New Orleans Jazz Festival Photography Application 2012

Every year I go to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Every year, I shoot thousands of photos. This year, I chose to apply for one of 150 coveted volunteer photographer slots. This is not photographer exploitation, like I know all about with give-away writing these days. The JF actually treats its artists right: If I am chosen, I get a $50 ticket and all-access stage passes every day I shoot. I only have to provide three images each day. And I get rights to all my images. Everybody wins. Of course, I don't know if I will get a slot. I'm just happy that I applied and that I had enough pictures I thought worthy to submit: I have crashed so many hard drives and have lost so many original photos. I'm so glad I had these six to send, a hodgepodge, including not just musicians, but atmospherics of a culture, like they wanted. Fingers crossed.  

1. ESPERANZA SPALDING    Jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding was 24 and two years away from receiving a Best New Artist Grammy (2011) when she came on the scene of the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Here, she appears transcended as she likewise mesmerizes a Jazz Tent crowd with a rare coupling of seasoned talent and youthful elegance.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN, POST-KATRINA
Many of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes remained displaced from their homes as they yet returned to the New Orleans Jazz Festival to parade around the fairgrounds for the first Fest post-Katrina. I asked this particular man to look into my camera for a moment as he processed. The sadness in his eyes is profound.

LET THE JAZZ FEST BEGIN
One of my favorite moments of the Jazz Festival is the afternoon before it actually begins, with the Rebirth Brass Band in the French Quarter and attendant Indians, dancers and musicians. This picture suggests the expectation and excitement of another Jazz Festival about to begin.

GIRL WITH THE YELLOW FEATHER EARRING
As much as I love shooting musicians, I love photographing people at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. This brightly bedecked festival-goer turns to scan the crowd as she waits for John Legend to come on. I liked the light, the shadows and once again, the expectation.

BIG SAM'S FUNKY NATION COMES TO KENT           I love it when my favorite hometown New Orleans funk music comes to a stage near me. This is Big Sam's Funky Nation, playing for a small crowd at the Kent Stage, December, 2011.

JOHN LEGEND, 2011 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FESTIVAL          John Legend gets into it, like he always does, at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. I had to work my way to the front of a packed crowd to respectfully nudge my lens between two people to grab this shot.