GLAMOUR | interview

Photographer Captures Professionals on the Front Lines Against Covid-19 in Madrid  

“Time to Heal” Project by Brazilian Emilia Brandão Went Through 3 Hospitals and Portrayed Cleaning, Administrative, Medical, and Nursing Teams

By Testimony to Stefani Sousa; Photos by Emilia Brandão

05/05/2020

In an interview with Glamour, Brazilian photographer Emilia Brandão, 37, shares details of her days photographing healthcare professionals who are on the front lines against the coronavirus in hospitals in Madrid, Spain. In the city where she lives and is confined with her husband and two children, the photographer discovers experiences of love, struggle, and hope in the **”Time to Heal”** project. Understand more below:

“Confined at home since the beginning of March, I felt I needed to step out of my comfort zone and document where the war is happening. It was then that, at the invitation of Leica, a professional camera brand, I decided to provide a historical record for those working on the front lines and offer a loving perspective for these people who are in great need of affection.

I was expecting the professionals to talk about things at the hospital, but we went much deeper. It was a very transformative experience. Three hospitals in Madrid opened their doors, and I had the honor of photographing 150 people, from doctors and nurses to cleaning and administrative staff.

I thought I was prepared for stories of life in the hospital, about death and illness, but I was surprised by narratives of personal sacrifices made by healthcare professionals. This overwhelmed me.

There was a pattern during the sessions. The healthcare professionals arrived excited about the photos, with smiles on their faces, but that energy faded when they were alone with me. The intimacy and trust between us were very special, and they began to share their stories.

Every day, exhausted, doctors and nurses face long shifts of 12 to 16 hours of daily work. They are emotionally and physically drained, not just because of the work they do, but because of everything they face in dealing with the situation.

We call them heroes, but talking with them made me understand that this word was also causing them immense stress. No matter how extraordinary the work they are doing, it is clear that they are close to collapse.