Finding Beauty in Tragedy:

Photo taken by Frank Relle from his collection "Until the Water"

It is probably safe to say that Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters that some Americans have ever faced. The loss of life, culture, and history was devastating, not to mention the immeasurable impact this force of nature had on Louisiana and the world itself. Now, ten years after the tragic events of August 21-August 31 of 2005, photojournalist Frank Relle has captured the horror and the beauty in his collection hauntingly titled "Until the Water. I discovered this particular photo in the Photography, Video, and Visual Journalism section of  New York Times. 

Instantly I felt a deep connection with the picture for a few reason, one being, I didn't actually think it was real. At first glance it looked like an advertisement for a scary attraction, or new horror movie hitting the theaters.  It wasn't until I actually read the tag line for the photo that it in fact it was an image of an area that had fallen victim to mother natures powerful vengeance. 

The depth of perception and the way the water acts as a mirror to the sadness allows any viewer to create thousands of stories about the who, what, when, where, how, and why.  It is as universal as it is central. The use of lighting allows the image to almost seem 3-D. The background color of the sky seems to push forward the foreground to a level that surpasses the page, making the viewer a part of the image. Even the darkness itself plays a large role in creating a sense of dread and consumption of emptiness that makes this photograph haunting and unimaginably real.  However, there is still a sense of hope that one could feel from this, as the bright color of green pushing through the waters edge as well as from atop the almost lifeless cypress trees. 

Anyway you look at this picture, one can find the beauty and the beast of life and disaster. This photograph, along with the entire collection that Relle has collected thus far, enables audiences to see life through the eyes of an artist. His ability to capture the realness of life is spectacular as well as honorable.  

Here are a few other samples of "Until the Water", which is still in the process of being completed...

Follow along as we look at more pictures from Frank Relle as well as a glimpse into the life of the photojournalist himself. 

...next time we will take a look into Nightscapes