#14: Witnessing A Volcano Erupt
Volcanoes have a reputation for destruction and chaos. They are often evoked as something to be terrified of; after all, people long thought a volcano eruption caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The images captured in Pompeii, for example, are very vivid, so humans have good reason to fear this natural disaster.
In 1980, Mount Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. It was deadly – 57 humans died – but this was minor compared to many other volcanic activities. Still, it was a shocking event. One photographer captured a hiker’s reaction as he watched this explosion. His physical response tells us all that we need to know about the emotion of that moment.