Jay Joseph
July 2025 - Hurricane Irma
Original
About the Image(s)
Hurricane Irma hit Bradenton Beach, Florida, in September 2024. The island was devastated. They made a fast and impressive rebuild effort. We visited in March of this year, and most of the island was up and running. There were still several areas of destruction to witness. This photograph was one of the many homes not yet dealt with. The photo was run through Topaz for sharpening. I brought back the overexposed sky and toned down some of the bright sunny areas. I tried several methods, but I could not get rid of the red fence in front with Lightroom. Pentax K-1, 70mm, f11, 1/60 sec, ISO 100.
10 comments posted
Nice PP. The red fence doesn't bother me, it's part of the story. Did you intentionally change the color of the house? It looks like with a couple of jacks, the house could be good as new. It's fortunate that we aren't experiencing climate change. Posted: 07/17/2025 18:54:56
I wanted the house to stand out a little more, so I did darken the house color. I took the photo in the bright sun, this is more like what I actually saw. Posted: 07/18/2025 00:47:43
Jay, nice composition. I like the darkening you did, and putting the red house in a dark shadow was a good choice. I especially like how you utilized the stairway at the top right. The fencing is a leading line from the bottom left to the house and leads the eye through the image in a nice circular flow. If the sky looked like your final, stay with it. I would tone down the top right portion of the sky, but that's your taste, and I respect that. Nice image! Posted: 07/18/2025 15:10:59
Thanks for your comments Trey. All I did to the sky was reduce the exposure. Posted: 07/25/2025 00:33:41
This event is part of the history of Bradenton Beach, Fl. and Hurricane Irma effect on this community. There is a real story here and you captured it well. This image would fit well in the journalistic category. The darken effect that you used in the image really brings the viewer's eye to the destruction suffered by many in Bradenton Beach. I look at this image and a lot of questions arise in my mind...who lived here, are they going to rebuild, will they be able to afford to rebuild..etc. A good journalistic image engages the viewer and you did that with your image Jay. Congratulations. Posted: 07/24/2025 00:45:11
Thanks for your comments Henriette. The entire city was badly damaged, but they have done an amazing job of quickly rebuilding. Posted: 07/25/2025 00:35:58
I could say you need to straighten the verticals, but that's just the Aussie in me coming out. Hurricanes, along with other natural disasters are not funny things and always devastating to communities. They're not funny at all. You have done very well with your processing and have told a strong story with this one. As Henriette says, a great piece of journalism. Posted: 07/24/2025 01:59:41
Thank you for your comments Ian. If the verticals were straight I would never have taken the picture! I Posted: 07/25/2025 00:37:46
Ian beat me to the comment about verticals! This is really about the story and recording the destruction that natural forces can cause and you have captured that well. It looks like the house was simply pushed over by a giant hand. On a purely pictorial note, I think that darkening down the sky and boosting saturation is the right way to go, but just be careful when you darken the sky so much - there is a little bit of a white halo around the roof (I know, trivial comment when you consider the poor people who lived here). Posted: 07/28/2025 14:02:07
Thanks for the comments and sharp eye on my photo. Also, thank you for the explanation of infrared. Posted: 07/29/2025 00:53:42