Remembering 9/11
We knew we wanted to centerpiece something about the 9.11 anniversary on the front page today. We just weren't positive what. After all, many of the stories have been told; we didn't want -- we didn't think readers wanted -- another rehash of the day seven years ago or how "the world has changed."
National editor Janet Brindle Reddick found what we thought were good stories, including one featuring a student at Wake Forest University, giving us a local connection. But the photography available was, shall we say, less than compelling.
In steps designer Melissa Umbarger, who worked with Reddick to create something good out of not a lot.
Sometimes, we're making some fine lemonade.
Update: And I provide the lemons. I forgot to recognize artist Tim Rickard for the shadows.
Comments (4)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Janet and Melissa are two of our brightest alums. We're very proud of them here at Winthrop University. You go, women!
Posted on September 11, 2008 4:58 PM
Thanks to Tim Rickard, too, who helped me create the shadows at the last minute!
Posted on September 11, 2008 5:07 PM
I actually think the front page was very dramatic.
It wasnt until I read John's comments around the image that I found anything "wrong" with it.
The shadows were perfect. Everyone knows what the buildings themselves look like and what they looked like the day of Sept. 11.
This was a dramatic way of imposing their images on the page without over-doing.
Personally, I think more images of people falling and jumping from the WTC need to be shown. These, of course, are awful and gut-wrenching and I understand the reason not to print them. (Although there is a way to print them without us being able to tell who the particular person is...)
But, they are the only images I have seen that really connect me to the horror that happened that day -- which is something we NEED to be reminded of.
Seeing buildings on fire from miles away is dramatic, but the personal human element is missing.
www.sweetness-light.com routinely posts these images when it has stories about Sept. 11. It makes the whole event really make you wake up from whatever trance you are in -- which is what we need.
I think by now, we are somewhat numb to the images of inatimate objects (the buildings) with smoke coming from them... sadly numb, that is...
Posted on September 12, 2008 3:09 PM
I actually think the front page was very dramatic.
It wasnt until I read John's comments around the image that I found anything "wrong" with it.
The shadows were perfect. Everyone knows what the buildings themselves look like and what they looked like the day of Sept. 11.
This was a dramatic way of imposing their images on the page without over-doing.
Personally, I think more images of people falling and jumping from the WTC need to be shown. These, of course, are awful and gut-wrenching and I understand the reason not to print them. (Although there is a way to print them without us being able to tell who the particular person is...)
But, they are the only images I have seen that really connect me to the horror that happened that day -- which is something we NEED to be reminded of.
Seeing buildings on fire from miles away is dramatic, but the personal human element is missing.
www.sweetness-light.com routinely posts these images when it has stories about Sept. 11. It makes the whole event really make you wake up from whatever trance you are in -- which is what we need.
I think by now, we are somewhat numb to the images of inatimate objects (the buildings) with smoke coming from them... sadly numb, that is...
Posted on September 12, 2008 3:10 PM