Some days, you would hardly guess that Amsterdam is in lockdown. The streets are buzzing with people, markets are open and there’s even the occasional outdoor street party. But there are some days — moody weather, random Wednesday kind of days — when you are painfully reminded that things are not back to normal. When you walk on the streets of the city centre and you see a person here and there, walking with a grumpy face, avoiding the others. People walk either alone or with another friend, a take-away coffee in hand, slowly roaming the streets, looking for quiet corners where they can sit for a while.

It’s unbelievable to see the streets in the Red Light District so empty. Suddenly they seem wider, not so narrow as you remember them from the days when they were packed with people. You can admire the beautiful architecture of the old Amsterdam city centre and even take pictures, a thing you wouldn’t be allowed when the women are there, working. Seagulls are patrolling these streets now, upset that they can barely find anything to forage now where it used to be a feast.

The scenery was only inspiring for black and white photos; I didn’t feel like colour would do anything for the city in that moment. It’s like even my memories of that day are coming back to me in black and white.

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