Visiting NOLA

[adityabarman]

<p>I will be at New Orleans for couple of days (June 2 to June 6). I may have time only after 5 PM. I have never been to New Orleans but heard a lot about architecture, french quarter, food and music. Any tips on places to visit for photo opportunity. Even better any local hobbyist photographer willing to show me the city and explore the town. Dinner on me. -:)<br>

</p>

[joe_willmore]

<p>It's been a year since I've been in New Orleans and I only had a day to shoot. Let me offer a couple of comments:<br>

--Expect the French Quarter to be full of people, literally jam packed after 5pm. If you can get a good vantage point (like a balcony) there are some interesting street photography possibilities but in the French Quarter itself at street level, it's going to be very crowded. Another good and diverse street photography is the Crescent City Farmer's Market.<br>

--Check out the Arts District around Julia Street. On the first Saturday of the month, I think they have a gallery hop.<br>

--Try Magazine Street and the Garden District for a range of architecture as well as Old Algier's Main Street.<br>

--Two churches that are worth shooting are St. Mary's Assumption Church and St. Louis Cathedral. Try visiting a cemetery (there are cemetery tours in NOLA)...they're above ground, very ornate, some extremely historical, very diverse. <br>

Last tip: be prepared for some diverse (and challenging) shooting opportunities. Shooting after 5pm in a city, you'll get a mixture of lighting and extremes. In a lot of local clubs, you'll have great opportunities to shoot bands but it will be poor lighting. Think through how you want to handle fill flash and exposure compensation.</p>

[michael_chuang1]

<p>If you're out and about photographically (or generally) in the evenings keep your situational awareness about you. The tourist areas should be quite safe (e.g. there is a very visible police presence in the French Quarter), but conditions vary literally block by block in other areas.</p>

<p>Bourbon Street type entertainment is not at all my style, but the people watching was interesting, and I did enjoy the usual touristy sights. In town for a conference, I rented a car and drove out along Route 90 (east of NOLA) to, and through, the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. Personally I enjoyed that the most, but then I like being out among the birds and 'gators and swamp muck rather better than being around loud people.</p>

<p>The below photo is Bourbon St on a Thursday/Friday 'round about midnight. The two men in the foreground apparently got hit with several strings of the infamous beads and are shouting in a most unfriendly manner at some people, suspected bead-donors perched on a balcony as is their wicked wont. Most shots were in the ISO 1600-2500 range on a Nikon V1 with exposure times slower than 1/30 sec, using the Nikon 1 kit lenses (meaning max apertures of 3.5 - 5.6) if that's useful. </p><div></div>

[michael_chuang1]

<p>A tourist cliché, but <em>being</em> a tourist,I liked it anyway.</p><div></div>

[stemked]

<p>I used to live in Baton Rouge and, unfortunately, need to echo Michael's comments. Even a block or two outside the Quarter can be problematic at times. We lost a professor from LSU working on termite research near the Quarter and there are several other stories I could pass along from former students. 'Situational awareness' is an accurate mind set.<br>

<br />That said New Orleans is a beautiful city. St Charles Street is loaded with places as is the Quarter. The famous above ground cemetery tombs would likely be a great place to go as well on a tour (I don't know if you can do that self-guided). It is also a great place to do closeups on the wrought-iron work. <br>

Regarding your offer of food. people in New Orleans talk about food like people elsewhere talk about the weather. I'll bet if you are in NO and offer 'Dinner on you' that you'll get simply overwhelmed with takers. <br>

Just saw Joe's rec, clearer than mine.</p>

<p>Enjoy NO.</p>

 

[Monophoto]

<p>There are two rally nice photography galleries in NOLA - A Gallery of Fine Photography, and the Louis Suhac gallery. Both are worth a visit.</p>

<p>In the French Quarter, try to avoid Bourbon Street. That's where the crowds congregate, and where it's most tacky. Parallel streets are more quiet, and present better photo opportunities.</p>

<p>The best time to photograph in the French Quarter is early in the morning, before the crowds build. Stroll over to Cafe du Monde for a coffee and bengets. There will be a few homeless people sleeping in Jackson Sqiuare, and there will be people out washing the streets and sidewalks. </p>

<p>Food? I've never had a bad meal in NOLA!</p>

[adityabarman]

<p>Great suggestions, particularly when NOLA is expecting 10000 people that week for “tech Ed” conference. @Michael, I wish I could stay an extra day to take the drive – I knew, I would have loved that. I recently switched from 35 mm slide to digital. My cameras were contax g2 and Pentax SLR. I am undecided whether to take my DSLR (+lens) or a less obtrusive camera.</p>

[carbon_dragon]

I lived on the Loyola campus for 4 years and Metairie for more. The Loyola/Tulane area may be safer and picturesque

with Audubon Park and the Zoo. Lots of interesting buildings in the Universities too. Of course all this was in the late 70s.

Even then it paid to go with a group for added security. During Mardi Gras the city is a madhouse and crowded beyond

imagining.