Covering a disaster

I am primarily a sports photographer, but last week a great opportunity came about for me to cover a breaking news story, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the explosion and collapse of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig. At first the news was the tragic story of 11 missing workers from the rig, a search was conducted for several days before it was discontinued, the workers lost at sea was the story, I was not involved with the scene at that time. After a few day word came that there was a oil leak coming from the sea floor where the Deep Water Horizon Oil Rig was drilling, then came the news the B.O.P. or blow out preventer failed to work and shut off the flow of oil and oil was spilling into the gulf at first at a reported 1000 barrels a day. A day later the news got worse, initial estimates were off and up to 5000 barrels a day was spilling into the open gulf water and the spill was quickly going to approach the fragile marshland coastline rich in seafood and wildlife, a potential ecological disaster was near the shores of Louisiana.

Usually I am not working with agencies that cover news so at first I figured I would be watching from my couch the developments in the Gulf of Mexico, but I would get a call, at first from the Associated Press, they assigned me to go shoot a press conference in Robert, Louisiana where a daily press briefing was given on the status of the oil spill. I shot press conference for AP and figured that would be it, but a photographer friend of mine Pat Semansky who was also working for AP, recommended my name to another agency Bloomberg News, and I got the call the following morning to go to work for them and was expecting to head down the heart of the clean up efforts, in Venice, Louisiana which happens to be near my hometown of Buras, La where I grew up.

A trip to Venice was put off temporarily put off on that first day, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, along with BP COO Doug Suttles and several members of the Obama administration Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano among others made an appearance in Robert, La for a press briefing. After the briefing I headed down to Algiers where I would be staying for the night before heading over to South Sea Plane in the morning to take a trip out for some aerial photos of the coastal areas of Louisiana.

I was quite excited about shooting from the plane, my excitement decreased within every minute of the flight as strong winds bounced the plane around making me feel a little sick making the rest of the trip a bit miserable, but I toughed it out and got the shots I needed although a low cloud deck kept me from getting some of the shots I wanted from the flight.

Here are a few of the photos from my aerial tour over the Louisiana coastline.

Oil containment boom is laid out in an effort to protect marshlands off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill is threatening the wildlife that inhabit the barrier islands off the Louisiana coast. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A double layer of oil containment boom is laid out in an effort to protect the Breton National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill is threatening the wildlife that inhabit Breton Sound including the Louisiana state bird the brown pelican. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Birds are seen from above Breton Sound in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill is threatening the Breton Sound islands that are a habitat for the Louisiana state bird the brown pelican. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

There are quite a few more aerial images from the day, but you can view those in the highlights slideshow at the end of this blog entry. After returning from the flight I received word that a rescue group would have media availability for any animals brought in from the oil, so I jumped onto the road for the 60+ trek to Fort Jackson in Boothville, La. I arrived just in time as the group was wrapping up a press briefing before they brought out a bird that had been cleaned earlier for a photo op.

A Northern Gannet bird is cared for by workers after be cleaned by the Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research Center at Fort Jackson in Boothville, Louisiana U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

I expected to see some birds rescued from the oil spill, but I was also glad to see that animals had not been vastly harmed from the oil spill. The weather during the day had prevented a lot of clean up and wildlife rescue efforts and the docks were empty as local fisherman were at a meeting and the docks at the Venice Marina were pretty much deserted, I made a few pictures of the boats docked which was a story as fishing grounds were closed due to the oil slick potentially contaminating the shrimp, oysters, crab and fish that are normally harvested from the area.

Shrimp boats sit idle dockside at the Venice Marina in Venice, Louisiana, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Wildlife and the seafood industry in south east Louisiana are threatened by the oil spill created due to the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded and collapsed in the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Oyster boats sit idle dockside in Empire, Louisiana, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Waterways where the many oysters are harvested have been shut down due to the oil spill from the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded and collapsed in the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Here are a few more things from the second day on the scene with Bloomberg.

A high tide covers a Hurricane Katrina damaged car in a water way near the Venice Marina in Venice, Louisiana, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Wildlife and the seafood industry in south east Louisiana are threatened by the oil spill created due to the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded and collapsed in the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Water flows in from the Gulf of Mexico into the inland marsh in Venice, Louisiana, U.S., on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill is threatening the marshlands along the eastern Louisiana coast. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

The following day I traveled with a Bloomberg writer to the Hopedale and Shell Beach areas in St. Bernard Parish where fisherman were setting up to take out oil containment boom to protect the fragile wetlands off the coast of St. Bernard Parish.

Frank Campo the owner of Campo’s Marina has his seafood business shut down due to the cleanup and containment efforts for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the local wildlife and seafood industry in Shell Beach, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A oyster boat sits dockside at the Brenton Sound Marina as fishing grounds are shut down in Hopedale, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Cleanup and containment efforts are underway for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the local wildlife and seafood industry. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Workers load oil boom onto a oyster boat for cleanup and containment efforts for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the local wildlife and seafood industry in Hopedale, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A seagull lands in a stack of oyster shell on a dock in Hopedale, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill threatens the habitat of wildlife and seafood in the area. .Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A monument remembering victims from Hurricane Katrina is placed at the end of the road in Shell Beach, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. The BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill now threatens the livelihood of locals who count on the seafood industry just after they have recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

St. Bernard police stop vehicles at a roadside check point near a staging area where boats are being prepared for cleanup and containment efforts for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the local wildlife and seafood industry in Hopedale, Louisiana, U.S., on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

On my fourth day of coverage I planned to head to out to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I got up early and made my way out there following the beach highway and after arriving and finding my first sign of activity of workers in the bay off the coast of Bay St. Louis laying out oil containment boom, but just after sending my first photos I get a call that I am needed at a fabrication yard in Golden Meadow to take pictures of a new containment system being constructed under the direction of BP. So I abandon my trip to the Mississippi Coast and drive three hours the opposite direction to get shots of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, La.

Workers lay out oil containment boom from a boat near a beach as cleanup and containment efforts continue for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the beaches and wildlife in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Workers lay out oil containment boom from a boat around the pillars of a bridge as cleanup and containment efforts continue for the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon drilling rig oil spill that threatens the beaches and wildlife in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Following a three hour plus drive I finally arrive at the fabrication yard just as the media tour of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System began.

A general view of work as the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A containment chamber that is part of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

Workers work on the dome a piece that will be placed on top of the containment chamber that is part of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg

A welder works on the top section of a containment chamber that is part of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery system that is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be contained in the chamber and pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle

Wild Well fabrication workers cut on a piece of pipe that will be used as part of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System that is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle

Containment funnels shown here will be placed on top of a containment chamber with a dome (not pictured) that will be used as part of the Sub Sea Oil Recovery System that is now being constructed at the Wild Well fabrication yard in Golden Meadow, Louisiana ,U.S., on Monday, May 3, 2010. The containers when completed will be placed over the site of the leak source of the BP Plc Deepwater Horizon Rig where oil will be pumped up to a ship to be processed. Photographer: Derick E. Hingle

After finishing up with shots of the fabrication yard, I got back on the road and headed back to Algiers where I had been staying for the duration of my coverage, the next morning I had the day off, and I am currently waiting word to return the scene to continue covering the events as they happen. Working in news is a lot different than sports, by I have to say I enjoyed my days shooting, I enjoy just about everything I do as a photographer, I can only hope that I can keep working.

Below are some clips I’ve found from my coverage of the oil spill and a hightlights slideshow of pictures I took over the four days of coverage.