• When there's no one to say goodbye, volunteers attend burials for the poor

    Brian Bohannon / AP

    Buddy Dumeyera, the Louisville deputy coroner who runs the indigent burial program, places a flag on 48-year-old Francisco Carmona's casket as students from the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society at Trinity High School prepare to perform their duties on Feb. 6, at Meadow View Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. The students are, from left, Paul Adams, 18, senior, Jeremy Gaines, 16, junior, Nolan Riley, 14, freshman, Greg Atchison, 17, senior, Sean Dageforde, 17, Jake Eddy, 18, senior, school principal Dan Zoeller and social studies teacher Chad Waggoner.

    By Brett Barrouquere, The Associated Press

    Kate Hopkins didn't know the man in the casket, never met him or his family. Yet, Hopkins stood watch over 48-year-old Francisco Carmona's funeral on a gray, cold day at a county-owned cemetery in south Louisville.

    Hopkins joined a group of high school students, a few county employees and a deputy coroner on Feb. 6 to ensure that Carmona, who died in January in a Louisville hospital with no family or friends, had a service — the 91st service for the poor in Louisville since Nov. 1.

    Counties across Kentucky, like much of the country, are seeing more cases of unclaimed bodies and families who can't afford to bury or cremate a loved one. Every situation is unique, but coroners and local government officials tell a similar story: The economic downturn has left many people without the money to pay for funeral services that can cost thousands of dollars, and it's falling on cities and states to cover the bills. Continue reading.

    Editor's note: The Associated Press made these images available to NBC News on Feb. 26.

    Brian Bohannon / AP

    Students read the opening prayer from a program for the indigent burial of 48-year-old Francisco Carmona, who died in January with no family or friends, yet had a service on Feb. 6, at Meadow View Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. Carmona's funeral was the 91st service for the poor in Louisville since Nov. 1.

    Brian Bohannon / AP

    Workers prepare to bury Francisco Carmona on Feb. 6, as graves await the indigent at Meadow View Cemetery, Louisville's current Potter's Field.

    Previously on PhotoBlog:

  • Learning about life by documenting a parent's death

    Maggie Steber / via MediaStorm

    Madje Steber sleeps.

    Two photographers, Phillip Toledano and  Maggie Steber, are sharing deeply personal stories with the public this week – their own documentation of the decline and death of their aging parents. Initially, the images they captured were for themselves. But in the end, both chose to share these bodies of work – exploring universal themes of love, life and family – through two videos, produced in partnership with MediaStorm.

    From MediaStorm about "Rite of Passage":

    When Madje’s dementia proved relentless, her daughter, photographer Maggie Steber, moved her life to care for her. In the darkness, Maggie documented the beauty of a liberation from the roles she and her mother had learned to play—a discovery she felt gave her the mother she always wanted.

    “This body of work is the most important one I have ever done,” says Maggie, “and will ever do. It’s Madje’s story, but really and truly, it’s my story.”

    From MediaStorm, about "A Shadow Remains":

    Phillip Toledano is an artist. His life has been marked by the passing of family. Each death diverting the river slightly. "A Shadow Remains" brings us through Toledano’s life as he considers the impact that love and loss have had on his life and the life of his family.

    “I’m so clearly conscious of everything that they gave me now,” says Phillip. “Now that they’re gone their shadow remains and I see what a strong and lengthy shadow that is.”

    Phillip Toledano / via MediaStorm

    Phillip Toledano's dad Edward Toledano.

    With these productions, MediaStorm debuts a new business model – pay per story. Like other publications who have "pay walls" or online subscriptions, they are exploring new ways to help pay for reporting, producing and publishing costs.

    If you click on the embedded videos above, you’ll see a trailer of the stories. If you choose to pay the one-time cost of $1.99 for each story, a link will take you to the MediaStorm website for the transaction. After paying the story can be viewed on multiple devices or computers.

    More stories from MediaStorm:

    Seltzer delivery man practices bygone craft in New York City

    Undesired: In India, boys are prized over girls with violent results

  • Workers dye textiles in India

    Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP

    An Indian worker dyes shawls at Lalgopalgunj village, north of Allahabad, India, Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

    Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP

    Orange yellow threads used in Hindu rituals are hung out to dry in the sun after they are dyed as women make cow dung cakes in the background at Lalgopalgunj village on Wednesday.

    Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP

    Orange yellow threads used in Hindu rituals are hung out to dry in the sun after they are dyed at Lalgopalgunj village on Wednesday.

    Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP

    An Indian worker dyes shawls at Lalgopalgunj village on Wednesday.

    Rajesh Kumar Singh / AP

    An Indian man walks with shawls as he works to dye them at Lalgopalgunj village on Wednesday.

    By Elena Grothe

     I love how vivid these photos are.