The Second the Bomb Went Off

Friday, 26 April 2013 | by Pat's Picks

The clock read 4: 09: 43 when the first bomb went off in Boston nearly two weeks ago. The New York Times managed to pull a screen shot from NBC’s footage of the race and it’s an eerie contrast of normalcy and impending chaos.

On the left side of the frame, runners continue to push towards the finish line, which is just up ahead. On the right side, a bright orange cloud balloons where spectators are gathered to cheer on their friends and neighbors. The most interesting part of the project, however, are the names superimposed on the photo.  They’re links to the stories of the people pictured. Some are audio recordings while others are just a short paragraph of text.  I’ve got to say, it’s incredible to be able to pick someone out of the crowd and then scroll down and get their first-hand account. The Times did a really nice job putting this strange moment in context—it’s well worth a look.

Check out the interactive project here on the Times website.