Dragonfly -- loading up on heat

This dragonfly was enjoying sunning on a trunk of what had been a bush but was not in the greenish water of Bogue Falaya Park in Covington, LA.

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Standing strong in death

This tree corpse stands at the main junction in Fontainebleau State Park, across the Lake (Pontchartrain) from New Orleans.  It was a favorite place to go for a childhood weekend fun time.  Linda and I drove through there the other day, so to reminisce.   It was amazing the damage done by Hurricane Katrina.  I am sure that Hurricanes Rita, Gustav and Ike did a lot of tree snapping, too.
The tree was soaking its few hanging strands of Spanish Moss in the last stray beams of sunlight gliding in from the lake

Park, Louisiana, FontaineBleu

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Boyhood park brings memories

I would call this image pastoral, but their is no pasture. The shot is from the Bogue Falaya Park in downtown Covington, LA.  The park was a favorite for us as kids.  We would head across the Causeway, from New Orleans -- it was a little bit frightful crossing a 23-mile, two-lane bridge.  The trip was worth it though to splash in the cool waters of the Bogue Falaya River. As you can see the water is deep enough for a boats to skim by.

Covington, Louisiana, Nature

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Lakefront leisure in Mandeville

In the evening the Lakefront in Mandeville is a time to get out and away from the house.  Walk the dog, fish, sit and watch the sunset or just contemplate. How do you use it?

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Five years since Katrina

It was 5 years ago yesterday, that we went back to see the neighborhood where we used to live in Slidell, Louisiana.
Five years after Hurricane Katrina, that stench still lingers in my mind

Hurricane Katrina, Slidell, Louisiana

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Shadows for the Night Heron

The lighting was a little hard for this young Black-Crowned Night Heron at New Orleans' City Park.  I ran into this fellow is a shady part of the bayou shore a while back

--steve buser

heron, City Park, New Orleans

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Water park wonderment...

We were at the water park in Sulphur a couple of weeks ago with the grandkids. I had a new waterproof camera, which of course means I am going to try stupid things. Like standing under the big bucket to see what it looks like when it dumps.

Being under a ton of water crashing to the ground is more of a feeling thing than a seeing thing.
--steve buser

Suspense...... well suspended

I will venture a guess that when you go bowling, you are used to the ball moving rapidly if not blindingly fast toward the target -- 10 defenseless pins, 60 feet away.   Then the violent smash, snap, clacking frensy that ensues.   There is the more patient way of playing as my two neices Sarah and Rebeka demonstrate here.   "We will knock down no pin before it's time."  Surely patience is a virtue.

Butterfly sucking up

This Painted Lady was having so much fun sucking up nectar (you can see her proboscis, that seems to come from under her jaw) that she let me set up the shot and get well focused.  Nectar will do that to one.
--steve buser

Resplendency

The Azaleas are resplendent this year.  I have been drawn particularly to the white ones.  They are eye popping.  This shot in downtown Beaumont, looking toward the Tyrrel Library, was actually a couple of days late.  A few days before this shot, you could barely see the green leaves of the Azaleas.
--steve buser

Hush-hued wall

Ivied, dappled wall at Nuvolari's along Monroe Street in Mandeville.  Bister, sienna, henna, sorrel, russet colors mixed in. It has a look of serenity and repose to me.
--steve buser

Flower fest fills the air

The passions of Spring -- the eagerness of motion, the torque that twists us and transports us away from the cold,  motionlessness of winter.   This day lily greets the morning with a flailing zeal: a sister ready to blossom through her bloom.  Each flower has its own story of life and amour. In Spring, their exhilaration builds to a choir of  color singing  a story of vital longing.
--steve buser

What lives?

The goal of this shot was to get out early in the morning and capture sprigs burst forth in the early Spring.  As I was shooting this branch, (there is a sprig on the far right, top) I was caught by the strange things that inhabited this branch while the green leafery took the winter off.  It was a brutal winter (as far as New Orleans winters go), and lots more leaves than usual spun to the ground.  This cypress had quite a few branches such as this that would make a mycologist druel.

--steve buser

Sundown rocket

Sailing into the night.  The sun had fallen beyond the horizon and was only sending rays to top of our darkening skies.  They captured the tail of this bird, making it appear as though a rocket.  It seems a shame that the folks in the plane couldn't see what was happening behind them.
--steve buser

Airplanes, sundown

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Don't hit the road Jack!

What do you want to bet this is a family conversation going on with Mom and Dad trying to convince youngster it is not safe to leave home at such and early age?  The shot is in Audubon Park in New Orleans.
--steve buser

egret, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Mardi Gras Rock and Roll Marathon

I didn't get a chance to show photos from the New Orleans Mardi Gras  Rock and Roll Marathon a couple weeks back.  Our son, Charles, was racing in it.  We've been to a few of these, but this was perhaps the best (for us spectators) -- the scenery of City Park, the magnificent, stately, shady oaks along the path, bands every mile.  It was a  pleasant day in the park. 
--steve buser

marathon, New Orleans

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Morning, Mourning Dove

Two years ago this week, we were watching this Mourning Dove cuddle her two new born chicks just outside our bedroom window.  Those were exciting time.  We would wake up each morning to see how much they had grown.
--steve buser

Mourning Dove, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Devilish delights on New Orleans streets

Like they say, you never know who the devil your going to run into on the streets of New Orleans -- its worth a meander
--steve buser

New Orleans, Costumes

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City Park waters reflect memories

Old Bayou Metairie lies still and somber in New Orleans' City Park.  It once carried water from the Mississippi River, but now seems just nothing more than a water for the grand-fatherly oak-laden play land.

It's whiskery Spanish Moss, and tannin-darken waters meander around the 1,300 acres, tying the golf course, sleepy oak trees, playground, Pan-Hellenic buildings and more, together.  I remember the first time we canoed and labored paddle wheels boats around the mirror-like waters back in the 60's.  Those memories are like the reflections in the bayou -- gloss-filled images that are easily lost in the waves of time.
--steve buser

City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Pick me, Pick me

Is this a good photo? The reason I ask is that I was driving through a rural area today, sans camera, and I saw shot after shot that I wished I could take.  Correction, of course,  if I didn't have a camera it's not a shot.  It is more a mental image of shot.

That got me to thinking. Does the photographer create the "shot" before the camera?  Well of course, in most instances --though,  I have had a few great shots that I thought were junk until I pulled them up on my computer.

But, this picture, for instance, what makes it a good shot, mediocre shot, poor shot, or even worth shooting?  Why did I shoot this shot? There were lots of other ducks on the lagoon in Audubon Park in New Orleans when I shot this. Does a duck shaking the water off his wings have more of a photographic value than one gliding on pollen-populated water?

Well, of course it does.... to me.   That is why I shot it.  Why did it have more value to me?  Because I got my start as a newspaper reporter.  This is the proverbial "boy bites dog" -- the story that sticks out as unusual.  You see thousands of duck photos.  Few of them are shaking their wings off. That makes it at least mildly unusual.  So it is worth shooting to see how it comes out?  That's where my value system ranks it.   I saw the photo in my "photographer's" mind, then shot it.

So, the photographer makes the photo,  then shoots it.

Do you agree?

Photography, New Orleans, Louisiana

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Imagination Sparks at Lousiana Children's Museum

Hope this sparks your imagination.  It's the guts of one of those sparking balls and sits in the lobby of the Louisiana Children's Museum on Julia street in New Orleans.  I think its kind of symbolic of the creative spark that goes on as little minds enter each day and expand and expand through their play.
--steve buser

Louisiana Children's Museum, New Orleans

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French Quarter, street corner music

On the street corner, the day after the big Superbowl game, these French Quarter musicians were make quite a lot of good sounding music with simple instruments.  I was impressed with the deep rich sounds, the base player was getting out of that washtub.
--steve buser

French Quarter, New Orleans, Music

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The Big Clean Up -- Superbowl style

So there we were, pushing our way down Bourbon Street after the big Superbowl game Sunday.   The crowds were so packed, forget about moving, it was getting hard to breath.   Were the streets dirty?  Every once in a while you could catch a glimpse below you and it was not a pretty sight.  Most of the time, you were lucky if you could see your shirt pocket with the crowds being so packed sardine-like.

Then the next morning you walk out and the streets are shining -- slightly damp from a night time hosing, but clean and fresh smelling.  This is a shot from Royal Street as we walked down to breakfast.

New Orleans is the best in the world at three things:  the Superbowl, Mardi Gras, and cleaning up after the big party.
--steve buser

Superbowl, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, French Quarter

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New Orleans Night

This was the view out of our room at the W Hotel in New Orleans Sunday night after we survived the celebration in the French Quarter for the Saints Superbowl win.  Just minutes before I shot this, Poydras Street which is down below was circular parade of horn honkers and "Who Dat" cheerleaders.    You can see the Loews Hotel on the far right and next to it is the Harrah's Hotel.  Just across Poydras with the lighted purple emblem is Harrah's Casio.  You are looking out toward the Mississippi River.  The Hilton Hotel on the right looks out over the river.   The French Quarter is out of the picture, two blocks to the left. 

It's a few blocks heavy on the tourism.

By the way,  a little known fact, the Mississippi at this point is flowing directly North for a few miles.
--steve buser

New Orleans, Hotels, Superbowl, French Quarter

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French Quarter Feathery Festival Finery for Mardi Gras.

You could be well dressed for Mardi Gras in New Orleans just by donning one of these fashionable boas.  The boas were all laid out in a French Quarter shop we passed on Monday, but few minds were on Mardi Gras -- they were still harkening back to the Saints stunning (not so stunning for the true believers, just incredible) win over the Colts.  Now that the big welcoming-back parade for the Saints is passed, the city can get back to Mardi Gras.
--steve buser

Superbowl, New Orleans, Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras football -- Superbowl style

Hey, every dog has his day on the gridiron, doesn't he?  This was the Krewe of Barkus parade in New Orleans just a few hours before the big Sunday game between the Saints and the Colts.  Mardi Gras was almost on hold for the Superbowl, but when you march through the French Quarter just before the game, every street has a ready-made crowd.
--steve buser

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Superbowl

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"Who Dat" 'ers fill the streets.

Before the big game Sunday night, fans turned out en masse in the French Quarter, to nervously cheer on theire team.   I didn't catch any pictures after the game, because it was too packed to try.  The French Quarter was filled with revelers, and Poydras Street became and impromtu parade of cars sounding their horns to the sounds of who dat?

I didn't hear any estimates of crowd numbers, but the real crowd numbers are likely for Tuesday night when the city welcomes home it's heros as the Saints parade through the the Central Business District.

"Who dat say they going to beat the Saints?"  Nobody now.
--steve buser

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Black-bellied Whistling Duck

A group of Black bellied Whistling Ducks enjoys the quite of the Audubon Park heronry in  the bayou.  The New Orleans middle-of-the-city park is know for its scenery, jogging, walking, golfing and more.  It is however, a wonderful bird watching stop for the out-of-towner.
--steve buser

Dndrocygna autumailis, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, ducks

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Glossy Ibis

It's hard to feel sunny sitting in a cold wet rain.  This Glossy Ibis does its best to get interested in fishing. This just may be one day he goes to be hungry.  The photo is from Lafreniere Park near New Orleans.
--steve buser

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Cloud and sun play

Vaporous beings both, the cloud and sun team up to dazzle in the fading light.  The nearby building must make a spectacular perch to watch this evening expo of ether.  Harahan, just out side of New Orleans is the stage.
--steve buser

Sunset

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Christmas is a time to learn, too.

I hope your holidays were grand and filled with family, friends and faith.   Our granddaughter, Sophie, had to put the new Christmas baby in the bath immediately, and make sure she was really clean.  Unless my eyes are deceiving me, the position of the feet indicates the baby is face down in the water.   Oh, well, mothering takes some time to get down right.
--Steve Buser

Christmas, holidays, family

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