JPG: Photos: "Gone to Texas...Where is FEMA?" by John Linton

Gone to Texas...Where is FEMA?

Hot! In Photo Challenge: Writing on the Wall

by John Linton

Uploaded 18 Jun 2008 — 61 favorites

Share this!

I went down with two other guys in Feb. '06 to work on some Habitat for Humanity homes in Covington, LA. One day two of us went into New Orleans to help some Navy guys from Newport News, VA gut a home. This house was across the street. It was very spooky driving through New Orleans' various sections: street after street of gutted, empty houses without the street lights working.

I guess I could also place this photo in the WTF theme since the owner spray painted WTF in big red letters by the front door.

Photo taken with a throw away camera from Wal-Mart.

Another Picnik resize and Lomo-ish effect.

02/27/06

Some lyrics for them:

"It's hard in St. Bernard there's tears in Algiers
If you're calling for New Orleans
There's nobody here
So fix yourself a drink
Pack your things and go
Last one out turn off the lights and board up the doors
I want to go home whatever it takes
I want to go home when the levee breaks
I want to go home where the streets have holes
I want to go home where the good times roll
The Ninth Ward's disappeared the Treme's overflowed
It's Dante's Inferno
In the Superdome
The inhumanity of this insanity
Could have been prevented
Oh so easily
My heart is heavy feet everywhere it seems
This time even fats ain't walking back to New Orleans
I want to go home whatever it takes
I want to go home when the levee breaks
I want to go home where the streets have holes
I want to go home where the good times roll
The world is gonna pay 'cause we'll be everywhere
There'll be dancing in your streets
Music in your air
But when that water starts to fall you won't see us around
Unles you're buying drinks for us in our home town
I want to go home whatever it takes
I want to go home when the levee breaks
I want to go home where the streets have holes
I want to go home where the good times roll"

In the Nature Conquers Man: Katrina photo essay.

49 responses

J. Harris Blacklist gave props (18 Jun 2008):
This New Orleans? So sad emotionally devastating shot. Perfect!!!
Steven Hoenstine said (18 Jun 2008):
love that stark contrast and vignetting
Amelia (amy) Quicke gave props (18 Jun 2008):
Heart wrenching facts....writing on the wall....nice shot
peggy gardner gave props (18 Jun 2008):
well drown my ass - I'm going to use that one. this is excellent john ! Love the colors and irony.
elfriede fulda gave props (18 Jun 2008):
Such a sad situation, but I really adore this photo, the colors are fab.
Nelson Campbell gave props (18 Jun 2008):
oh my god this is amazing!! so stark so intense...
Ronnie Ginnever gave props (18 Jun 2008):
perfect for the theme -- awesome.
Christine Corrigan gave props (18 Jun 2008):
John,Great shot,moving...keep on shooting.
Hector rtiz gave props (18 Jun 2008):
i like OH, SHIT better...more real...
Frederic Frognier gave props (18 Jun 2008):
Strong and powerful image
Laura Boston-Thek gave props (19 Jun 2008):
WOW John...incredibly strong image!! Extremely well done and excellent for this theme. Deserves recognition...just as they people did.
Simon Le gave props (19 Jun 2008):
Awesome capture John! Love the writing!!! :)
Zach Murphy said (19 Jun 2008):
Very nice i have been there as well. depicts the mood greatly
Audrey Kanekoa-Madrid gave props (19 Jun 2008):
Wow! So powerful.
Yasmina Baggili gave props (19 Jun 2008):
John, this is just incredible! Fantastic job
j dixon gave props (19 Jun 2008):
prefect for this theme. Well done!
Portia Söderberg gave props (19 Jun 2008):
powerful image John! well done!
Farras Abdelnour gave props (20 Jun 2008):
I love this photo. Beautiful and powerful
Leanna Lomanski gave props (20 Jun 2008):
Great entry and capture.
David Rocaberti gave props (20 Jun 2008):
nice fit for the theme
Paul Lavallee gave props (20 Jun 2008):
powerful & beautiful image
Catherine Kurvink gave props (20 Jun 2008):
A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, and this would be a perfect example. Well done in every way.
Laura Hartley gave props (20 Jun 2008):
My husband went to college here. he is so heartbroken, he can hardly go back. Good work, John, really, really good work.
Vidyavati Chandan gave props (21 Jun 2008):
this is great!!!
adniloj gave props (21 Jun 2008):
Great narrative john; what beautiful work you've done here! A+ all the way . . . . .
Tesha Farlow gave props (22 Jun 2008):
very beautiful portrayal
Natalie Franco gave props (22 Jun 2008):
Love the tonalities through out the image ! Breaks my heart !
petey whitelaw gave props (22 Jun 2008):
thats is one full on image. very powerful. cool story too.
Ashley St. John gave props (22 Jun 2008):
WOW, so perfect for this theme.
Eric Abernethy said (22 Jun 2008):
"Your doing a heck of a job Brownie".
G W Bush on Fema's response to the people of NO.
Keith Skinner gave props (22 Jun 2008):
TFW was a code used to show that a place had been searched for survivors - I guess WTF is not too far off!!! I spent a lot of time in New Orleans during the aftermath of Katrina and images can not relay the message of despair many people are still feeling!
Jessica Martinez gave props (23 Jun 2008):
What a wonderful and pwerful image!
Penny Nannini gave props (24 Jun 2008):
love this one!
Lisa Koester gave props (26 Jun 2008):
not sure whatelse is left to say other than....nicely done!
Sherry Davis Johnson gave props (26 Jun 2008):
Great capture. The happy yellow color is an interesting juxtaposition to the vehement emotional script on the house. Thank you, John and to all who the others that left the comfort of their homes to go help make it right.
Adam Hurly added a link (2 Jul 2008):
powerful image. congrats on being selected! here's a link to the blog post. (jpgmag.com)
Lisa Koester gave props (2 Jul 2008):
Congrats John on being selected for the writing on the wall challenge! And again Superb Image.
J. Harris Blacklist gave props (3 Jul 2008):
Allright John! Congrats Man!
peggy gardner gave props (3 Jul 2008):
congrats !!
Leanna Lomanski gave props (3 Jul 2008):
Congratulations on being #2 in the selections!! Worthy entry and well-deserved choice.
Farras Abdelnour gave props (4 Jul 2008):
Congrats!
Julie Norris gave props (12 Jul 2008):
Great emotion and a fabulous capture.
Kathleen DesHotel gave props (25 Jul 2008):
http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/615172 - all was lost, ALL. Yes, photo albums, homes, mementoes, security, and faith in our government. Tough stuff indeed.
Mandie Callis gave props (1 Nov 2008):
very moving
Zachariah Ritter gave props (13 Nov 2008):
great job.
Christine Holtz gave props (3 Dec 2008):
nice capture, loaded subject
Regenia Brabham gave props (21 Jun 2009):
Fantastic work John!! And you documented it so well.
Keiko Ehret said (2 Sep 2009):
How subtle! Hahaha! Great one for a severe weather or political theme. Sad outcome, but great find!
Mario Scattoloni gave props (24 Nov 2009):
Colourful indeed...way cool.