If photography can be viewed as a catastrophe, then each of Thomas Neff's pictures was a tremor. Each picture hit us with the humanity--or lack there of, of the stories that followed Hurricane Katrina. Each image struck us, shook us, and rattled our bones with the sobering images of the struggling, and forsaken people of the city of New Orleans. These pictures were particularly meaningful for me because of my own experiences with hurricane relief in the city--and the many storied i heard and the people i met that were reflected in the eyes of every single one of his subjects.

 I find it odd that although we claim to be in a "Arts in NY" course, we have not yet mentioned film as a form of art, nor have touched upon the subject of film at all. New York is such a central point for filmography, there are countless films created right here in New York. I was in Union Square Park on Wednesday and I experienced firsthand film students working on a project right in the middle of Union Square Park. There were various students form the New York Film Academy attempting to record. Exactly what they were trying to accomplish I'm not sure.

What's the difference between a moving image and a photograph? Both require the photographer and film director to be present in the moment. I know that it'd be difficult to compare two very distinct forms of art, but Barthes' liking of photography "in opposition to Cinema" made me want to explore this concept (3).

Thursday’s Meet the Artist event at the MHC was more than I expected it to be. It started as a usual symposium: a guest speaker, a power point presentation, and a public. This time, the combination of the three composed an unforgettable sensation. Topic of the speech: Surviving Katrina; a subject many of us seem to forget about. A terrible hurricane that hit New Orleans in 2005 still causes misfortune for many habitants in that area.

 I had to admire Thomas Neff who was in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and captured both the horrifying reality of the destruction but also the hope and resiliency of the people. It wasn't just the photos, but the stories which accompanied them which truly made one appreciate the gravity of this tragedy. Some refused to leave their home and belongings behind or they were protecting their property. Others simply didn’t have the resources to live somewhere else.