Hurricane Photojournalism
Kannapolis firefighters help a man transport a gun collection across the Broad River in Bat Cave, North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Hello! My name is Sean and I’ve been a photojournalist for more than 25 years. For the last decade I’ve been specializing in hurricane coverage as a freelancer working with Getty Images, The New York Times and The Associated Press. I stepped deep in this niche after my city was buried with 20+ inches of rain in 2015. Since then, I’ve covered many of the biggest storms striking the United States.
Hurricane Season starts on June 1. Meteorologists say 2026 is going to be a Super El Nino year. Traditionally, this means less activity in North America for the Atlantic and more for the Pacific Coast. Here are some of my best hurricane related photo stories and reports.
All it takes is one big storm. Stay prepared. Know your zone and river basin. Flashlights are cool but a battery powered lamp will provide long lasting calm light. Flashlights, with bright direct beams will remind you that you are in a disaster. And they’ll die faster.
Hurricane Helene: From Florida Landfall to Chimney Rock, NC
Hurricane Helene trashed NC rivers. Now what?
Helene and WNC: 6 months later
Bat Cave Family Rebuilds After Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Milton Photo Report - Back-to-Back Storms
Hurricane Ida - Catastrophic Damage on the Gulf
Hurricane Idalia - A Big Mess in the Big Bend
Hurricane Isaias Photo Report - Myrtle Beach
Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend. The big bend is a tough place to cover storms because its a lot of open land with two lane roads that look like this. (Photo by Sean Rayford)