"Tè Tremblé..." Remembering the Earthquake in Haiti. 2 Years Ago ~ Today. 12•Jan.•10

Two years ago today, January 12th., 2010, Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake, what Haitians call "Tè Tremblé, the earth trembles..." Nearly a quarter of a million people were killed and more than 1.5 million were left homeless. It was one of the worst natural disasters in history. I arrived in Haiti two weeks after the earthquake with longtime client Operation Smile of Norfolk, VA, and spent a week in the surgical compound set up at the Love A Child Health Center in Fond Parisiene, about 5 kilometers from the border of the Dominican Republic. I managed to spend my last full day of the mission in the capital, Port-au-Prince. (500, 000 Haitians are still homeless today throughout the country and millions of dollars in donated aid has yet to reach the victims...) Here's some of what I witnessed during my week on the island nation. I've included a slideshow of my take as well at the bottom of this look back. ~cg.

*To view all of my original posts from Haiti, including the surgical relief mission in January 2010, click HERE.

If you want to get an idea of what it was like after the earthquake in Haiti two years ago, and what it's like now, I urge you to spend a few moments and watch this video from the PBS series, "Frontline." This is the first of four videos on 'The Quake' After this first chapter, a link will take you to the remaining piece on the PBS site. ~cg.

Watch The Quake on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

and this from Friday's Democracy Now! broadcast:

and Aljazeera:

Photographer Daniel Morel wins 2 World Press Photo Awards.

2011 WORLD PRESS PHOTO

Image © Daniel Morel/Photomorel, courtesy of the photographer.

My longtime friend and colleague, Daniel Morel has won two World Press Photo Awards in the 2011 competition held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You may know his iconic image above as Daniel, a Haitian photographer created the first images after the earthquake struck in Port-au-Prince on January 12, 2010. His images were seen around the world in the days following the devastating earthquake that killed more than 250,000 people, and left upwards of 1.5 million people homeless. His images ran in newspapers and magazines around the world, and were broadcast on international TV news channels as well. Daniel was awarded a 2nd. place in News (Singles) for the image of the woman crawling out of the rubble (above) and a 1st. Place in News (Stories - below) for a collection of his images just after the earthquake that first day. I've known Daniel for nearly 20 years, after our first meeting in Haiti back in 1993, on my first international shooting assignment with two other colleagues. I caught up with Daniel in his Port-au-Prince hotel last January, two weeks after the earthquake, while I was there working for longtime client Operation Smile. ~cg.

Oloffson Hotel. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Saturday, January 30, 2010.

Portfolio editing w/ Daniel in my apartment. Newburgh, NY. May 2008.

"All the Way Back Home from Haiti..." 07•Feb.•10

So I've been back home for a week now from the earthquake in Haiti. Barely had enough time to do laundry, and get to the stack of dishes that seemed to grow in my kitchen sink. Those of you that travel hard for international assignments must know of these feelings. This was the third earthquake zone I've been to, as well as hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides and areas of militarized conflict around the world. It usually takes a few days for me to "re-adjust" to the everyday and sometimes mundane happenings here at home. Besides, I was thrown right back into the work schedule on Tuesday afternoon covering a couple of big HS and community college basketball games, on strobes no less. Yesterday it was HS swimming and immediately after, HS girls indoor track championships at West Point. But Haiti hasn't been out of my thoughts for a single moment all week. I've thought about producing this slideshow and how to present it. Even recorded a Haitian girl last Saturday singing a gospel tune in Creole in the camp before I left for a day of shooting in Port-au-Prince. Not sure yet if I'll add any audio to these images. Quite honestly, I think they're powerful enough. Thanks for looking and having an interest in my work - I appreciate all your comments. -cg.

*(Use the arrow at the bottom left of the player or click the image to start the slideshow. Enable full screen viewing by clicking the 4-way arrow icon above the credits button at lower right of the player. Pause the portfolio slideshow in the right column by clicking the "II" pause button. There is no audio track with this presentation.)

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 30•Jan.•10

This is Port-au-Prince today, two and a half weeks after the earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people. More on all this later when I return to CONUS and am able to add a slideshow here to the blog. These are the images that we all as photojournalists push ourselves to create. No matter where it is when the call comes. I was last here in 1999 and prior to that in 1993 with two former colleagues on my first international shooting assignment. "Thanks Funch for encouraging me to tag along on that first trip back then. I have felt your spirit here all week..." -cg.

-30-

Onè Respe: A Photographic Benefit for the Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake

When last week's massive 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, rescue & humanitarian workers from around the world stepped up immediately - some arriving within 24 hours. Photographers from the world's premiere picture agencies, newspapers & wire services raced to the island nation as well. The images coming out of the capital city Port-au-Prince and outlaying countryside are just heart wrenching. Everyday. Doesn't matter who's making the images- it all hurts. Those of you that know my career, know of my past trips to Haiti, and the stories I've told of the impoverished island nation. Fast-forward to the present. Fellow photographer Lane Hartwell in the Bay Area contacted me and asked would I donate a few of my images for a fund raising magazine for the American Red Cross that she was producing. Without hesitation I hustled to send her a few of my favorite images from Haiti that I'd made back in 1993. I only wish I had more of those wonderful old chromes scanned and ready to go as high res digital files. In fact, that personal trip was my first international shooting assignment. These are preview pages of my images made on that trip that are included in the magazine. (Click each page to see a larger view):


I do hope that you'll visit the magazine publisher's link HERE and purchase a copy. All proceeds from sales of the magazine will benefit the American Red Cross International Response Fund to help the work ahead in Haiti. Especially now with such grim images coming in we wanted to give a glimpse into the lives of the Haitian people and hope for what is possible. These photographs show the sense of family and community, the sheer happiness of the Haitian children in spite of the extreme poverty in their country. -cg.

Haiti. Oct. 1993.

In October 1993 I traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti with two colleagues on my first personal international shooting trip. I remember walking the streets in Cite Soleil, Cite Carton, Bel Air, Delmas and of course Petionville. Working in Haiti on that first self assigned project changed my personal perspectives on approaching long-term projects and of course working in a poverty stricken country. Six years later I returned with an NGO client and moved about the familiar neighborhoods. I know of the landmark buildings, like the Presidential Palace in central Port-au-Prince that have collapsed in this week's earthquake.

As Haitians tonight are living in the streets after Tuesday's devastating earthquake, my heart is aching for the people there. I know from working at earthquakes in Turkey and El Salvador, as well as Hurricane Mitch in Honduras,
and down in the Gulf Coast States a few months after Hurricane Katrina, it'll be a slow rebuilding process for this Caribbean country with it's unimaginable living conditions, minimal infrastructure, and no economy to speak of.

I am waiting to hear from colleagues working there and a few that are in transit now. Think of the people in Haiti and what they're enduring now and what they're faced with for the months, if not years to come.
I am. -cg.

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*Ironically the following image from the '93 trip was the first one I selected from the archives back in October to introduce "Rewind", occasionally highlighting photographs that may not be in the main portfolio. ~cg. 14 Jan. 10

REWIND - Images from the Archive.

Cockfighters. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. October 1993.

Presenting REWIND - Images from the Archive.
I've thought for the longest time on how to showcase some of my favorite images here on the blog that aren't particularly in the working portfolio for one reason or another. Look for this occasional feature where I'll highlight a single image from the archives that's meant a lot throughout my career. Enjoy. -cg.

REWIND - Images from the Archive.

Cockfighters. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. October 1993.

Presenting REWIND - Images from the Archive.
I've thought for the longest time on how to showcase some of my favorite images here on the blog that aren't particularly in the working portfolio for one reason or another. Look for this occasional feature where I'll highlight a single image from the archives that's meant a lot throughout my career. Enjoy. -cg.