PhotoFAVS Wednesday: Photographs, Photographs, Photographs

Good Morning Everybody,

Today we wrap our wonderful trip to New Orleans.  Who would have thought that when we planned this trip that the New Orleans Saints would be in the Super Bowl and go on to win the big game? 

Yesterday the Saints Victory Parade wound it's way through the city and yes, we were two of the tens of thousands that witnessed the historic event. Yep, that’s Sean Peyton, the Saints’ coach with the Vince Lombardi trophy. It's not often one gets to spend time in the middle of the universe, but that's exactly what has happened on his trip!!!

Our plane leaves in just a few hours so lets get right on with today's post. Here we go...

Photographs, Photographs, Photographs

When you travel, how often do you bring your passion to your travels?  I don't just mean grabbing your camera and shooting away.  I mean seeking out museum exhibitions, galleries, even book stores featuring wonderful collectible, historic, and vintage photographic images.

In New Orleans we visited one of my favorite shops, A Gallery. Here is the link to their sight right here. It's located at 241 Chartres Street and features one of the largest collection of collectible and vintage photographs I have seen anywhere.  

They feature works from Adams to Weston and several in between.  Just think about browsing through the original works turn of the century photographer Edward Curtis or, enjoying the extraordinary images of Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Stieglitz, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks and so many more.

It's one thing to know these great photographers by name.  It's another to see their works in books and magazines.  But, it is quite the inspiring experience to see the famous photographers work in person. 

During our recent visit, I asked Jenny if she had any works by Ansel Adams.  She gestured to a wall close by and there it was - a wonderful silver print of Mr. Adams' Moonrise Over Hernandez. It was printed in the mid-seventies and is  one of the best examples of Ansel Adams photography capturing the full tonal range of the scene. Hey gang, it was for sale, but I chose to pass this time around - price; $85,000!!!

That's what the experience is all about - just seeing these wonderful images in person. A Gallery is one amazing location to be witness to the artists works.  Here is a list of the photographers who work you may find on display [link].  It's fun just to search their inventory. Next time you are in New Orleans, you've just got to make the visit.

DAZNOTE:

Jenny tells me that New Orleans Photography Workshops has a 5-day session coming up with fine art portrait photographer, Jock Sturges [link]. Dates are March 7-11, 2010. Give A Gallery a call at 504-568-1313 for more info.

We also visited the Louisiana State Museum and viewed their latest exhibition "Visions of Excellence" representing the best in the field of photojournalism. - Pictures Of The Year International [link] sponsors the judging event each year.

The 50 images were mesmerizing, shocking, beautiful, emotional, and all of the above.  You can get a peek at several of the images by perusing the winners listing right here. Enjoy the browse.

Lastly, we visited the Photo Works - New Orleans gallery [link] on Jackson Square and viewed the wonderful work of Louis Sahuc.  I loved the artist's wonderful black and white images. Be sure you cruise this site too and soak up the beauty of his images.

Our host also pointed us to PhotoNOLA, and organization dedicated to the annual celebration of photography in New Orleans.  Here is the link to their site right here.

Anyway, I think you get my drift. It's simply the process of visiting these galleries in a city you happen to be visiting, or heck for that matter, in your own home town, and viewing works of photographic art outside your regular field of photography that can really get your "brain juices" flowing.

Hopefully it's the few jolts of this kind of inspiration that will propel your own photography to new levels of creativity. That explains, in a nutshell, why not missing these kinds of photographic opportunities are one of my PhotoFAVS.

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Hey gang, that's it for me today.  We are packing our bags and beads and heading north.  It will be great to get back home but I promise you, we will be taking some great memories (and photographs) back home with us from the WHO DAT capital.  See ya' back in Cincy tomorrow.

Adios, -David