New Orleans Rum Distillery
Eating and drinking is definitely on the list of things to be done in NOLA. You can get recommendations on everything from coffee to cocktails. New Orleans is also a good place to see things. There are all kinds of tours to take, from the usual sightseeing to haunted tours. I took a tour that sort of combined the two.
Last week I went to New Orleans for a few days. I wanted to see some things, take some pictures and generally hang out.
Eating and drinking is definitely on the list of things to be done in NOLA. You can get recommendations on everything from coffee to cocktails. New Orleans is also a good place to see things. There are all kinds of tours to take, from the usual sightseeing to haunted tours. I took a tour that sort of combined the two.
I visited the Old New Orleans Rum Distillery. It's just outside the French Quarter in an industrial area you won't find a lot of tourist attractions.
The piece of equipment was once used to make perfume. Now it's used to make rum.
Celebration Distillation, which makes Old New Orleans Rum was founded by artist James Michalopoulos. The back story on the distillery sounds like quite the DIY, 'let's try this and see what works' kind of business. It's small, only distributes to a few states, and the guys who work there do most of the work by hand.
Where rum becomes rum. But the fermentation process leaves the room smelling like beer.
The room where bottles are filled and labeled. Each label has work by the artist/owner on the reverse.
The tour started with a cocktail, was followed by a tasting of four rums plus a new ginger soda/rum drink product, (above) and concluded with a small slice of rum cake. If you like what you taste you can take some home, or have them ship it.
The tour was fun and interesting, and well worth the $10 cost. I'd suggest taking it next time you're in New Orleans.
New Orleans Jazz
I spent a few days on vacation in New Orleans. Now that I'm back home, I know that's not nearly enough time.
I spent a few days on vacation in New Orleans. Now that I'm back home, I know that's not nearly enough time.
I hadn't been to New Orleans since I was my daughter's age. My parents took my brother, me and two of our cousins to the 1984 World's Fair. One thing that hasn't changed is the feeling of a festival or a fair on some streets. I'm staying in the French Quarter. I went out to a concert at Preservation Hall last night, and it seemed like some sort of holiday celebration in the area.
The line outside Preservation Hall is long and forms early.
If you love jazz music, or music of any kind, you need to go to Preservation Hall if you visit New Orleans. Or look up the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and find out when they're coming to your city. Different acts play the Hall, but I made a point of getting a VIP ticket on a night the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was playing. I'm glad I did.
First of all, this is not your usual venue. The building itself is at least 200 years old. It's been the site of Preservation Hall since 1961. There is no stage. There's no mics or amplifiers or speakers. There's no seed. There is one room everyone goes into, with not a lot of seating. There are a couple of benches, some pillows for the floor, and the VIP seats are important for their placement, not the comfort level.
I took the picture above from my seat. I was right next to the musicians. When I say "right next to," I mean, I had to scoot back a bit when the sax player jumped up to sing. I could see every key the pianist played. It was fantastic. And this is all I can show you:
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band takes the stage.
I have never hated a "no photography" rule so much in my life. Once the performance started, photography had to end. Even if I was inclined to sneak some pictures, I was sitting so close there's no way I could have gotten away with it. I was too busy enjoying the music anyway. It's kind of hard to take pictures and clap at the same time.
InStudio -- David Landis
I've picked up working on my InStudio project again. I've been talking to a few people, and I hope I'll be able to shoot a few more in the next few weeks.
The latest artist to allow me to take photographs in his studio is David Landis. He creates these amazing large scale sculptures from metal, cement and stone.
I've picked up working on my InStudio project again. I've been talking to a few people, and I hope I'll be able to shoot a few more in the next few weeks.
The latest artist to allow me to take photographs in his studio is David Landis. He creates these amazing large scale sculptures from metal, cement and stone. When I visited his studio, he was working on a public art project. The logistics of getting something like that done, much less installed, seem incredibly complicated to me. And it's gorgeous.
Sights from #SlowExposures 2012
Last month I went to the Slow Exposures
photo festival in Pike County, Georgia. It was the second year I
attended. I almost didn't go. There is a juried exhibition, which I
didn't get into this year, and the prospect of going and not showing
something didn't appeal to me when I first got the email notification.
But when I got the rejection letter, one of the organizers had added a
handwritten note, saying she hoped I came anyway. I had a good time last
year, so I decided to go anyway.
Last month I went to the Slow Exposures photo festival in Pike County, Georgia. It was the second year I attended. I almost didn't go. There is a juried exhibition, which I didn't get into this year, and the prospect of going and not showing something didn't appeal to me when I first got the email notification. But when I got the rejection letter, one of the organizers had added a handwritten note, saying she hoped I came anyway. I had a good time last year, so I decided to go anyway.
I'm glad I did. There were several good photography shows to see, interesting panels to go to, and good parties, too. I'm going to have to make this an annual trip, even if I don't make the show.
John Bennette, curator of the 10-year retrospective show at the Whiskey Bonding barn discussing his choices.
Photographers Sylvia Plachy and Ernesto Bazan chatting at the Whiskey Bonding barn reception.
Joy Walker, a supporter of Slow Exposures, who just happens to be the first woman pilot for Delta Airlines. She has fantastic stories. I'd buy a book she writes in a second.
Anna Walker Stillman, Jack Spencer and Elisabeth Biondi, some of the panelists for the Saturday Salon.
Jerry Siegel shares some of his images during the Slow Book Afternoon.
Ernesto Bazan talks about his award-winning books.
Jerry Siegel, Jerry Atnip and Ernesto Bazan wrap up Slow Book Afternoon.
Something new
I've been doing some virtual moving around lately. I recently had the chance to meet some people who are well-respected and experienced in photography. They gave me some suggestions and feedback about how I've been presenting my work that I decided I needed to follow as soon as possible. So, I'm separating my art and documentary photography from the photography that I'd do for clients, like portraits and events.
I'm putting the art and documentary work on this site, CamilleWrightFelton.com, and the portrait and event work will stay at Category5Photography.com.
I should have been doing this all along. My original thought was that "someday" I'll have enough work, or I'd be doing enough business work to justify maintaining separate sites.
Looks like "someday" is now.
