DAy 5:Evening Shoot/Exploring

St. Louis Cathedral

Day 5

Today I was able to get out into the Bayou. Becky and I headed to Franklin LA about 2 hours from New Orleans at 6 a.m. Becky is my hero we need to get her that cape she keeps talking about! Once we got there we met up with Donavan Garcia. He is a volunteer with the Bayou Teche refuge, and takes people out into the Bayou. He was willing to take me out there with no thought of profit or gain from him and I find that very admirable. He was so knowledgeable about the swamps, and wetlands and all the things that are going wrong with them. We spent fours out on the Bayou, exploring the beauty of the swamps and I had some amazing experience today including having a 15 foot alligator jump out of a tree at us (I'm not making this up) and I think that this helped me alot with my project. So thanks Becky for hauling me all the way out there and Donovan for taking me out into the Bayou!

Bayou Sauvage Day 4

They look kind of washed out sorry!

Times Picayune Ride Along

I started out Wed. morning hesitant of about our trip to the Times Picayune, but it turned out to be an terrific experience. I was able to go on a ride along with Ted Jackson who is an inspiring and talented photographer for the Times. We were allowed into the LSU medical building that is finally beginning to recover from Katrina. The building had about 20 feet of water in it. To me that kind of water that high is unfathomable. But my favorite part of the day was being able to listen to Ted tell his stories of the things he experienced during the storm.

Barataria Preserve: Bayou Couquille

Day 2

Today was a long and interesting day. I started my day by getting up at 5 in the a.m. to get ready for my sunrise shoot. Amanda and I decided to break away from the group today and go to the river walk and on the Mississippi, and shoot the sunrise. We got on the Ferry and crossed the river, to shoot from both, sides and then walked the French Quarter. The Quarter is beautiful in the morning when everything is quiet, and the sun is just rising, it makes a city that is usually bustling with activity appear to be peaceful and silent. I think this was a very good way to experience my first real glimpse of the city.

After our sunrise shoot I met Ryan and Colleen for our tour of New Orleans. The tour took us through out most of the city. Showing aspects of culture, tourism, effect of Katrina and everyday life of the people of New Orleans. The most interesting place to me was, the lower 9th ward, and being able to see the watermarks and places that were once under water, and even seeing the levees that where breached. Once the tour was finished I was able to do some exploring of the city, before returning to the Hotel to get ready for my evening shoot.

For my evening shoot Becky and Colleen took me to Barataria Preserve, or more specifically Bayou Coquille & Kenta Canal Trails. It was a new experience for me. I was able to see for the first time a wild alligator. It was a baby and only seemed to be about 4 feet long. Becky and I followed the Kenta Canal Trails, almost to the end. The hardwooded forest seemed almost exotic and too me gave off a mystic feel. I loved, walking the trails and seeing all the different wildlife. I was also able to see more gators, one along the trail and three or four more once we got to the Kenta Canal. I think this was a successful trip and I look forward to going out again. This experience today allowed me to experience the beauty of these Bayou's first hand and succeeded in convincing me that these bits of paradise need to be protected and preserved.

Day 1

FINALY HERE! After weeks of planning and build up I'm finally in the Big Easy. I can't tell you how excited I am, to see and experience this city. Its been an interesting day filled mostly with travel (it was my first time in a plane!)but I was able to get a glimpse of the city this evening and I get I will be taking a tour of the city tomorrow morning. 

From what I have seen of the city it is every bit as amazing as i thought it would be, I am very excited to experience as much of New Orleans as I can in the ten days I'm here!