The collapse of the I35W bridge in Minnesota leaves us speechless. Four seconds is all it took. CNN has played the traffic surveillance video of the collapse a lot in the past few days. They have also shown us informative and dramatic footage. Yet, there is something about still photography that takes us inside this event in a subtle, powerful--and poignant--way that moving pictures cannot. Perhaps only still photography can convey a sense of the "eerie and total silence" that victims and eyewitnesses experienced immediately after the bridge's plunge into the Mississippi, breaking, twisting, and falling in on itself and its passengers.The photo above was taken by Tim Davis of Consolidated Photos in Minnesota. You can see the rest of his still photos here at http://conphoto.net
I recommend that a) you look at them, because they are good photos and truly put you on the scene, and that b) you spend some time with them, contemplative time. Slow down. Think about how fragile each day is and what we can do to make each fragile day rich with good living--helping others, substituting compassion for judgement, and being aware, truly aware of Life--which is given to and not made by us. The truth is that we never know when a bridge, either literal or metaphorical, will fall out from under any one of us.
My next post will cover some of the issues to which this destructive event powerfully calls our attention, but for now, the Silence is speaking, and we need to listen. These images provide an excellent way to do just that.
Text, copyright 2007 Ysabel de la Rosa
Photos, Copyright Tim Davis, All rights reserved. Posted here with permission.
Comments