... Has Left The Building

[gstark]

The Olympic Flame ....

And me too ....

I'm off, tomorrow, for a couple of weeks in the USofA, visiting LA, New Orleans (Jazzfest!), and Dallas.

In the meantime, I will still be available here and by email, in case there are any issues with any orders, or whatever. But please note I may not be online as often during this period, and thus responses may be somewhat delayed slightly, so please be patient.

And also in the meantime, go out and shoot some images. There's the Crema Challenge, awaiting your creative input. When I get back I truly want to see a gallery literally overflowing with Crema entries.

And tomorrow is Anzac Day, with loads of opportunities for shooting; please, as always, be respectful as you photograph people engaging in their observance of this important day.

For those in Sydney, we have the upcoming night shoot, just a couple of days after my return: stay tuned for more of this.

And for all of you, please keep the weekend of August 1 free; that will be when we celebrate our 4th anniversary, and we will do so, as always, in style, good grace and humor, and lots of photographic stuff happening. If you have any preferences as to what you might like to to see us do for this weekend, please feel free to post your suggestions etc within this thread.

In the meantime, I'm (almost) outtahere.

[Bugeyes]

Jazzfest sounds interesting I'm thinking a smokey bar with an African American trumpet musician shot in B&W... enjoy your trip.

[Geoff]

Have fun Gary, stay safe and healthy!

[Glen]

Have a great time Gary

[gstark]

Jazzfest sounds interesting I'm thinking a smokey bar with an African American trumpet musician shot in B&W... enjoy your trip.

Not exactly. Jazzfest is held at the county fairgrounds, which, in N'Awlins case, also happens to be the local racetrack. As in gee-gees.

11 stages and tents, all with various concurrent performances, including people like Carlos Santana, Jimmy Buffet (next weekend) , Robert Plant, Elvis Costello (both this weekend) etc. Literally a cast of thousands. The blues stage holds a lot of promise, as does the WWOZ tent. As does the Acura stage, which is the primary headline stage.

On the Saturday evening there's four or five concurrent performances that I want to see. I'm impressed, but frustrated. Short straws may need to be the order of the day.

The smoky bars will definitely be happening (Funky Butt and the various Tipintinas venues are my two faves, none of them being on Bourbon St which, last time I was there, was basically an abomination) but they're outside of the actual official Jazzfest realm.

And I will be meeting with a few musicians during the trip as well.

Most importantly, I want to see for myself how the city is recovering post Katrina.

[Matt. K]

Bon Voyage Gary. Enjoy yourself to tears.

[timbo]

Have some gumbo for me, Gary. It's a crazy town and sounds like a wild festival!

timbo

[Old Bob]

Have a great time Gary, and enjoy all that jazz.

Bob

[phillipb]

Have a good break Gary and post some photos when you can.
... ho don't forget to put some extra sticky tape on the powerpoint. Sorry Leigh.

[Bindii]

Has he gone yet?...

*gets out the parteee balloons and baby oil*..

Have a great time Gary!!!!

[photohiker]

Have a good trip Gary.

I hope you will be visiting Jazzfest with more status than I did a few years back, or that they have changed the rules. They were turning people with cameras and any sort of audio recording gear away at the gates. It was a great festival though, somewhat similar to Womadaelaide but of course heavily focussed on Jazz.

Don't forget to bring back one of these.

Michael

[surenj]

Looking forward to hearing bout ya adventure

[gstark]

I hope you will be visiting Jazzfest with more status than I did

Yep. I have recording and photography privileges. I won't be asking for full photography creds (front of stage) because I'm not entirely sure how I might justify photography for a radio show.

I'm in N'Awlins now - been here for about seven hours. I've seen and heard Teresa Anderson, Irvin Mayfield (with Jason Marsalis), and Dr Michael White. He had a Stephen Pastorius on keys; I need to check to see if he's related to Jaco. That was all part of a set of free perfomances at the Lousiana Music Factory, and I have never seen so many people in a CD store. it was packed to the rafters.

Just had dinner - a cafe au lait and a plate of baignets - at Cafe Du Monde. There's a dinner to die for. Er, I mean to die of.

I am all credentialed up too.

I need to put my feet up ...

[photohiker]

Nawlins...
Great Music...
Cafe Du Monde...
CD Stores...
etc...

Bragger.

Jealous.

Don't forget the Mississippi mud cake.

We bought a suitcase of CD's back then. Stuff you couldn't buy here, and at less than half Aussie prices. Things have improved somewhat with the online availability since though.

I don't know what it's like since Katrina, but there were some awesome secondhand shops around, both in terms of what's for sale, and photo opportunities. Just don't wander into the 'wrong' street.

Michael