photojournalism

Getty photojournalist Chris Hondros was tragically killed in Libya earlier this year, capturing images of the conflict up until his death.

Steve McCurry's storied career has produced an incredible wealth of iconic photojournalism. And while he is known for his far-flung coverage of foreign conflict, on September 11, 2001, his focus turned abruptly and inconceivably domestic. The work you see here--some of it appearing publicly for the first time--is a breathtaking testimony of Lower Manhattan as war zone.

The south tower burned for 56 minutes after the Boeing 767 ripped a hole between the 78th and 84th floors. The fires, fed by jet fuel, reached 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. At 9:59 a.m., the tower’s steel support spine, unable to support the weight of the building, collapsed. Twenty-nine minutes later, the north tower did the same.

On a bright, clear morning in September, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 was commandeered by terrorists and steered into the North Tower of Manhattan’s World Trade Center. The initial impact occurred at 8:46 a.m. Within minutes, photographers were making their way toward Manhattan’s financial district. With only a dim notion of what was going on, they pushed past throngs of escaping workers and into the annals of history.