Final Edits

So I have had a gallery opening, and showed my top 20 to my class so I guess I should show everyone else. I hope you enjoy.

Editing

As I work on looking through my 1300 differnt images I try and figure out which are the best. I cant imagine that I took that many images. But I guess the way I fell asleep each night and snored away I guess it says it all. I will add my final images after I get through critique tonight. I never imagined that it would be so quick after coming back that we would be all finished. We have a gallery showing this weekend. It is at Traffic Zone Gallery. Time and PlaceDate:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Traffic Zone Gallery
Street: 250 3rd Ave N.
City/Town: Minneapolis, MN

Hope to see you there

Day 7 and 8

We are on our way home!!! but no we missed our connecting flight from Dallas to Minneapolis. 5 went home on a 4 o'clock flight and 13 of us sat trying to figure out what to do next. So we sat at the Dallas airport till we were supposed to take a flight from Dallas to Faiteville. We stayed in a motel for all of 3 or 4 hours after arguing with American Airlines about whether or not they were going to comp us for rooms or not. We were on a plane to Chicago where we were supposed to catch a plane to Minneapolis but no, that one was cancelled. So we had to figure out how 13 of us were going to be able to get home. 2 made it on a 1:00 flight and 8 of us got transfered to Delta so that we could somehow make it home. 2 others took an American flight home at 345 or so. What a mess. But we made it home.

Day 6, People Planting Trees

Today we went to the St. Roch ward and took photographs. The idea around the group was if they planted trees it would help the community feel like they were not forgotten. I met a couple of the residents working on St. Roch cleaning up the main area. One of the residents was Beverly. She has been a resident for 24 years. When the flooding she had water to her floor boards which wasn't to bad but than it took so long to receded that all of her furniture was ruined from the bottom up. Another resident that I met was Janie, who lives in New Orleans East and she had water to her roof line. She received barely enough to even start working on her home. Many of the residents cant even get back into their home let alone start to work on them. Some have even come home to find that the land that they owned has been bought by a company and they have to repurchase the land and rebuild with a new mortgage that they didn't have before. One of the most shocking stories I heard was that residents that hadnt had a drop of water or any wind damage to their homes recieved the max amount that Road Home could give them which was 150,000. Where as the residents that had water to the roof get maybe 15,000. Very stupid.

After we left St. we headed over to the Lower 9th Ward. This area is completly cleared out. Many of the lots are just concrete steps leading up to nothing. The land behind is green and waiting for someone to come and rebuild but, of course many cant.

We had the afternoon free and did some shopping and had dinner in the French quarter. Tomorrow we had home.

4th Day, Renovating New Orleans

Today we met a couple different residents that have had their homes renovated with the group Rebuilding Together. Rebuilding Together renovates the homes that are still able to be brought back. The first gentleman we met was Sydney Davis. His home had water to the roof line. His cousin and Mr. Davis was rescued from their home, I believe a couple of days after the storm hit. They then stayed a week at the Super dome till they were sent to Texas. Mr. Davis should now be back into his home. When we visited him they were almost finished. They thought there was about 2 weeks left of work to do on the home. Both Mr. Davis and his cousin, who's name I didn't catch, were having their homes renovated. Their homes were built mainly by volunteers and by donations. The money that was received from Road home was just not enough to cover the expense of rebuilding. While we were visiting with Mr. Davis I met a gentleman that was part of the contractors. He told me a story that was so amazing its just crazy as to how these people survived. He told me that he has cockatoos and was told that he had to leave his pets in order to go to the Super Dome, he decided that he was not going to leave his pets and decided to take the birds and head for dry land. He found dry land and had to stay awake at night and throw water filled cans of coke at the rats crawling up the rope to the boat so they wouldn't eat his birds. He than slept in the mornings. Once he told his story I was amazed and couldn't imagine myself in that position.

After visiting with Mr. Davis we went to the Renovating New Orleans warehouse. Where they sold pieces that had been salvaged from homes that could be used in new renovations. It was a great place to see old pieces being reused.

The second home we visited was just in the beginning stages of being renovated. We did not meet the homeowner but we did meet the group that was there for their spring break. The groups name was Hillel and they were based out of San Diego. They were all student from the U of San Diego.

The next home we visited was the home of Anise Gibbs in Holly Grove. Her home was completely funded by the Seattle Seahawks. They donated over 80,000 dollars. She had just moved into her home. She had only slept there one night. We were excited just to meet her. She kept telling us that we needed to "trust the Lord and to live one day at a time."

After, we went back to the hotel and did a critique and had lunch. We than headed over to Algiers, where the assignment was 5x5. We were to take 5 people pictures and 5 architecture. I believe I was the most with 4 people. I met Clarence, Mike, Doris and forgot to get my last persons name. But still was able to get almost 5 people.
I think that is everything from that day.

Day 5, Audobon Park

Today we went to Saint Louis Cemetery and did some shooting around there. Many of the crypts are falling apart. Some are taken care of by the family members that are still in the area. Others are not. Brian was telling me that some families dint even know that their families have crypts.

Afterwards we took the street car to Audubon Park and had a picnic with the whole group. It was a nice relaxing hour. The essay group picked up stuff for the picnic and met the editorial group.

Brian, Britney and I went and took photographs of the large homes around the park. Many of the homes are amazing in size and the details in how it was built. I love the cornice, moldings and the columns.

In the evening we went to Cafe Du Monde and tried begnette which were amazing and did some shopping.

3rd day, 6am is too early

Today we were up bright and early to capture some amazing light on the homes. Today is the day we photography Habitat for Humanity. Habitat is building homes all over the city but we photographed the Musicians village. We arrived early to get that great light on the homes and to get a feel for the area. We started at 9 and was shooting photographs as quick as we could. Many of us shooting over 400 images and many of us getting burned. I survived for the most part. I am not manila color but I'm not Minnesota white either. I am going to add my images from habitat. I just need to get them fixed up. I met some amazing people that came from all over the country to help the locals rebuild and to just have a home to live in. Some came as far as California and Colorado. Some as close as West Monroe, LA with a church group. Thank you all for your hard work in helping these people during your spring break. Who said that there was any compassion left in this world?


After we came back we did a critique and than went off to the cemeteries. The light was amazing of the tombs. Some of the havebeen broken off but many look just like they were before the Hurricane. We shot around the cemetery for about an hour or so and than road the street car back to the hotel and went for dinner and than off to bed. What another busy day. Tomorrow we are sure to be just as busy

Day 2, Not such an early day

Today we went to the parish Holy Cross. The neighborhood is slowly coming back on its feet but it is taking a while. Some of the pictures I included are in that area. I didn't take as many pictures of the larger picture. I am more of the details that are often missed in the area.






After, we had lunch we went to the Ogden Museum. The museum is a center for Southern arts. It has art from artist that are from the South and art that was been done about the South.

After the museum we went down to the French Quarter to do photographs of street performers. I did some of bands playing down there and some kids skateboarding down off the river.



The next thing we did was architecture in the French Quarter. I thought I got some amazing images but that is my opinion. Than after a late night of downloading all of my images we went off to bed and i snored my way to the next early morning.

Day 1, 4am Wake up

Today is the first day of my New Orleans trip. Oh, what an early morning. We had to be up at 3 to be at the airport on time. I was of course but there was so not so. We were all very excited to go and get here to start our photography. I couldn't wait to try all the new things here.

When we arrived we had lunch at Gordon Birsch, right by Harrah's casino. Very good Cajun pasta. Next we went on a tour of the city. A guided with the city. It was very glossed over. In my opinion. We went through several of the still damaged areas. many of the homes are being worked on but ALOT are still empty.

The tour guide brought us through the musician's row houses. Where it is put together by some of the bigger names that live here. The owners do have to provide a certain amount of time to volunteer hours. Very much like habitat for humanity.

After we went on our tour, Emily, Amanda, Jorie, and I went for a walk to our group get together, which was about a mile and a half, maybe a little more. We got yelled at on the walk by a woman that didnt want us to be in front of her house since someone had stolen her stuff. When we got to Juan's Flying Burrito we found out that it was closed and that we had to try and catch a bus. Everything worked out in the end and we were able to get to eat. After that we waited an hour for a bus to come to our stop.

By that time I was so tired we went back to our room and after getting ready for bed I fell asleep in midsentance. Which is pretty crazy. More look back for more tomorrow.

When the Levees Broke

As I think about all the things that have happened to the people in, not only New Orleans, but all across the South. I think this should not have happened. People died that could have been saved. Our country is fighting a war overseas and spending thousands of dollars for another country when that money could be used right here in our country.

Every time I think about the tragedy that has accrued to these people I think that something can be done and it should have been done 6 months after it happened, not 2 and a half years of waiting. It makes me mad every time I think about this great city sitting in ruins. The people are still living in trailers and not their rebuilt homes.

Very recently I read an article that said that over 40% of the people are still waiting for checks for the company that is sending them out. The company wont even return calls to the people and that the company has actually made money off the fact that they are the check distributors. This is what makes me more mad about this situation.

I hope that when I go down to New Orleans that I can create images that will compell people to help and make a differnce in anothers life.

My Work