Making a beignet at Café du Monde
The Big Easy’s historic French Quarter presents just one tough challenge to the weekend photographer: Deciding when to sleep. Good thing they’re brewing fresh coffee and popping beignets in the fryer 24-7 at Café du Monde.
Photojournalist and National Geographic contributing photographer Tyrone Turner kicked off NG Expeditions’ Weekend Photography Workshop in his native New Orleans with an invitation to stay up late (yes, Bourbon Street’s going all night) and get up early (how ’bout that great morning light?). Tyrone has traveled from Brazil to Baghdad on assignment, and also shot National Geographic features on New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, and the Louisiana bayou.
Friday, our first full day in the city, saw two dozen students in Jackson Square by dawn. For a few moments of golden light, we had it nearly to ourselves—just us, a few other early risers, and a couple of folks who never made it to bed the night before.
Bright eyes welcome early morning photographers to Jackson Square.
Then painters, musicians, fortune tellers, and mimes found their accustomed places, and the streets came alive. One fiddler played a Cajun tune …
A fiddler plays a Cajun tune.
… as snack vendors awaited hungry passersby.
A Lucky Dog vendor strolls near his cart.
In a shop near the river, a man rolled tobacco into cigars.
A man rolls a cigar in the French Quarter.
After several hours prowling the Quarter, we gathered to review the photos we’d taken, pick 20 favorites, and narrow that down to four selects each with the help of Tyrone and his workshop colleagues, National Geographic Traveler Associate Photo Editor Krista Rossow and fellow New Orleans photographer Rick Olivier.
That evening, we were back on the town, looking for the reflected glow of neon in the bustle of Bourbon Street…
A puddle reflects the lights of Bourbon Street.
… for people who stood out in the crowd …
A masked woman strikes a pose on Bourbon Street.
… and for quiet moments at closing time.
White linens and a quiet moment mark closing time at Antoine's.
Saturday, we were up and out once more in the French Market in time to catch trucks spraying away Friday night’s debris …
A truck scours away remnants of last night's revels.
… water falling from flower baskets past wrought-iron rails…
Water cascades from drenched baskets.
… and more coffee, juice, and fresh beignets.
Hot coffee, cold juice, and fresh beignets grace a tray at New Orleans' renowned Café du Monde.
After another full day exploring New Orleans, we narrowed our favorites down to final selects, then enjoyed dinner and a best-of-workshop slideshow.
Experience New Orleans for yourself with Tyrone Turner and a National Geographic Weekend Photography Workshop, or view our other photography workshops and expeditions.
Photos by Katerina Lambird and Ford Cochran
My daughter and I took part in this trip–it was indeed wonderful. The instructors were great, the participants all amicable, the town provided one photo opportunitiy after another. Glad to see your blog Ford. JP
I will never get to travel in this life time. Thank you for sharing these wonderful pics.
Great to read your journal Ford, I am planning and budgeting for minimum 2 photography workshops this year 2012. I will be coming from Pakistan and this will be completely new experience with NG workshops. Reading your journal definitly gave me some insights into how it might look (little or no sleep!!!wow)…..
Thankyou for sharing!!!
Thanks. You all captured the essence of the Quarter…we’re lucky enough to live here and never tire of the scene.
Good Lord, man!!! When National Geographic doesn’t know that a fender is spelled with an -er but a vendor is spelled with an -or, it’s time to give up all hope for the survival of civilized literature.
Nice photos.
- Janét Lee, a New Orleans native and a National Geographic reader for over 50 years.
Hah, thank you Janét! Merriam-Webster actually lists both spellings (vendor, vender) as accurate, but vendor appears first, so is preferred by the Geographic. I’ve made the change. – Ford