This visual exploration is a token in memory of Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York. It highlights the beauty and splendor of 142nd Street before Hurricane Sandy hit. The storm destroyed the seemingly indestructible—literally and figuratively. Rockaway symbolizes a place of great significance in my life. It represents family, stability, comfort, and security. The Pinsky’s backyard is where Uncle Jeff photographed the celebration of my first birthday and where Georgia snuck me my first piece of cake. It was in Rockaway that Grandpa Howie taught me to catch butterflies with my own two hands and where Uncle Steven patiently instructed me on how to ride a bike. Joanie showed Brooke, Drew and I how to jump the waves and bodysurf in the ocean while Dad taught me how to throw a football. Grandma Sue ingrained the scientific name of every flower from the garden into my memory. My older cousins impressed my little sisters and I with their abilities to construct drip-drop sandcastles along the shore and Mommy’s endless supply of Baby Powder always appeased Grandma and her utter hate for sand—in the grass, on the patio, and especially in the house.



Just a few months ago, I was in Neponsit visiting my grandparents. While I was there, I photographed Rockaway, seizing my last moment to capture the final images of this sentimental place and its timeless beauty. Not long after, Hurricane Sandy struck Rockaway Beach. Following the storm, my Grandma showed me an album of photographs, taken by her neighbor. Her house was destroyed beyond repair. I was overwhelmed by the mass destruction illustrated in the photos. In memory of the place I once knew, I have created a book that depicts Rockaway before and after the disaster. Beneath the ruins of Hurricane Sandy, lay the remnants of countless childhood memories that shaped the person I am today.



—Casey Altman