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Katrina -Hurricane Aftermath Pix from New Orleans
Vincent Laforet, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 11:07 PM on 08.30.05 |
->> Thanks for all of the members who helped with posting information when we were all on our way down here - this is an incredible resource and community.
I've had flashbacks to some scenes from war movies today and keep thinking of the mood the movie Apocalypse Now put me into...
If you're headed down here - take your time - this story is going to grow with time and there is no rush to get here... cell signals are back and have been getting great connections w/ Verizon card. Earlier today I had to drive 130 miles round-trip up to Batton Rouge to send pix so that's an incredible improvement... bring bug spray, medicine, boots, sanitary wipes... and anything you can trade w/ others out here. People have nothing. If you are on expense buy too much and give it away to people out here.... many are starving.
Here are some pix from the first day - incredibly hectic. Was on one of the first aerial flights over the city - hooked up with FEMA and agreed to provide them w/ recon photos and to pool the pix in order to be able to get up - I think we were the first "official" photo flight of the hurricane - incredibly tough to shoot as pilot was going at top speed flying like a military pilot - not a photo tour... vibrations were nightmare. But relative to all other nightmares out here it's irrelavent. Be safe. And don't take anything for granted - I know I'm not.
http://www.sportsshooter.com/laforet/katrina/ |
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Rainier Ehrhardt, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 11:18 PM on 08.30.05 |
->> wow wow and wow. Keep safe down there. At some point, you'll have to write about your experiences here. I think we're all curious to find out what it's like.
Take care. |
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David Higginbotham, Photographer
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Decatur | AL | USA | Posted: 11:25 PM on 08.30.05 |
->> Thanks for taking the time to share your words and images with us Vincent. We all need to keep the shooters, rescuers...and more importantly the victims of this horrible tragedy in our thoughts and prayers tonight when we lay down in our comfortable and dry beds.
Thanks again and best of luck to everyone who is working down there. |
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Adam Hemphill, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Willimantic | CT | US | Posted: 11:29 PM on 08.30.05 |
| ->> Thank you for sharing, Vincent. |
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 11:43 PM on 08.30.05 |
->> Brainstorm!!!!
If anyone is planning to go to the gulf coast - let everyone know if you can carry supplies and when you're leaving. That way those of us who are in close proximity to you can donate supplies for Katrina victims for you to take along. I'd love an opportunity to help out and would rather send stuff with one of you so I know it will directly help, as opposed to sending it and hoping it doesn't end up in a warehouse somewhere. |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 12:06 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Great idea, Jody.
Great images, Vincent. I was getting teary-eyed looking at the people and sensing the weight of and horror of the last 48 hours of their life. |
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Marc F. Henning, Photographer
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Bentonville | AR | USA | Posted: 12:07 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> amazing. this is just unimaginable. like our own tsunami, as i've heard the aftermath referred to several times today. looks like we'll be the ones needing help from the world community this time. its going to take a lot of time to recover from Katrina.
thanks for sharing Vincent.
marc |
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Shelly Castellano, Photographer
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Huntington Beach | CA | USA | Posted: 12:21 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Oh My.. Thank YOU for sharing. Keep doing what you do best, you inspire the rest of us. Please be careful and Stay Strong. I am keeping you all in my prayers.
Be Safe & God Bless |
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Chris Lawson, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Centennial | CO | USA | Posted: 12:55 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Beautiful and haunting at the same time, Vincent! Thank you for your passion and more importantly your compassion in dealing with this disaster. As Shelly said, you inspire the rest of us and I'm glad you're on our team. Know that you and the rest of humanity dealing with Katrina will be in the nut graph of my prayers tonight.
Stay safe, stay strong and keep making a difference! |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 1:57 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Great work as always...
CNN just did a nice piece with image pans on some awesome still photos and narration...
...unfortunately they didn't credit ANYBODY so I don't know who to compliment. |
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Phil Wever, Photographer
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Montgomery | IL | USA | Posted: 7:59 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent - thanks so much for taking the time to post images on SS as well as sharing your story.
Very strong images - Thanks so much.
Phil |
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Richard Johnson, Photographer, Assistant
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Tampa | FL | USA | Posted: 8:48 AM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent,
Your work is exceptional.
Take care of yourself and make sure you get some "down time." A disaster of this magnitude will wear on you in more ways than one.
Richard |
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Wesley R. Bush, Photographer
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Nashville | TN | U.S. | Posted: 11:26 AM on 08.31.05 |
| ->> I'm planning on heading down there late tonight. What's the gas situation nearby? Are stations within an hour's drive to New Orleans out of gas? I've got a place to stay in Baton Rouge. Just worried about being able to fill up and get back and forth. Anyone know? |
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Lucas Jackson, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Ventura | CA | USA | Posted: 12:33 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> My brother says that gas is hard to come buy in Alabama right now so I wouuld imagine that you will have to wait in long lines anywhere in LA that still has gas. Remember that all the residents of New Orleans, Biloxi, and lots of places near the coast are leaving along with all the ones who already left. Buying several 5 gallon gas cans before you get anywhere close and going into the area with backup and a completely full tank of gas would probably be a good idea. Not to mention water, bring lots and lots of water, going into a flood zone finding fresh water is one of the hardest things to do.
As for this being a tsunami, we had warning, and the ability to handle this, it is horrible but we'll get through it sooner or later. Not to mention insurance, i don't think many people in indonesia had insurance, thank goodnes for the good old US of A. |
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Steve Franz, Photographer
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Baton Rouge | LA | USA | Posted: 12:46 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vince
Thank You for the photos. More than likely, you flew over my house. The photo of the debris up against the bridge is right next to my old grammer school and Church. That area is called Bucktown. It has great seafood restaurants. The photo of the people on the house shows a scarry situation. The oil slick possibly came from a submerged car and the gas is seeping out. Another hit is coming on Monday. Jefferson parish is allowing residents to return for a day to get some belongings. To see this and not find their pets is going to hurt.
Steve |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 12:47 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent
God bless you, pal. I'm like Clark - teary eyed. Wish I was there, glad I'm not in many ways.
And Lucas, please be aware, most homeowners insurance covers wind damage, but does not cover flooding. Many of these people just lost EVERYTHING and the insurance companies won't do a damn thing for their policy holders.
Not trying to be a jerk, but you need to know what the story is. |
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Richard Johnson, Photographer, Assistant
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Tampa | FL | USA | Posted: 1:00 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Wesley,
Brett Farve was on TV a few minutes ago. He has family down in the area right now. He said his brother had to drive three hours to find anyone that had diesel for sale. I imagine that is the norm.
Something else you have probably thought of already, but bring plenty of bug spray in addition to the drinking water.
Good luck!
Richard |
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Curtis Bosarge, Jr, Photographer
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Des Allemands | LA | USA | Posted: 3:59 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Thanks for sharing your images of New Orleans. Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the scenery, being born and raised in Metairie, next door to N.O. The 17th Street Canal levee breach occurred a few blocks down the street from my sister's house (Belair street). We don't know if her house was washed away or simply flooded. My Dad's house is in Metairie, also flooded, as is my eldest son's apartment building in north Kenner on Lake Pontchartrain.
Fortunately, for me and my wife and younger son, we live down the bayou on the west bank of St Charles Parish - Des Allemands. No flooding or severe wind damage. We are all (9 of us plus 3 cats, 2 dogs and a bird) are staying in Houston for an indeterminate amount of time. Best guess is that I will be able to return to my home in about 7 days when they expect to restore power, and we are among the lucky ones. The rest of my family are under orders of the Parish officials to NOT return for at least 1 month. Like it's that simple. We all forgot to dig up our money trees when we were under the mandatory evacuation, so...
Anyway, thanks again for posting the dramatic photos, Vincent. I just want this community to know, as I'm sure you do, that there is a whole other story line developing here that is the ruination of tens, hundreds of thousands of people's lives. New Orleans, the adjoining Parishes, the people, the economy - all toast for an undetermined time. The impact to the nation will also be felt in rising prices of gas, commodoties, etc based on the amount of commerce that passes through the now-crippled Port of New Orleans, the rail lines, highways (some of which are now gone). This tragedy will have far reaching impact on all of us; just to a greater degree for some.
Peace,
Curtis |
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Thad Parsons, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Oxford | UK | United Kingdom | Posted: 5:40 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent,
I want to echo the words above ... great pictures ... stay safe ... keep doing a great job.
This has brought back some memories that I have not thought about for years. I remember Hugo and the damage that it did in NC ... but nothing like this!
This side of the world is thinking about you too! |
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Richard Uhlhorn, Photographer
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Chelan Falls | WA | USA | Posted: 5:55 PM on 08.31.05 |
| ->> Wow... great job Vincent... Stay safe and thanks for sharing with us. The images are great. |
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Nick Adams, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Bowling Green | KY | USA | Posted: 7:36 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Great photos Vincent!
I am driving down from Bowling Green, KY on Friday and will be there until Monday night. |
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Mark Buffalo, Photographer
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Lonoke | AR | USA | Posted: 7:48 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent,
Very powerful stuff...It makes me tear up.
I got online today and donated to the Red Cross. It was the best thing I've done in a long time. It made me and my wife feel good about oursevles and feel fortunate to live in Arkansas. |
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Andrew Phelps, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Vista (San Diego) | CA | USA | Posted: 9:09 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> Vincent,
I have not posted here in awhile but I have to say this. I picked up a copy of the New York Times today, pointed to the massive front-page aerial photo, and said to my friend, "This is a Vincent Laforet photograph."
I didn't need to read the byline. It was outstanding. For me, it brought together what had, until then, been a distant and hard-to-believe disaster. Now I'm saturated with the pain of the people of the Gulf region. That's what great images -- great photographers -- are able to do.
Be safe, and remember to put your own life and safety before your work! |
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John Pavoncello, Photographer
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York | PA | USA | Posted: 9:55 PM on 08.31.05 |
->> To those that are currently down south covering the aftermath (Vincent and others), do you know if Nextel phones are working yet? I'll be heading south early next week with a local disaster relief organization and am trying to cover all my bases to transmit.
Have no idea where we are going yet.
Thanks
John |
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Jon L Hendricks, Photographer
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Schererville | IN | USA | Posted: 12:48 AM on 09.01.05 |
| ->> I'm headed down to near Covington tomorrow morning early. Has anyone seen that area? Bug spray, waders, water, food. Anything else? Where is the nearest town with electricity? Thanks for any help. |
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Matthew Sharpe, Student/Intern
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Oxford | MS | | Posted: 1:58 AM on 09.01.05 |
| ->> Thank you Vincent. I'm a native of New Orleans and have done nothing but look at pictures of home for the last three days. Your work has been amazing and your efforts are greatly appreciated. Thank you. |
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Wesley R. Bush, Photographer
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Nashville | TN | U.S. | Posted: 10:48 PM on 09.01.05 |
| ->> I've been in Baton Rouge since about 3 p.m. The gas situation coming from the north doesn't get bad until you get about 20 miles north of Jackson. After Jackson and you're going to be waiting for about a mile in either direction at every gas station. Much farther south and there isn't power in a lot of Mississippi. The roads are normal and traffic is surprisingly light (other than anywhere near a gas pump). I blew a tire in the middle of nowhere and my spare was flat, so that set me back a few hours. I'm heading to New Orleans in the morning although there are plenty of stories to be found here. Actually everywhere. It is surreal here. |
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