Thursday, January 22, 2009

Gerard Dole of Paris







Gerard Dole is an author and Cajun musician who has been coming to Louisiana for several decades now. He also is a collector of tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerrotypes. He called me after seeing my photos on display at the Coffee Break in Breaux Bridge. While visiting him and his companion, Christine, at their home on Potato Shed Road, I photographed him with his accordions and fiddles.
I hope Gerrard returns to Louisiana soon, so we can make some more pictures and play music.
You can see and read, see and hear more about him at his website: http://gerarddole.free.fr/



Get in gear!

This is a huge gear, about 10 feet in diameter, from an old sugar mill. I photographed it at the LSU Rural Life Museum in Baton Rouge. The museum director, David Floyd, told me this pile of gears would be re-assembled onsite to make a replica of a working sugar mill.
Exposure on a 7x9.5 inch aluminum plate was f/11 at 10 seconds with a 180mm lens.

Monday, January 19, 2009

WELCOME to the world of wet-plate photography



So...here's my first entry.


I often ask myself: why do I live in this 3rd world country called Louisiana? It's flat, miserably hot and humid for several months, and then there's several social aspects that are the subject of national scorn and ridicule. But weekends like the past 2 come around, and I'm reminded of the reasons why I've stayed here for more than 35 years.

Barry and Caroline Ancelet hold their annual pre-Mardi Gras party every January. It is a wonderful event that I look forward to every year. You never know who will show up from around the world. Everyone brings a covered dish and a bottle of wine. Barry and his crew roast a pig. As the sun goes down, fiddles, guitars and accordions rise and Cajun music fills the house.


Here are a few images I made in late afternoon on the side of their house. Let me know what you think.

Caroline and Barry Ancelet.


Katie and Francois Ancelet with hog's head

Louie Ancelet and Anna Laura Edmiston


Jean and Mindy Ancelet



The Ancelet Family

David Greeley of the Mamou Playboys with his new fiddle

D.L. Menard, singer and writer of one of the best Cajun songs ever, "The Back Door."