Photojournalists Covering Superstorm Sandy

Photography Tips

From floods to fires to falling buildings, Superstorm Sandy’s wake of destruction was a shock to the East coast. Photos of concrete pillars where boardwalks once stood and leveled urban blocks where families once lived spread quickly through the Internet creating nation-wide sympathy and a great amount of support for the people living the affected areas.

Below is a video containing a series of interviews of the photojournalists who captured these once in a lifetime photos and helped spread awareness throughout the nation. They discuss their ideas for capturing the tragic scenes, their own personal responses to the situations, and the balance between doing their job and being a helpful citizen:

Photographer Lucas Jackson believes that media coverage is very important in an event such as Superstorm Sandy, but points out that it should be done correctly by showing all parts of the story and not exaggerating what is actually happening.

Determined woman standing outside her flooded house

“Emotionally, when you’re working, you have blinders on. It doesn’t affect you while you’re standing there. It’s afterwards, because you’re always going to have those memories.”

A mass of boats pile up on the shore after severe flooding

Chief photographer Adrees Latif points out how aerial photography can be important in showing what areas have and have not been affected.

Two children riding their scooters on the broken boardwalk

“It’s tragic. People lost their homes or they lost loved ones, and it’s difficult to cover that. But the hope is that by you covering it and by you sharing that story, that there will be a response that helps that person.”

Government comes to the aid of the citizens after the storm