http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek
This is one of my favorite multimedia packages of all time. Being a writer, I appreciate how each word used actually adds to the story and creates a picture. However, I think the best part is having the video interviews of the people who experienced the avalanche. This makes it easy to see the emotions of people in a way that written words cannot.
There is a graphic found on the “Blur of White” tab that also utilizes the power of sound. Visually, you see the projection of the avalanche in relation to the mountain, but the best part is hearing the avalanche in the background. This shows how effective natural sound can be used to add effect almost effortlessly.
Another thing that makes this package so effective is the maps found throughout the story used to show the reader/viewer the trails the people followed. The best one, in my opinion, is found on the “Descent Begins” tab. As you scroll down the page reading each person’s account, their path appears on the mountain in the background.
