Living here in the New York City area, I have witnessed the chaos and destruction of Sandy firsthand. I saw New Yorkers and volunteers from out of state come together to help New York bounce back. The executives at Time Magazine asked some of their top photographers Michael Christopher Brown, Benjamin Lowy, Ed Kashi, Andrew Quilty and Stephen Wilkes to document the aftermath using iPhones and the juggernaut social app Instagram. These photos really help show the raw emotion that I was able to see, as well as the effect this “Super Storm” had on New York, all without using expensive equipment.
I really think that we will start to see many more major news stories being covered with mobile devices. We already see networks like NBC posting pics from the Today Show on Instagram, covering performances and happy topics. I am sure that in the future more “dramatic” news stories will be posted to Instagram and other social photo apps.
In this new era that includes apps like Instagram and posting pics to Social sites like Facebook and Twitter are a daily ritual, its a wonder news sources haven’t adopted this practice sooner. I am used to seeing comedic posts and photos from friend’s vacations, but this is the first time I have witnessed Instagram being used to show devastation and destruction.
I was walking through the SoHo area of New York City last week, and I got this eerie feeling; the hair on my neck stood up. Walking through blocks and blocks without power leaves you with a lifelessness in an area which is usually pulsing with busy New Yorkers. Later that day the power came back on, and people flooded the streets screaming with joy. People were snapping photos and video using iPhones and other mobile devices showing destruction or happiness. Whether you are a regular citizen or professional photographer, your iPhone can truly help tell a story.
Photo Credit: Time Magazine
