NOTES
Upcoming Events
Information about my current exhibit at The New Orleans Tattoo Studio and Museum as well as my signing at Jewels.
Adam Montegut of the New Orleans Tattoo Museum hanging prints from the Black Ink photo series.
"Michael, The Marigny" will be available for purchase at The New Orleans Tattoo Studio and Museum on October 14, 2016.
Hey all,
I just wanted to quickly make you aware of a couple of events coming up within the next couple of weeks.
Friday, October 14, 2016 (6-11PM)
The Reopening of the New Orleans Tattoo Studio and Museum (1915 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd)
When I first conceived my art-on-skin series, the only place I could think of in which I’d like it to be seen was the New Orleans Tattoo Studio and Museum. Over a year later and it will now be displayed in their gallery. Purchases of prints from this collection will go toward the completion of this project. My ideas are getting bigger and that requires a little funding. It’s a IRL Kickstarter!
Black Ink will be on display as well as a tattoo museum exhibit curated by Adam Montegut, Saigon Slim's food truck, music by The Wicked Son!
Saturday, October 22, 2016 (time TBD)
Jewels (905 Decatur Street)
I’ve been selling prints from this art shop for over a year but this will be the first time that I’ll be doing a public signing. Two new prints will be available for purchase and signing. Neither one have ever been released — online or otherwise. The size is a perfect 8.5x11.
This print, "Underworld" will be available at the signing on October 22, 2016 at Jewels.
The Haunting Tourist
The biggest challenge of shooting at Saint Louis Cemetery #1 is the tourist walking into the frame. But maybe it actually enhances this collection? A before and after is included in the post. Feel free to tell me what you think.
What is the tourist's role at Saint Louis Cemetery #1?
This is what I'm considering today as I finish up shooting at Saint Louis Cemetery #1. The biggest challenge of shooting at one of the most essential visits of anyone's vacation to New Orleans is this cemetery, which leads to the inevitable, "Shit! They walked into my frame!" At some point, I said, screw it, I'm going to photograph them away. The first time I did this, I returned home, uploaded and scanned through my photographs and found that the tourists who walked into my shot actually gave the scene an eerie feel...as if they were the ones haunting the site.
I've never felt or seen any spirits at the cemetery. Who'd want to linger with such massive crowds? Nope. What has happened, however is, on a few occasions, a tourist would walk past a corner I was shooting from, not expect me and become frightened. I've seen other tourists do it to each other, too. It's an old, crumbly cemetery and beside stories of hauntings it used to be a huge problem for safety. The crime used to be so bad that not even family members of those deceased would visit. Much of the reason why the cemetery looks as it does is because of the lack of upkeep due to the dangers associated with criminals. It's now relatively safe but I digress.
It's not certain whether these shots of tourists will end up in the final collection. I vacillate, considering whether it would be a distraction or enhance the narrative. In the pictures below, you'll see how the scene looks with and without the tourist. Which do you prefer?
I'm off to prepare for my last shoot day. Thanks for reading.
Any questions can be emailed to info@carlosdetres.com. You can read more posts and see more photos HERE.
Day 2 of the St. Louis Cemetery #1 Project
My second day of photographing nearly every inch of St. Louis Cemetery #1 before it closes to the public on March 1.
I returned today to St. Louis Cemetery #1 to photograph as much of it as I can before it closes to the public on March 1, 2015 (you can still go with an Archdiocese approved tour guide). Since this may be my last chance to see it, I'm getting as much of it as I can. This is one of my favorite places to visit in my new home city of New Orleans but unfortunately some sick, twisted vandals and thieves decided to piss all over the city's heritage by kicking head stones, ripping through brick, grave rob, desecrate old tombs, etc.
My goal with this project is to photograph the beauty of St. Louis Cemetery #1. Much like its host city, it's beautiful, dilapidated and full of character and history. Here are a few of the several hundred shots I did today (I still have at least two more days to fulfill my goal of covering nearly every ground).
P.S. I wrote more details about the closure of St. Louis Cemetery over HERE.
PHOTOS ARE COPYRIGHTED 2015. If you'd like to reuse these images, please email info@carlosdetres.com.
