LENSCRATCH, an online daily journal of contemporary photography, featured the work of senior photography student Stephen Garza on April 19. Titled "Arriving 2020," the spotlight showcases 22 stunning black and white photographs of an empty Charlotte-Douglas Airport, where Garza is a baggage handler.
In his artist's statement, Garza writes about the dramatic change that COVID-19 has brought to the airport and his documentation of it.
"Throughout these trying times, I capture the eerie mood of a nearly empty airport terminal and the life within. Not long ago, the airport was thriving and filled with crowded walkways and long security lines. Of late, pilots wait, in solitude, for their next flight, passengers’ distance themselves from one another, and various airport employees avoid the crowded break rooms lounging in the spacious terminal. I chose to capture the essence of the airport with my cell phone, which I was able to use without drawing much attention to myself. This allowed me to remain unnoticed and the people in my photographs to continue with their actions and appearance."