New Orleans Style

Taking photos of people is challenging  (or at least I think so). However, I think I enjoy that more than I enjoy taking photos of places and things because people tell a story with just being themselves.  I found that the people in New Orleans were great stories.

We were in New Orleans over the weekend of April 18. On Sunday morning, there was an marathon. I have no idea when these poor souls started the race. But by the time we were out and about around 10 am, they were starting to drag - and I do mean drag - themselves in. But the French Quarter loved it. There were people lining the streets and out on the balconies of their homes watching the race come to its end.   This man happened to have the best seat in the house.  And was dressed just as you would expect a man in New Orleans to dress.

Later I was leaning against a post and I see this coming down the street toward me. I snapped a quick shot. Then looked down to change the settings on my camera. I brought it up again just in time for him to see me sighting on him and he shook his head at me. I think this is my favorite photo from the whole trip.

As he walked by I asked, "Where you going with that?"

"I'm going to a gig. Whaddaya think?"

"Well, you never know! There are so many people walking around down here carrying tubas."
(I realize now it is not necessarily a tuba, but hey!)

We spoke, but he kept on walking. Gotta get to that gig...

New Orleans, April 2010

A few weeks ago I took some leave to go check out my next duty assignment.  On the way to Biloxi, we drove into New Orleans for a couple days.  Here's some of the shots I got. Clearly I need to go back. The old architecture, the interesting people. This place is a photographer's paradise.

Here are just a few shots of the buildings. The years of wear, the patina of age and the dignity of these things. Just amazing. We really don't appreciate what a lasting impact good workmanship can have.

And this is only the selected few I've had a chance to clean up and take out distractors like TV towers, cars and naked boobs.
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OK. Just checking to see if you were really reading.

Not the naked boobs. I didn't photograph any of those. But I could have. Chose not to on this trip. Right? Trying to keep my first experience of the Big Easy clean and family oriented.

Sure.