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Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A Story Like No Other
GMc Advertising of New Orleans announced today the update of the new African American Heritage Trail website. Great story, great site, great photography by me.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Zave Smith
Thursday, July 9, 2009
New Orleans
By all measures, New Orleans should be a sad city. It has suffered hurricanes, floods, high unemployment, racial strife and several visits from Homeland Security and the Army Corps of Engineers. Yet, it remains New Orleans, donning her best Sunday dress of joy, happiness and just plain fun. From the Balls and parades of Mardi Gras, and the clubs along Bourbon Street to the hole in the wall family restaurants in the neighborhoods, I have witnessed the joys of living triumph over the pains of life.
New Orleans is both one of America’s poorest cities and one of our wealthiest. It overflows with good food, great music and spirited people. Yet three plus years after Katrina material damage is still to be found.
During this trip, my assignment was to photograph the Creole to Soul Tour and The Essence Music Festival. In addition I was fortunate to spend a few hours in the Brad Pitt Green Home development too. In this Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood one home is finished, two more are almost completed. These homes are amazing. They are beautiful, comfortable, and have achieved the highest rating for being Green. Yet I walked away wondering why only three? Why are there not three hundred or three thousand of these low cost, totally cool new homes? They should be sprouting up like mushrooms in the humid climate of the Lower Ninth Ward.
I love New Orleans. Between the street cars, drunk tourists, amazing musicians, chefs who know how to turn an egg into a taste of heaven, and 300 year old French Quarter homes, lives a collection of ghosts and stories. For the price of a cheap beer and a sincere ear you can hear the most amazing tales. New Orleans, is an old oak, with deep roots and fresh new leaves every year.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Throwing Stuff At People
Click Here For More Images From Mardi Gras 2009
After a weeklong orgy of food, music, stories, sore legs and photography I realized that Mardi Gras is not what I expected. I imagined Mardi Gras to be booze and bare breasts with thousands of people behaving badly. I have learned that Mardi Gras is a fun celebration that binds family and community together via tradition, stories and the sharing outrageous fun of the Mardi Gras parades.
One of my favorite memories from my childhood in Detroit was the Thanksgiving Day Christmas parade. Now imagine a city that has not one parade but dozens. Each parade has its unique roots and route. I watched in awe as dozens and dozens of marching bands and floats rode colorfully by. I watched in amazement has thousands of well behaved people lined the streets in a community wide celebration.
History tells us the in late 18 century France the aristocrats paraded around Paris tossing out food to the hungry peasants in honor of Mardi Gras. In New Orleans instead of food it is beads, umbrellas, stuff toys, fake coins and for the lucky few, a painted coconut.
Who knew it could be so much fun to dress up, drive around and throw stuff at people but fun is what Mardi Gras is about. I watched as kids from troubled neighborhoods reached out, screamed, and begged in delight for somebody to toss a bead their way. I saw the same child like joy in the VIP stands with the rich matrons of old money New Orleans.
In Mardi Gras, all in New Orleans becomes united by joy of an old tradition kept alive by sheer fun. Mardi Gras does not make sense until you live it and living it is definitely worth the trip.
More pictures on Monday.
Sincerely,
Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com
Friday, February 20, 2009
Mardi Gras 2009
There is nothing more fun and challenging that an unusual assignment. Most of the time our shoots are sizable productions. We tend to work with large budgets, producers, stylists, models, and assistants. I am surrounded by our usual motley crew of people who I love, trust and help me execute my client’s dreams.
Today I am flying on my own. I have pared down my equipment from five to ten cases to a backpack. Today and for the coming week I will be masquerading as a photojournalist. I will be photographing a behind the scenes peek at Mardi Gras from an African American tradition. The pictures will be used to promote minority tourism for the State of Louisiana. There will be no set ups. I will photograph what I see as I participate in the balls, parades, music, food and mirth that is Mardi Gras.
I am not an event person. I usually stay away from crowds. Luckily for this trip it will be all first class with the gracious staff of Gmc advertising paving mine and my fellow journalist way.
Reading about the history of Mardi Gras, looking at newspaper articles and photographs one question keeps coming to my mind; Why? Mardi Gras is obviously a very expensive, time consuming orgy of color, food, drink, sex, and music. Who has the time? Who has the money? Who has the energy to dedicate this much effort to something so transient?
Sincerely,
Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com
Friday, August 8, 2008
Nova Scotia
Images from a recent trip through Nova Scotia
Enjoy.
Sincerely,
Zave Smith
August, 2008
www.zavesmith.com
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