How we photographed the explosion and storm aftermath in Indiana

This week’s top photo comes from Photojournalism Intern Jeremy Battle. Follow him on Instagram.

What makes this photo important?

The community of Portage, Indiana, was ravaged by severe storms Tuesday. Heavy winds brought down over 100 trees and power lines, landing on homes and vehicles. The community was left without power, internet and cell service for days. Among the worst of the damage was a home on Harrison Avenue that exploded during the storm. The only person home at the time was Leona Rice, 88, who died in the accident. The city is still trying to determine the cause of the explosion. On Wednesday, they began picking up the pieces.

How did you get this photo?

Reporter Elijah James and I arrived at the scene among other reporters and city workers clearing the debris. The nearly hour-long drive to Portage had been marred by heavy rain, and by the time we got there it had only dissipated a little. Amid the rain and fallen trees in the yard of nearly every home, most residents stayed inside, peering through windows, to see the press. We went door to door, finding the few who were outside, taking cover under awnings and garage doors. It was important that I presented myself as a person first and a photographer second, as I never wanted to bring a voyeuristic lens to their community’s suffering. I focused on wide angles, trying to document the full breadth of damage caused by the storm.

Technical details:

• Equipment: Sony A7III with a 70-200mm f/2.8L lens
• Focal length: 70mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Exposure: 1/640
• ISO: 800

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