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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