Shattered Ground: Capturing Human Resolve in the Turkey-Syri

In the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, I traveled to document the immediate impact and the human response to this natural disaster. I arrived just days after the earthquake struck, with rescuers searching for both the dead and alive. I was able to cross into Syria for a day, documenting not only the earthquake but also the desparate condition of those not directly impacted. Pic 1 shows two men in the midst of destruction, salvaging wood from the ruins of a building to build temporary shelter. The urgency and need for shelter was palpable in the cold that complicated an already dire situation. Pic 2 captures a couple sitting amid the wreckage of what was once their home, awaiting the rescue teams. They'd been waiting for over 100 hours for any news of their loved ones believed to be under the rubble. Pic 3 depicts a rescue worker, pausing to observe a digger carefully navigating the debris in search of survivors or to recover the bodies those lost to the quake. Pic 4 is a poignant image of a displaced Turkish child in a refugee center, one of many who have lost their homes and sense of normalcy. Pic 5 reflects the deep respect for religious practices even in disaster, with rescuers carefully retrieving prayer rugs from the debris and placing them respectfully aside. Pic 6 shows a Syrian man overlooking a camp set up for earthquake refugees near Afrin, his expression one of concern and contemplation. Pic 7 is a scene of a Syrian man waiting in a queue for emergency aid distribution, a snapshot of the many in need of assistance. Pic 8 features a young Syrian boy in a rescue camp, his face a mixture of resilience and the bewilderment of youth thrust into calamity.