New Orleans photo essay

[feli]

Last spring I shot a photo essay on the aftermath of Katrina.

 

This month my essay is featured on www.photojournale.com

 

It's titled 'Between Life and Death - Post Katrina New Orleans, Spring 2006'

 

I shot the piece with an M4 and M7 mounting 35mm and 50mm lenses. I also used a Hasselblad Xpan with the 4/45mm. Filmstock was Kodak Tri-x and APX100 in DD-X and Rodinal.

 

Take a look and leave some comments.

 

thanks,

 

feli

[canfred]

Very powerful images Feli and a clear example how a small and supposedly unimportant section of the community can be abandoned by their government.

Manfred

[bob soltis]

Super images, Feli.

 

thanks for the post.

 

regards,

[Troll]

New Orleans<div></div>

[david k.]

Nice work Feli, wouldn't mind buying a print if you ever offer them.

 

David K.

[michael s.]

That's a very powerful series, Feli. <p>

 

Excellent documentary work. <p>

 

Here is a <a href=http://photojournale.bladepicturecompany.com/categories.php?cat_id=56>link</a> to the exhibit. You can click on the first image, then go successively through all the pictures w/out returning to this page. Well worth the time, in my opinion.

[02Pete]

I took the time to go through the online exhibit, and look at every photo. It was well worth doing. Feli, you must have worked hard to put this together, and your effort shows in the quality of the exhibit. I agree with the other comments that some of the images are very powerful. They convey a great deal -- desolation, sorrow, anger, determination, resignation, commitment, faith.

I work for a large New York State government agency, and one of the things that I work on is analyzing the legal factors that shape contingency planning for responding to different types of disaster emergencies. New York is a large and diverse state, and over time we have seen many kinds of disasters -- blizzards, floods, ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, aviation accidents, and 9/11. Our crews work hard to respond to those things, at considerable risk to their own safety. Sometimes reality makes a mockery of even the most diligent planning and preparation. The losses suffered on 9/11, including some members of the state agency I work for, give New Yorkers a personal context for recognizing and sympathizing with the incalculable losses that people in New Orleans suffered during Hurricane Katrina.

Feli, your essay provides strong motivation for those of us who try to plan disaster response measures to redouble our efforts. While we in other parts of the country didn't lose our homes or livelihoods when the levees failed, in one way or another we all lost something. For some, it was the unexamined assumption that New Orleans, the home of jazz and fine cuisine and Mardi Gras, would always be part of our country's culture, available any time we wanted to visit. The faces and empty homes in your photo essay remind us that there are many others who lost far more. None of us want to see that happen to an American city again. I do not know if we have learned all of the lessons we can as well as we can from Hurricane Katrina, but your essay reminds us to remember, and keep trying.

[sam_portera]

Thats great Bill, you went to Bourbon St. and saw a guy passed out in front of Chris Owens' place, and you dub it "Spirit of New Orleans"

 

I disagree completely. Ive lived here my whole life and never passed out on the street, not once.

 

As for the photo essay, I think Feli covered a good bit of ground. I was actually surprised to see the infamous shrimp boat in your essay. Its one block from our home. The homeowners set it ablaze last August because the parish would not remove it.

 

I would like to interject that the areas where feli photographed look pretty much the same today, yes they have been cleaned of debris but little progress is happening. Of the 100,000 plus application for aid, only 234 have received a check. Microsoft has pulled two conventions from the area and some of the long standing world famous resteraunts are alomost ready to call it quits. We need more visitors.

 

I invite all to come to New Orleans and experience its beauty, its history, and most importantly, its food.

 

There is still much to see here.

[Troll]

Sorry to upset you, Sam. Is this any better?<div></div>

[db1]

Yeah Bill,

that is much better. What an ass! Do you live in NOLA or just come down for Mardi Gras to see topless women and to hire prostitutes? Does your wife know or are you single?

 

Give it a rest.

[sam_portera]

Thats better Bill, thanks for showing the world what an ass you truly are.

 

Amazing one needs a Leica to shoot boobs on Bourbon St. Real talent you got there.

[eric_onore]

Sam,

 

My girlfriend and I are coming in April, hopefully for the Jazz Festival.

 

Eric Onore

[sam_portera]

Eric, glad to have you, Jazz Fest IS New Orleans. You will have a great time, Ill be around too.

 

Sam

[jim r]

Feli,

 

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to document the situation.

 

Bill,

 

Being from the northeast and seeing your photo.net profile image, I guess it's safe to assume you're a professional wrestler like Haystack Calhon? Nice hat too, did that come with a bowl of soup?

 

I hope you get the point, although I'm not optimistic.

 

Sam,

 

I'm sorry things haven't gotten better and I wish I could do more. Keep your chin up (and smileing like Geno), hopefully the efforts of people like feli will enlighten enough people to force a change.

 

Did someone say scream?!?!?!?!?<div></div>