arieli was stuck at home for most of 2020, living within the narrow confines imposed by the pandemic. To ease the tedium, Arieli—born in Israel and living in England—began taking pictures of her sons. When she realized that many other photographers were also turning their lenses on their families, “I thought, I should collect the stories of motherhood in lockdown.”

In April 2021 she launched the Eye Mama Project, an Instagram platform where she posts images of motherhood made by photographers from all over the world who identify as mothers. Arieli used the word “mama” because she considers it a term of endearment and connection.

“I wanted to come across all different cultures, ethnicities, sexualities—it

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.

Create your free account to continue reading

No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
SUBSCRIBE

Read This Next

Is banning fishing bad for fishermen? Not in this marine reserve
SeaWorld allegedly violated the Animal Welfare Act. Why is it still open?
'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet