Assignment 4- Ian Schaeffer

This photo was taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which swept over southern Louisiana and major cities like New Orleans in the August of 2005, wrecking homes and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Some estimates list the death toll as high as 2,000, most of whom were senior citizens, all trapped in their homes by the vicious winds and the surging water.

In this aerial photograph, hundreds of homes covering multiple blocks can be seen submerged in swampy water, and even though it is too high up to see specific faces or people, it is clear that hundreds of families and even thousands of people have had their belongings obliterated by the freak storm, which to this day remains one of the biggest national disasters in American history. The grim scene captured in this photo gripped the hearts of the American people, and it is images like this that resulted in immediate response from volunteer aid teams from across the country. Although hearing of the disaster likely stimulated some response, viewers could not fully comprehend the magnitude of the disaster until they had been confronted by a photo like this.

Beyond this photograph, the devastation likely continued for miles. The knowledge of this fact only further contributed to the feelings of shock and distress of the whole nation, and consequently resulted in even more aid. Pictures have a unique ability to capture the attention of a viewer because they show reality without a sugarcoat or gloss, and it is this fact that stimulates change.