Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news

Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email

A football photographer has died after high school football players accidentally collided with her on the sidelines.

Linda Gregory was taking professional photographs of Wichita Northwest High School’s team on the sidelines of a junior varsity football game, when two players who were engaged in a block made their way out of bounds and knocked her over.

The incident, which occurred on Monday night, saw Ms Gregory fall and hit her head on the concrete that surrounds the track at Bishop Carrol High School in Kansas.

Ms Gregory was rushed to the hospital by emergency services after the collision where she was put on life support.

Steve Martin, the high school’s football coach confirmed on Wednesday that Ms Gregory had died. “Linda was an amazing person who breathed life into our students here at Northwest,” Mr Martin said to the Eagle.

“The loss is a painful one for our team and my family, but we can only hope to learn from this tragic event,” he said. “She would go out of her way to make each kid feel important in her own unique way. Her passion for kids was amazing, but it went deeper than taking pictures for Linda and Mel [her husband]. They were a part of our football team and always will be. They are family. She was a mentor and friend to some of our boys, past and present, and they are hurting right now.”

The school also released a statement at the news of Ms Gregory’s passing, which said: “Linda’s sideline presence and constant support of our students will be sorely missed at Northwest High School.”

Ms Gregory and her husband Mel were long time sports and photography fans. A friend of theirs used to coach boys basketball at Northwest back in 2014, which sparked their afffinity with all Northwest sports events, showing up to take pictures of the games. The couple since then have never missed a game, reports KWCH.

Ms Gregory also has her own professional photography business and would also give advice to student photographers she would meet at various games, reports Varsity Kansas.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall, who used to play football at Northwest back in high school took to Facebook after hearing back on Tuesday when he heard Ms Gregory was on life support. He said: “We need prayers!!! These are the most genuine, polite, kind, giving, whole-hearted people. Prayers out to you and your wonderful wife, Mel Gregory.”

Mr Martin shared that the team would be remembering Ms Gregory throughout the rest of their games. “She left this world doing what she loved to do and that was being around people and expressing herself with pictures,” he said. “We will be keeping her spirit alive in our program and will be wearing LG stickers on our helmets to always remind us of our number one fan.”

The LG stickers that Mr Martin describes will be worn on the helmets of each Wichita Northwest Grizzly team member for the remainder of the season.

My friend Libby Hall, who has died aged 81, was a talented street and press photographer, writer and collector.

Her collection of thousands of vintage dog photographs was published as four books by Bloomsbury between 2000 and 2007, then acquired by the Bishopsgate Institute, which called it “possibly the largest number of canine pictures ever gathered by any single person”.

Libby taught herself photography from Popular Photography magazine after receiving a Box Brownie for her seventh birthday. After leaving the Rudolf Steiner school in New York at 16, she worked for six months in the photo lab at Life magazine, then at Village Voice as distribution manager.

At 18, she moved to Vienna, where she took the photographs of which she was most proud. A friendship with the American photojournalist Walker Evans helped her refine her technique.

Having moved to Suffolk in the mid 1960s to work at AS Neill’s Summerhill school, she documented life in her local pub, the Engineer in Leiston, in a series of photographs following the opening of a nuclear power station in nearby Sizewell.

Libby was born in New York to William McKinley Osborne II, a newspaperman, restaurateur and clerk, and Charlotte (nee Cameron), a designer and antique-store owner. The family, by Libby’s account, flitted between Manhattan, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine.

From 1960, while living in Vienna, she began a four-year relationship with Arthur S (Anand) Lall, an Indian diplomat and writer, and was subsequently briefly married to Peter Wood. Meeting the writer John Berger in a Genevan supermarket in 1964 began a lifelong friendship. I met her later through writing Berger’s biography. But it was while she was a press photographer for the Daily Worker (now the Morning Star) in London in 1966 that she met the political cartoonist Tony Hall; they settled in Clapton, east London, and married in 1973.

Following her marriage, Libby wound down her professional photography career. In later years, she took Open University courses in geology and science, and became an expert on Arnold Bennett’s novels.

After Tony’s death in 2008, she had “Stop! Do not resuscitate, living will extant” tattooed on her chest. Her diagnosis with end-stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2017 did not dim her sense of humour, her curiosity about the world or her ability to travel it in her imagination. Shetland was her last great fascination. Though she knew she would never visit, she fell asleep every night listening to Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham’s song By Dundas Loch.

“Mine has been a good life measured out in dogs,” she wrote in her memoir, self-published in 2019. Her last, Pip, lives with her stepson, Andrew, and his wife, Laura.

Andrew and her brother, Billy, survive her.

Are you the type of landscape photographer who visits a location once and then head off to other new locations, never to return? Or are you the type that returns to a location over and over? Revisiting a location presents significant opportunities for the landscape photographer.

As a landscape photographer, I like to revisit locations to help increase the odds of walking away with a portfolio-worthy image I am proud of. The repeated visits help me learn the area, find strong compositions, and determine what environmental conditions are helping create a unique photograph.

Advantages of Revisiting

If you revisit a location, it affords several advantages over just visiting an area once. You learn simple logistics that make subsequent visits easier and more efficient: which overlook is best, which trail is best, where to park. All of this helps make getting to the most promising spot more familiar and straightforward.

When approaching a scene for the first time, it is easy to get overwhelmed. I frequently find my senses overloaded at new locations. While I have techniques to help slow me down, I often take the “obvious” shot instead of really working the scene to find an interesting composition that tells a story.

I can think and process more reasonably if I revisit the scene on the second and third visits. My compositions improve or become more interesting because I am more in tune with the area.

And finally, the environmental conditions change on other visits. On first visits, the newness of a location makes everything seem like it is excellent. But was the light really the best? Were the clouds cooperating? Does fog or rain make the place even more unique? The more times you visit a location, the odds of you witnessing and recognizing special conditions increase, likely leading to stronger, more interesting images.

If you visit a location once, it might seem impressive initially, but is it just the “newness,” or is it the right conditions and composition lining up simultaneously?

My Recent Experience

I recently visited Arizona, specifically the Superstition Mountain area. I will likely be in this area several more times in the coming months, and I had considered this initial trip a scouting trip. Learn where the trail heads were, view the area from different angles, and get a feel for the area, so that on future visits, I increase my odds of success in capturing a great photo.

Upon my arrival, there was one park that I wanted to visit right away. Its location to where I was staying was convenient, and from my research, it seemed to offer lots of potential. But I needed to get a feel for the logistics: entry passes, park hours, trailheads, and what it looked like in person.

Over the course of three days, I visited, scouted, and photographed the area five times. On my first morning, I visited the park to scout what I thought was a promising trail. I made waypoints during my hike for return visits, and since it was overcast, I also took a few pictures.

The very evening of my first day in Arizona, I returned to the park for sunset and used my waypoints to reach a spot for photographs quickly. I was treated to amazing colors on the rock walls and felt good about my scouting.

The next day, I returned for sunset. I chose a slight variation of which trail I took to get a different angle. In addition, the sunset that evening was incredible, and I had different colors on the rock walls to photograph.

I returned for sunrise the next morning. That trip wasn’t the most fruitful, but I again visited a different area of the park and learned more about good angles and objects for the foreground that I could use for the more optimal sunset time.

And finally, I visited one more evening, using what I had learned on previous trips and then getting lucky with a rare rainbow over the scene. Simply by revisiting the location, I increased my odds of experiencing a more unique scene.

Why Revisit

Revisiting an area helps you become more in tune with the location, from logistics to refining your compositions. It also helps increase the chance you will witness some truly unique scenes.

How about you? Do you revisit landscape photography scenes? Do you find it helpful for your photography?

“Grab the Bull by the Horns” by Jack Zhi, United States. Bird Photographer of the Year 2023 and Gold Award Category: Bird Behavior.
Species: Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus and Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis.
Location: Southern California, United States.
“During the breeding season, a female Peregrine Falcon fiercely protects her young, attacking anything that comes near the nest. For four years, I attempted to capture these rare moments of her attacking large Brown Pelicans with incredible speed and agility. The high-speed chase made it challenging to capture a close-up shot with a long lens. The falcon’s precision was amazing as it struck at the pelican’s head.”

A striking photo of a female peregrine falcon fiercely defending her young was the top winner of the 2023 Bird Photographer of the Year contest. Selected from over 20,000 images, this bird of prey attacking a brown pelican that was too close to her nest earned American photographer Jack Zhi the title of Bird Photographer of the Year.

“For four years, I attempted to capture the rare sight of the female falcon attacking large brown pelicans with incredible speed and agility,” shares Zhi. “I love the eyes of the pelican in this image—surprised and scared. The action was fast and over in the blink of an eye. But I’ll remember that moment forever.”

Zhi’s dynamic image was one of many exceptional photographs entered into this year’s contest, which covers eight categories for adults, as well as special Video, Portfolio, and Conservation awards. Young photographers are also encouraged to enter, with 17-year-old German photographer Anton Trexler taking home the title of Young Bird Photographer of the Year.

All of the winning images are published in a hardcover coffee-table book that makes a wonderful gift for any bird lover. This year’s collection is available for purchase online. Check out some of our favorite Gold and Silver award winners of the 2023 contest and get your entries ready, as the 2024 is already taking submissions.

Here are the winners of the 2023 Bird Photographer of the Year competition.

“Glistening-Green” by Nicolas Reusens, Spain. Gold Award Category: Best Portrait.
Species: Glistening-green Tanager Chlorochrysa phoenicotis.
Location: Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Ecuador.
“Venturing into the tropical forest, I was excited to spot the rare Glistening-green Tanager. After hours of waiting, I saw the vivid green bird on a perfect heart-shaped leaf. Its shimmering feathers reflected a dazzling array of colors. I captured every detail, grateful for this magical moment amid the lush jungle backdrop.”

“More Fish Please!” by Levi Fitze, Switzerland. Silver Award Category: Comedy Bird.
Species: King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus.
Location: Saunders Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
“When observing King Penguins, I was struck by how their behavior sometimes resembles that of humans. This juvenile constantly begged until the annoyed adult walked away. However, the fact that the juvenile was more massive than the adult suggests good parenting overall.”

“Sunflower Paradise” by Mateusz Piesiak, Poland. Gold Award Category: Birds in the Environment.
Species: Brambling Fringilla montifringilla.
Location: Lower Silesia, Poland.
“Flooding meant that a field of sunflowers could not be harvested, and thousands of birds, including Greenfinches (Chloris chloris), Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and Bramblings, flocked to it in winter. Despite their colorful plumage making them easy targets, when foraging, their colors blend with the surroundings, making them hard for predators to spot. Using a wide-angle lens masked with snow and dried sunflowers, I photographed a flock of Bramblings from their perspective, with one perched in front of my camera.”

“Blue Hour and Red Moon” by Anton Trexler, Germany. Young Bird Photographer of the Year and Gold Award Category: 15–17 years.
Species: Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula.
Location: Mainz, Germany.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Blue atmosphere and red moon. Getting up before sunrise allows you to experience the magical awakening of animals. The blackbird is one of the first animals to awaken.”

“Parenting Goals” by Thomas Vijayan,
Canada. Silver Award Category: Best Portrait.
Species: Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri.
Location: Antarctica.
“Before capturing this image, I spent two days observing these penguins, lying flat on the ice to avoid scaring them. Waiting for the chick to appear, I finally got this touching shot of parental love. I trekked eight hours a day on soft snow to reach this colony and even made friends with some penguins.”

“Urban Paradise” by Xiaoke Wang, China. Silver Award Category: Urban Birds.
Species: Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo.
Location: Shenzhen, China.
“From October to March, Shenzhen is a wintering ground for over 100,000 migratory birds. In January 2022, tens of thousands of Great Cormorants were spotted flying over Talent Park, adding to the area’s avian diversity.”

“Flying Sword” by Rafael Armada, Spain. Gold Award Category: Birds in Flight.
Species: Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera.
Location: Bogotá, Colombia.
“The Sword-billed Hummingbird, common in the Andean forests, has the world’s longest bill relative to its size. This bird’s unique bill, adapted to feed on flowers with long corollas, makes it a vital pollinator, as bees and butterflies can’t reach the nectar and so don’t pollinate these plants. This image captures the bird approaching a feeder, with natural backgrounds and lighting.”

“Fascinating Droplet” by Jason Moore, Australia. Gold Award Category: Black and White.
Species: Musk Duck Biziura lobata.
Location: Perth, Australia.
“A young Musk Duck seems mesmerized by a drop of water falling from its mother’s mouth. Of course, it’s actually interested in the morsel of food that she has in her bill. Their coloration may be drab, but they more than make up for it with their beautiful expressions and fascinating displays.”

“No Way Out” by Antonio Aguti, Italy. Gold Award Category: Comedy Bird Photo.
Species: Purple Heron Ardea purpurea.
Location: Lake Chiusi, Italy.
“The Purple Heron is a migratory bird that nests in the lake basins of the Italian Peninsula and feeds mainly on fish, although it also preys on mice, snakes, toads, and other creatures. In this shot, the heron caught a large Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius) and voraciously swallowed it after several attempts to turn the fish onto its side.”

Over 20,000 images were entered into the contest.

“Don’t Make War” by Ewan Heath-Flynn, United Kingdom. Gold Award Category: Conservation (Single
Image).
Species: European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur.
Location: Southern Malta.
“A Maltese hunter stands proud, having legally shot a European Turtle Dove, a prized quarry on the island. European Union legislation bans the hunting of Turtle Doves in the breeding season. Nevertheless, across the Mediterranean, an estimated 0.34–0.87 million are killed every year. Generations of Maltese have hunted this species on migration; a few continue to hunt and follow tradition. In 2017, Malta introduced a spring hunting moratorium, which left some hunters feeling their ‘traditional’ way of life had been spoilt. Unfortunately, the ban was lifted in 2022, allowing European Turtle Doves to be killed once again. The decision has the potential to dramatically impact and further damage this beautiful bird’s chances of survival and drive it further towards extinction. BirdLife International and their partner BirdLife Malta both condemn the hunting.”

“High-Key Terns” by Harry Sedin, Sweden. Gold Award Category: 12–14 years.
Species: Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Common Tern Sterna hirundo.
Location: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.
“In a small inlet in Örnsköldsvik, there are terns everywhere during summer. So, one afternoon on an overcast day, I headed down to the water with the goal of photographing terns in flight. Instead of that, I ended up photographing an Arctic and Common Tern perched together on a railing. By utilizing the white of their bodies, the overcast weather, and the bright reflections in the water, I captured a high-key image of the two terns.”

“Verditer Flycatcher” by Arko Saha, India. Gold Award Category: 11 and Under.
Species: Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus.
Location: Pelling, Sikkim, India.
“Pelling is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. I observed so many birds when I visited the area. I snapped this very colorful bird in a garden near our hotel. The extremely vibrant blue color makes this bird so beautiful.”

“A Moment of Prayer” by Arto Leppänen, Finland. Gold Award Category: Urban Birds.
Species: Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa.
Location: Helsinki, Finland.
“During winter migration, owls from northern Finland often head to the south where they can find more food due to less snow. This Great Grey Owl chose a cemetery with abundant voles as its hunting ground. While hunting, the owl would often stop on tombstones or other structures to observe the area. Keeping a safe distance, I followed the owl and managed to capture a fleeting moment when it landed briefly on a beautiful angel statue.”

“The Dance of the Shadows” by Clément
Cornec, France. Gold Award Category: Birds in the Environment.
Species: Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri.
Location: Adélie Land, Antarctica.
“The Emperor Penguin breeds during winter in Antarctica, the coldest environment on Earth. It endures temperatures as low as -40°C during the long polar nights and 250km/h blizzards. Adaptations allow it to maintain body temperature and conserve energy.”

“Green Planet Flamingos” by Paul
Mckenzie, Ireland. Silver Award Category: Birds in Flight.
Species: Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor.
Location: Lake Bogoria, Kenya.
“This aerial photograph captures a flock of Lesser Flamingos in flight over a vast and concentrated bloom of cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae), their staple food source. The photo was taken from the open doors of a light aircraft.”

“Blue-Footed Fishing Dive” by Henley Spiers, United Kingdom. Silver Award Category: Bird Behavior.
Species: Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii.
Location: Los Islotes, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
“In early autumn, a sardine shoal at Los Islotes attracted seabird predators. Amid the shoal, I waited patiently for
the elusive shot of a Blue-footed Booby rising with a sardine in its beak. Finally, a crash came down close to me, and I instinctively captured the moment.”

“Seeing Eye to Eye” by Michael Eastwell, United Kingdom. Silver Award Category: Conservation (Single Image).
Species: Southern Boobook Ninox boobook.
Location: Bonorong Wildlife Hospital,
Brighton, Tasmania, Australia.
“Southern Boobooks, the smallest Australian owl species, are often brought to veterinary hospitals after car accidents. Their large, outward-projecting eyes adapted for low-light hunting make them vulnerable to injury. In this image, Dr. Luke Gregory is examining an owl named ‘Rocket,’ focusing on the posterior eye, where injuries can be less visible.”

“The Heron in the Palms” by Yaron Schmid, Israel. Silver Award Category: Black and White.
Species: Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala.
Location: Samburu National Reserve,
Kenya.
“Among Samburu’s most distinctive features are its Doum Palms (Hyphaene thebaica). While moving away from the river, I noticed a Black-headed Heron perched on one of the palm tree branches. I asked the guide to stop and captured a minimalistic image using a smaller lens.”

Bird Photographer of the Year: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern  Met granted permission to feature photos by BPOTY.

Related Articles:

People Can’t Believe This Photo of a Bird Isn’t Photoshopped or AI-Generated

Winners of the 2023 Audubon Photography Awards Celebrate the Beauty of Birds

Incredible Winning Photos From the 2021 Bird Photographer of the Year Contest

Winners of the 2023 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Embrace Our World’s Biodiversity

AMSTERDAM, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The new Polaroid I-2 combines traditional analog experience with modern camera technology to establish a new benchmark in instant photography. 

Armed with the sharpest-ever Polaroid lens and built-in manual controls, the I-2 produces exceptional image quality and empowers photographers with the tools to master their craft. 

“For a long time, it was our dream to make a high-end Polaroid camera and give people more choice in the world of analog photography – a choice that many passionate photographers told us they were craving,” said Polaroid CEO Oskar Smolokowski. “To develop the I-2, we expanded our engineering team and spent more than four years designing and finessing every element. It is the most capable camera we’ve ever made and a true milestone in our journey.”

At the heart of the I-2 is the continuous autofocus three-lens system capable of making the sharpest shots of any Polaroid instant camera for integral film, while a wide aperture delivers a gorgeous depth of field. The lens has been designed in partnership with Japanese optical engineers with decades of experience developing marquee analog products.

The autofocus takes full advantage of the lens with a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor, which precisely detects the distance to the subject and auto-adjusts the lens, ensuring accurate focus. LiDAR enables longer focusing distance and is reliable even in difficult scenes with high or low light conditions.

The I-2 is the first Polaroid camera for integral film with built-in manual controls allowing more creative freedom. A large, bright viewfinder offers a traditional optical experience and communicates camera settings via an integrated display. Shutter speed, aperture size and six different shooting modes are directly selectable on the camera.

Further extending creative choices for photographers, the Polaroid I-2 is the first instant camera compatible with i-Type, 600 and SX-70 film and has a built-in lens thread mount compatible with 49mm filters.

The design of the I-2 is a celebration of its functionality. The exterior is built around the lens and the camera’s manual controls. It is made with high-quality materials and has a modern look while remaining uniquely and unmistakably Polaroid. 

Made for the digital age, Polaroid I-2 features Bluetooth connectivity, and the accompanying app allows firmware upgrades over the air as well as complete remote control of the camera.

Coco Capitán, Kotori Kawashima, and Max Siedentopf became the first artists to try the new I-2 camera. Polaroid commissioned their work for the “Imperfectionists” campaign designed to mark the launch and celebrate instant photography as a creative medium that is beautifully unpredictable and imperfect.

“I am not interested in perfection. Chaos. Spontaneity. Randomness. That’s where reality exists,” remarks Coco Capitán, the celebrated Spanish artist. “Working with the I-2 and the Polaroid film is remarkable. As a creative tool, it has a lot of capabilities, while you cannot always predict what the photo will look like. Every shot is unique, and the process is as meaningful as the result.” 

Polaroid I-2 key features:

• Lens: 3-element lens with continuous autofocus system. Capable of ƒ/8 aperture across 0.4m (1.3′) – ∞ range controlled via a stepper motor. Material: optical grade polycarbonate and acrylic with anti-reflective coating.
• LiDAR: high-accuracy ranging system
• Built-in manual controls: camera modes, flash mode, distance to the object, shutter speed, aperture, and light meter indicator value are selectable on the camera and communicated through an integrated viewfinder display and external OLED display.
• Camera modes: auto, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, self-timer, multi-exposure
• Flash: vacuum discharge tube strobe, 2.5m (8′) range. Accurate, human-friendly flash system
• Design: modern design that echoes past iconic Polaroid machines. The technical requirements and the lens dictate the camera’s shape. The exterior is made of high-quality ABS and PMMA plastic that is more impact-resistant and finished with a special coating giving it a premium look and feel.
• UX design: working with I-2 is engaging, I-2 technical performance is on the surface – complexity is highly accessible
• Premium materials: ABS, PC, PMMA, Aluminum Alloy
• Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery, rechargeable via USB-C – 15-pack battery life
• Compatible with Polaroid i-Type, 600, and SX-70 film
• App-enabled: download iOS or Android Polaroid App to enable full remote control and firmware updates via OTA Bluetooth
• Tripod mount: standard 1/4-20 UNC thread
• Built-in lens filter thread mount: Compatible with 49mm filters
• Compatible with external flashes: 2.5mm audio mono-jack flash sync interface

The Polaroid I-2 instant camera is available for purchase on polaroid.com and through select retailers worldwide from September 7.

@Polaroid #PolaroidI2
Polaroid I-2 Camera MSRP: $599.99, £599,99, €699,99

For more information, please contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE Polaroid

A photographer who attended this year’s Burning Man says that despite the rain and the mud having a huge effect on the festival, it was still “amazing” and he came back with a unique set of images.

Perry Julien has been going to Burning Man for eight years, but this year the site in the Nevada desert got three months’ worth of rain last Friday, turning it into impassable sludge which made for an altogether different experience — and different photos.

“Once it started raining on Friday you couldn’t move about,” Julien tells PetaPixel. “After two steps, your shoes gain 10 pounds, walking was difficult — driving was impossible.”

Despite the muddy conditions, it gave Julien the chance to capture a set of photos different from the usual Burning Man imagery. But, he had to stay close to the camp as moving around was very difficult.

“Given that our camp is ‘beachfront property’ looking out to the playa, I was able to capture wide images and photos of people walking past our camp,” he says.

“It would have been nice to get out and explore a little and capture more photos around the city but that would have placed more stress on the infrastructure so I kept primarily to our camp.”

Most of the photos he took were all taken within a few feet of where he was staying. But, Julien was able to get some amusing photos, such as a boot stuck in the mud that had been abandoned by its owner.

“This person was walking and the boot slipped out. They looked at the boot, they looked at their foot, and they said ‘It’s not worth it.’ It wasn’t a posed shot,” he says.

“There weren’t many people sliding in the mud because it isn’t proper mud. We were on the outskirts of the city in the ‘beachfront property’ so for the most part it was just people slogging through. Someone described [the mud] as like ceramics on the wheel.”

Burning Man is on a lake bed so when it rains, the ground becomes mucky and muddy. Julien tells Fox 5 Atlanta that every year he and his wife go to the festival they pack a raincoat and boots but hoped never to use them.

Festival organizers asked attendees to conserve water and food while also closing the gates so no other people could arrive as the people there struggled to leave.

However, despite the bad conditions, Julien says that he was heartened to see people working together and helping each other out.

“It was truly inspiring to see how well most people adapted to the circumstances and made the very best of what was an insane circumstance,” he says.

“You know, there were stories of people digging out other people’s cars with their hands. Or bringing people out, or going out of their way to help people who had to get out. It is a great testament to human-kind of what can really happen in these bad situations.”

More of Julien’s work can be found on his Instagram, Facebook, and website.

Image credits: All photos by Perry Julien.