The Last Photos from the Gulf?

These may be some of the last images to come out of the Gulf of Mexico for a while as the ‘Unified Command’ has stated that anyone in the “safety zone,” such as press could face a $40,000 fine and a felony conviction.

To say this will hurt the coverage of the BP Oil spill is an understatement. It’s already a well documented fact that BP’s people are making it difficult for news operations to cover the cleanup. Freelance Photographers like CS Muncy and videographers outside the major networks and papers simply cannot risk this sort of fine/threat.

The photographs and video provided by CS Muncy of the Grand Isle beaches to The Mudflats yesterday were taken only moments before he detained and then asked to leave the area – no reason was given, other than it was a closed beach. Muncy is an oft-printed freelance photographer for papers like the NY Times, Village Voice and the New York Daily News – but he is there completely on his own dime.

Muncy will continue providing The Mudflats with photos from the Gulf at least for the next week.

If you can support his work by going to paypal.com and sending him a donation at OilSpillStory@gmail.com

See the rest of the photos – http://www.themudflats.net/2010/07/02/last-photos-from-the-gulf/

Zach Roberts is a photographer and videographer currently making a film on Alaska’s Left. CS Muncy and Zach have been friends since grade school and have been threatened with arrest by more police than they care to say while covering the Bush Years.