David Hilgier Photographs

The familiar hum and hue emanating from the neon lights on Canal Street street guide us home for the evening.

A bartender waits for her next customer from a barebones to-go bar bordering Bourbon Street. The famous street attracts all walks of life to imbibe in its vices and subsequently provides ample people watching. In the end, I was drawn more to the latter attribute of it, and found the street to be little more than a passageway between other destinations in the city.

The New Orleans I had hoped for. Loud, raucous, and irreverent. As part of a nightly routine, a collective of musicians takes over a corner of Frenchman Street. Their presence amplified by the ‘celebration’ of St. Patricks Day as the drunks and the gawkers (myself included) take over a space typically reserved for traffic. They play as loud as they can to drown out their competition from the other nearby bars and nightclubs and I could not be more pleased by the circumstance stumbled upon.

An outpost of American industry encountered on a morning walk in central New Orleans.

A patchwork of siding reflecting a repair waiting for its final touches.

Morning light illuminates the entryway details of a central New Orleans home. Enjoying their craftsmanship, unique style, vibrant colors, and weathered textures was one of my favorite aspects of exploring the city’s residential neighborhoods.

A relic from a celebration past encountered during an early morning walk through the central portions of New Orleans.

Transitioning from my photographs of Paris to my next series of images taken while visiting New Orleans in March of 2019. My hope is that these images feel gritty, textural, and worn. A reflection and representation of my brief exploration through the city and my impressions of it. We encountered a location full of life, but also a place that wears its heart on its sleeve. Unapologetic would be the word I use to describe the city. As we all know, the place has endured its ups and downs, especially in recent years. As I experienced it, there really is no polished surface to the city. For better or worse, it is what it is. Loud. Dirty. Vibrant. Colorful. Unique. Perhaps that is what makes it great? A kaleidoscope of all walks of life and the perspectives each brings to the table.

One final glance at the city in the rain before descending back into the metro to begin the process of making our way back home to Colorado. My second time visiting the city. The first way too brief. The second, enjoyable and more extensive, but again too brief. Some places you visit just once in your life, others, you can never tire of. I look forward to the day I get to return to Paris.

Amplified by the pouring rain, a Saturday evening on the Paris Metro becomes a crowded affair. Those who would typically enjoy a stroll through the streets to their destination forced to alter their preferred routine.