Should We Watch Something?

  • Dates
    2020 - 2020
  • Author
  • Topics Portrait, Contemporary Issues, Documentary

A photo project telling the story my roommate and his partner that decided to move into our apartment during the COVID19 outbreak in New York City .

One of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic has been the acceleration of many new relationships. One of those was between my roommates Eyal and Sam, who had just started dating a few weeks before the Covid-19 outbreak. A relationship that might have remained casual but blossomed into a 24/7 love affair when Sam moved into our Ridgewood apartment at the beginning of the quarantine. As the couple pursued their relationship, I became the non-participant spectator, their third wheel. Although they are now thousands of miles apart, with Eyal having moved back to Israel, this period allowed them to experience the pandemic's fear and anxiety together.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Eyal Chowers (25), sits on his bed at his Ridgewood apartment in February 28th, just two weeks before he self quarantine himself due to the covid 19 outbreak.

© Gili Benita - Eyal and Sam's, empty bedroom after they both went for a bike ride. Ridgewood, NYC, May 24th 2020
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Eyal and Sam's, empty bedroom after they both went for a bike ride. Ridgewood, NYC, May 24th 2020

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24) get his first home made skinfade in the bathroom from his partner Eyal Chowers (25), at their Ridgewood apartment in NYC, March 31st, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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A pile of dirty clothes of Eyal and Sam stacked up on the chair at their bedroom inside their Ridgewood apartment in NYC, April 19th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Sam (24 (R) and Eyal Chowers (25) (L), on their rooftop, March 20th, 2020.
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Sam (24 (R) and Eyal Chowers (25) (L), on their rooftop, March 20th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Sam (24) works out at the living room inside the Ridgewood apartment, NYC, April 21st, 2020.
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Sam (24) works out at the living room inside the Ridgewood apartment, NYC, April 21st, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Sam (24)m lies on Eyal's bed while answering to whats app messegas on his birthday, April 4th 2020.
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Sam (24)m lies on Eyal's bed while answering to whats app messegas on his birthday, April 4th 2020.

© Gili Benita - Sam (24 (R), and Eyal Chowers (25) (L), lying on their couch inside their Ridgewood apartment in NYC, April 5th, 2020.
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Sam (24 (R), and Eyal Chowers (25) (L), lying on their couch inside their Ridgewood apartment in NYC, April 5th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Eyal Chowers (25), smoking a cigarette on the window while watching sam working out in the living room inside his Ridgewood apartment in NYC, April 21st 2020.

© Gili Benita - A teddy bear and a laptop left alone on the couch while Eyal and Sam went groccerie shopping. Ridgewood, NYC, May 18th, 2020
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A teddy bear and a laptop left alone on the couch while Eyal and Sam went groccerie shopping. Ridgewood, NYC, May 18th, 2020

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24) sits on Eyal's bed inside the apartment in Ridgewood, NYC, April 19th, 2020. The Neon sign in the window says 'Tiny Room' in Korean.

© Gili Benita - A funeral held in the street out side of the window from the apartment, Ridgewood, NYC, May 14th 2020.
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A funeral held in the street out side of the window from the apartment, Ridgewood, NYC, May 14th 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24 (F), and Eyal Chowers (25) (B), making their weekly facetime calls with their freinds on the roof of their apartment in Ridgewood, NYC, May 5th 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24), is working on his computer while rolling papers remained in the coffee table in the living room, the Ridgewood apartment, NYC, April 28th 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24 (R), and Eyal Chowers (25) (L), lying together on their couch after watching an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, in their Ridgewood apartment in NYC, April 11th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Sam (24), streching out before his work out inside the Ridgewood apartment NYC, April 21st 2020.
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Sam (24), streching out before his work out inside the Ridgewood apartment NYC, April 21st 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24) smoking a cigarette on the window while finishing his work towards the end of the day, Ridgewood, NYC, May 5th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Sam (24) (L), smoking cigarettes with Eyal Chowers (25) (R), one week after moving in together in Eyal's Ridgewood apartment in NYC, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Both wanted the move so they can continue their romance in the pandemic. March 18th, 2020.

© Gili Benita - Image from the Should We Watch Something? photography project
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Eyal Chowers (25) and Sam (24) saying the last goodbye outside the apartment before Eyal's departure to Israel, Ridgewood, NYC, May 30th, 2020. The couple continues their romance as a long-distance relationship.

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