Our Condolences

Our thoughts go out to the victims of Hurricane Ike and to our readers in Texas, or those who have relatives there. We know you are dealing with severe disruption, and we wish you safety, security, and health.

Comments

[Gordon Buck]

Thanks, Mike. As Hurricane Gustav took dead aim on New Orleans and looked to continue to Baton Rouge, I began to write a bit in my blog, http://lightdescription.blogspot.com/2008/08/hurricane-gustav.html, about preparations and experiences and continued documenting my personal experiences for several days. Fortunately, my family was essentially unaffected by Gustav and later by Ike so my documentation is thankfully mundane. However, the anxieties, stress and physical efforts are very real.

Facing such a situation, the photographer is really in a quandry. On the one hand, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to get that truly once in a lifetime shot. On the other hand, there are personal and family responsibilities that could be overwhelming. If you are not part of the official media, you are discouraged from moving about -- it is really dangerous. If your neighbor is using a chain saw to cut away a fallen tree from his house then he wants your help and not your photography. Of course, later on, everyone will want those photos.