My Essay . . .

So I've had plenty of time now to consider what I want to photograph once I get down to New Orleans, PLENTY of time. Yet I still find myself flip-flopping between different ideas. I first wanted to capture images of hope, i guess you could call them. New Orleans being rebuilt, people helping each other out, life continuing to move forward and upward, and just in general capture the good in New Orleans. I didn't want to spend my time looking for images of tragedy and hardship - I feel as though I've seen enough. Or maybe I just don't think I'll have the strength to do a series like that . . .

Another avenue I've thought about taking and will most likely run with is doing a photographic essay on street artists. Before seeing some of the documentaries about N.O. I had no idea that there was such a community of street artists. Musicians, painters, actors, poets, performers, etc. Perhaps I am so attracted to these people because I too am an artist. An artist struggling very hard to find my voice. I often feel overwhelmed and intimidated by my peers, I have little confidence in my abilities at times, and seeing these artists out on the streets just being raw and doing what moves them from inside is so damn amazing to me. I envy them, and maybe by capturing them and spending time with them I too will start to feel a little more free . . .