Chatting the Pictures
Chatting The Pictures: Old Glory, Trump, and the L.A. Fire Disasters
Welcome to Chatting the Pictures. Every two weeks, we present a short, lively video discussion between Michael Shaw, publisher of Reading the Pictures, and writer, professor, and historian, Cara Finnegan, examining a significant picture in the news. Chatting the Pictures is produced by Liliana Michelena.
Jill Connelly took this photo for Bloomberg. It shows a man retrieving an American flag outside a burning house during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. The Los Angeles wildfires, driven by climate change impacts, including severe drought and record-breaking Santa Ana winds, have scorched tens of thousands of acres and inflicted economic losses estimated at up to $150 billion, marking a historic disaster for the region.Our discussion raises complex themes about American identity and disaster response, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s false claims about California’s response to massive wildfires and his vow to place conditions on disaster assistance. We also explore the unique relationship between American disaster photography and the national flag.
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An analyst of news photos and visual journalism, and a frequent lecturer and writer on visual politics, photojournalism and media literacy, Michael is the founder and publisher of Reading the Pictures.
Cara Finnegan is a writer, photo historian, and professor of Communication at the University of Illinois. She has been affiliated with Reading The Pictures for nearly 15 years, most recently as co-host of Chatting The Pictures. Her most recent book is Photographic Presidents: Making History from Daguerreotype to Digital.
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