New Orleans Streetcars

New Orleans is a melting pot of cultures that brings an exotic blend of music, food, architecture, and voyeurism. As a musician, I’m captivated by the variety of tremendous music, from street performers to jazz greats. And a great meal is seldom more than a few steps away. But a hidden gem for me is the streetcars, particularly the St. Charles line.  So on a recent trip, I couldn’t help but take a few images of these museums that continuously move people through the city.

The St. Charles line dates back to 1835, when the streetcars were pulled by mules. At some point, the cars were briefly pulled by steam locomotives, but this practice was ended after female passengers complained of soot ruining clothing. In 1884, the 6.5 mile line was converted so that the cars would run on electricity. Amazingly, the current St. Charles line streetcars were built in 1923. Simply put, these cars are working museums on wheels. Just a much as a second-line band, these streetcars are a living pulse of New Orleans.

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Here's another of the shots I took while touring New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. I can't explain why. There's just something very captivating about New Orleans' street cars, especially the St. Charles line. I wish I could go back in time and see and shoot the Desire line, which ran up Bourbon Street and through the French Quarter to Desire.

This was a fun shot. I got down on the ground in front of the approaching streetcar right on top of the rail and waiting until it got close. I'm sure the driver didn't care for my technique. Then I tried the zoom blur throught the shutter. I topped off the effect with Alien Skin's Exposure 2 TRI-X 400 emulation. I really like the grain and the depth.

I'm excited that fall is near. The weather has cooled off, the humidity has dropped, and college football is finally here. Early Happy Labor day wishes to everyone. And if you dig my streetcar shot, please let me know.

In the Big Easy

I visited New Orleans last week. The big easy is a melting pot of cultures and offers so many of my favorite things—great food, history, and an incredible variety of musical genres and artists. Despite three days of muggy August heat and on and off rain showers, I managed to skip just enough of my conference to see some of the gritty, palpable texture and cuisine that makes New Orleans so special.

Who can deny the influence of the distilled spirits in New Orleans. The debauchery of Bourbon Street is an institution to itself, and a trip to Pat O’Bryans was unavoidable, but thanks to the suggestion of a friend, I ate at the Napoleon House, a 200 year-old landmark and one of America’s oldest and most historic bars. The building’s first resident, Nicholas Girod, New Orleans mayor from 1812 to 1815, offered his home Napoleon during his exile in 1821. Napoleon never made it, but I thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the cozy courtyard of this New Orleans icon. And it would have been wrong of me to not try the Pimm’s cup and muffaletta. Right?

In a place somehow more oft associated with bead-happy exhibitionism, urine and vomit scented gutters, and Katrina and an oil soaking from BP, art seems a distant concept. But along Rue Royale and St. Charltres, I found a number of excellent galleries. I haggled with the director of the Sutton Galleries over a wonderful oil painting. I met Joe Dunn, a talented landscape photographer, and his wife. Joe suggested a visit to A Gallery for Fine Photography—what a treasure trove. On the walls of this well-stocked gallery, owned by Joshua Mann Pailet, I found gelatin silver prints by Helmut Newton, Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Herman Leonard, just to name a few.

Finding inspiration for shooting is tough when the heat index is pushing 110 degrees. But a trip to New Orleans was just what it took to send me home ready to put the Nikons to work.