« the hurricane ike debris project »
Most people who are unfamiliar with Houston (or Texas, for that matter) are always surprised to learn that the city is really very green: rather than covered in cacti and tumbleweeds as Texas is often portrayed by Hollywood, Houston is actually quite forested, with many of its older neighbourhoods hidden under canopies of huge oaks, pecans and evergreens. As a result, neighbourhoods like the Heights, Memorial, West University and others took quite a hit when Hurricane Ike came to town.
I was remarking to a friend this weekend that given the number of huge trees that were downed in our neighbourhood and others like it, I'm rather stunned that I don't know more people who lost their homes as a result of the storm. As you drive through the streets of some of the older neighbourhoods, there are huge mounds of debris -- heaps of branches and large tree trunks -- all lining the curbs, decaying with each day that passes. Every day, I've been staring at the impressive accumulation outside our house, watching ruefully as passers-by have begun tossing their own litter into the huge pile, and worrying about our dying lawn underneath.
Then suddenly I realized that up close, this mountain of debris might actually be quite beautiful.
So I grabbed my camera and my macro lens, and started climbing all over the refuse and shooting away. (I'm sure my neighbours must have thought I'd finally lost my ever-loving mind.) The result is The Hurricane Ike Debris Project, my attempt at finding some beauty in the chaos that resulted from the storm.
I'm pretty pleased with the results. I hope you enjoy them, too.
Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:34PM
Reader Comments (12)
You are the macro goddess! Love the new site too! Beautiful!
they're beautiful. it's lovely that you found inspiration in something that other folks might have seen differently.
Nice composition and color.
Do you have access to the shelters?
I'm an admitted idealist who finds the treatment of non-human debris so much more efficient than the treatment of humans (debris? dare we say?), that I think the powerful juxtaposition of humans with branches could bring positive change.
If it isn't your work or call, I think that is fine. Still, I'm hoping you know someone you could work with to make it happen?
Natural beauty does take many forms, and you are one to find a way to picture it.
So sad to have lost so many trees, though.
A friend all the way over here in Illinois had a very lovely shade tree fall down due to high winds caused by IKE's storms.
It fell on the neighbor's house and car. The story in the paper said that new gutters had been recently installed, and the car was paid for, so for this damage it was especially painful.
as an aside here, I have a nice monitor and all , but the smaller, lighter grey letters on this new space of yours are just akillin' these 52 year old eyes, even with bi-focals and prisms in my glasses
I already know the crutch of holding down the Control Key while hitting the plus sign to enlarge, but not much I can do here about the color combo
Go you for taking some great photos!
I would have just sat and rocked and worried about my lawn.
;-)
Karen, these are beautiful. I might have to buy a few prints from you.... Love it, Love it!
ooh i really, really like these. it's funny because i work on some images of decay yesterday as well. I posted on to my blog. There is so much beauty in the decay
" I have always looked upon decay as being just as wonderful and rich an expression of life as growth." - Henry Miller
I must find the beauty in chaos, too. It helps me make sense of things and begin to wrap my head around the thing. Otherwise, I feel utterly hopelessly lost in it. I love your photo and dearly wish that you could come to my house and give me photography lessons. I do "OKAY." And have a great deal of fun trying to remember high school and college photography classes... aperture/F-Stop, light meters, etc. I'm having a blast but not coming out with nearly as lovely photos as I'd imagined for myself. LOL!
Blessings!
Lacy
I just love this. I have the same piles in my front yard and I read in the Houston Chronicle that "brush pick-up will happen in the next 90 days." Now I see it with new eyes. thank you.