LA CANYONS FIRESTORM - The Aftermath

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Ben Sarao, United States
• Date of Photograph
  2025
• Studio
  Primary Image
• Website
  http://www.primaryimage3d.com

“The Palisades Firestorm” was a combination of 14 regional fires from Los Angeles to San Diego, California. There is no singular way to fully grasp the extent of the fire that spanned from the surrounding mountains into lower foot hills and eventually along the coastline of Malibu. 11+ thousand families lost their homes. The fire had no qualms to level mansions or trailer park homes... churches fell too. The once charming Pacific Palisades is now a no man’s land moonscape. Select images from this series were donated to the LAFD and printed in the book, Calm Amidst Chaos, forward by Sean Penn.

BEN SARAO is the Executive Director of Primary Image. He works on long term comprehensive documentary projects. These photographic documentaries include: The New Frontier Revisited, America's Early Space program, exhibited at NASA Headquarters; Eternal Garden of the Villa Borghese, made with the support of The American Academy in Rome as a Visiting Artist.

Awards New Art Association, Chicago. Best First Person Exhibit award. Presented by Leon Golob at The Art Institute of Chicago.

Blue Sky Gallery, Portland. Selected art shown in the 50th Anniversary Photo Show. 2025

Eternal Garden of the Villa Borghese, documentary book, PX3 2024 - PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS
https://px3.fr/winners/hm/2024/1-116206-24/

Shared Tragedy, documentary book, PX3 2023 - PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS
https://px3.fr/winners/px3/2023/13617/

DROUGHT, documentary book, PX3 2022 – PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS, award
https://px3.fr/winners/hm/2022/1-105210-22/

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, ASSOCIATE FELLOW
- Recipient: Distinguished Service Award; and, Centennial of Flight, recognition

National Air & Space Museum, Wall of Honor
NASM, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/benjamin-michael-sarao-jr

The National Press Club, Electronic Media member,
Vivian Award, recipient
https://www.press.org/newsroom/club-honors-its-27-top-volunteers-vivian-awards

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Recipient: EMMY, New York 1 News
https://www.nyemmys.org/media/nominations/37th%20Annual%20New%20York%20Emmy%20Awards.pdf