Shooting in New Orleans with out getting shot

[anselwannab]

I have a trade show next week (week of Halloween) in New Orleans. I don't think I'll have a lot of time to shoot with my CL, but I had a couple of questions.

Is Halloween a big deal down there and is there any specific area that might be more interesting?
Are there go/no go areas in regards to seeing reconstruction and the Katrina devastation. Any interesting locations?

My first thought is that in some areas there still aren't a lot of people, but from some media reports and some posts that I can't remember where I read them, security isn't that great.

Mark

 

[Bill58]

There's a guy on the LUG (Leica User's Gallery) named Jeffery Smith who lives in NOLA. He seems like a nice person and a RF fanatic like the rest of of us. You might want to try to hook up w/ him.

Otherwise, I think I'd carry a .40 (bigger than a 9mm) w/ me if I went around the place--it's pretty bad/ dangerous now.............. or worse than before Katrina according to CNN reports I've seen.

 

[mfunnell]

Otherwise, I think I'd carry a 40mm w/ me if I went around the place--it's pretty bad/ dangerous now

Nokton or Oerlikon??

...Mike

 

[Bill58]

Nokton or Oerlikon??

...Mike

Corrected--thanks. 'Got my guns and camera talk mixed up.

 

[anselwannab]

Damn, a while back I traded my Springfield XD-40 for a Sig 226 9mm. Ten .40rounds versus fifteen 9mm, before the mag restrictions came off. Off course there is always the Mamiya 7 of pistols, the .45 1911.

I wouldn't want to carry an RF and a pistol, might get sight picture and trigger finger confusion.

I'd like to stay safe and not make it "Mad Mark: Beyond the Superdome". My schedule is going to be goofy, so setting anything up prearranged will be impossible, but I'll see if he can point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[vodid]

I live here (nola) don't own a gun, and only use a bicycle for transportation. I go out at night, get fairly soused on booze, and ride home. I know it's possible to run into trouble in any city...perhaps I've just been lucky. My suggestion would be to check out Frenchmen Street (which used to be the non-touristy outskirts, but it's gained strength over the years and is busy now), or if you really want to get off the beaten path, take a cab down to my neighborhood, the Bywater. My little end of the Bywater is sometimes called the Barmuda triangle...easy to get lost and drop out, with four neighborhood bars within close proximity. If you want music with your drinks, you might want to check and see what's playing down here before making the trip. Vaughn's bar is the one with the most frequent music. New Orleans is a fun place. I took some photos last weekend on Frenchmen street, check 'em out on my flickr site, link below.

 

[varjag]

Good shots vodid!

 

[rxmd]

Sometimes I don't understand some of you guys. Are you seriously discussing what kind of gun to carry around with you in New Orleans? What kind of photography are you going to practise if you constantly think about that hunk of steel in your sholder holster and OMG, the black guy on the next corner looks dangerous, and then there's this punk with the bulge in his jacket?

To me this sound just silly (and I've been to some dangerous places in the world).

Philipp

 

[Uncle Bill]

Who would want to hold a trade show in New Orleans after Katrina???

 

[Bill58]

Sometimes I don't understand some of you guys. Are you seriously discussing what kind of gun to carry around with you in New Orleans? What kind of photography are you going to practise if you constantly think about that hunk of steel in your sholder holster and OMG, the black guy on the next corner looks dangerous, and then there's this punk with the bulge in his jacket?

To me this sound just silly (and I've been to some dangerous places in the world).

Philipp

Check the crime stats and read the news sometime. Only Bagdad is more dangerous. It has nothing to do w/ race--it's the completely broke-down/ corrupt criminal justice system.

 

[anselwannab]

VODID- Great shots, looks like Halloween is in full swing, or is that how it is all the time? Where is the best place to still see Katrina damage? Any bid reconstruction projects?

The trade show in ICE, the International Coatings Exhebition, stuff that goes into paints and coatings. Second only the CES for must see trade shows 😉.

Thanks- Mark


Can't people take gun jokes anymore? Even Sean Penn tok a shotgun when he went down to help people after katrina. Rifle target shooting gave me some really good insights on how to shoot slow speed camera shots. Not jerking the the shot, using bone-to-bone contact for support, using stable body positions and controlling breathing.

It's a cultural thing. I took a buddy from England to the range and had him shoot .22 thru a .45. He said it was really disconcerting to hold a pistol since they are linked with nefarious deeds where he is from.

Just because you walk around hoping that no one has bad intentions, doesn't mean that they don't. As someone who has been mugged, you are damn right that I watch everyones eyes, hands, and body language. If I'm walking with friends and someone comes up asking for change/bus fare/help changing a tire, I get at least 45 degrees behind them so that if they want to cause trouble, they are going to have to worry about me behind them.

Contrary to common belief, just because we have millions of concealed carry people over here, doesn't mean that they are out shooting people all the time. The vast majority of the gun crime in concentrated in small areas where it is drug and gang related.

 

[rxmd]

Just because you walk around hoping that no one has bad intentions, doesn't mean that they don't.

What's a concealed gun going to change about that?

Check the crime stats and read the news sometime. Only Bagdad is more dangerous. It has nothing to do w/ race--it's the completely broke-down/ corrupt criminal justice system.

[Emphasis mine.]
I don't doubt that there are dangerous places around New Orleans, even though I tend to believe vodid's first-hand experience when say's it's quite possible to live a normal life there, and I think your Baghdad comparison is quite exaggerated either way. The thing is that I don't see how a gun in your pocket is going to give you added security or freedom when you go photographing in a city.

Philipp

 

[rover]

With all due respect to everyone, joke or not, I tend to agree with Philipp here. Let's keep on topic and if you can offer opinions regarding the initial question that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ywenz]

N.O wasn't a safe city to begin with. It is now even worse.

 

[anselwannab]

I'll take some of the blame for the digression. I thought it was a catchy title. I in no way thought that all of NOLA was dangerous, that's why I asked what areas not to go.

Mark

 

[rover]

I think there are better places than a photography forum to find info about personal safety in NO. Vodid offered some comments as a resident, others with actual experience is of value. If it were me and I had concerns I would also contact the event planner, NOPD, maybe local media outlets.....

Do of course be safe, but let's not drag this down with speculation and heresay from CNN or any other cable news networks.

 

[anselwannab]

OK, I'm sorry I asked other photographers what would be safe areas to go in NOLA and take pictures. I'm sure the PD will be more than happy to point out places for picture taking.

As penance I'll start three film vs. Digital threads, two "Which 50 should I buy?", and one about what is Bokeh.

😉

Mark

 

[egpj]

I went down to Bourbon Street back in January of this year and had a pretty good time. Did take some shots (the photographic as well as the beverage type). If you get the chan ce to go around Lake Poncetrain <sp?> then do so. That whole area was wreck. Also like that area because there is a major road close by (interstate 10) so you can get back into the city quickly. Bourbon Street has some good night life shots and by all means you have to try a drink called the "Hand-grenade". Two of those and you'll be more messed up then a football bat. Have a good time in Nawlins.

 

[brachal]

Anselwannabe,

Thanks for coming to New Orleans. We can use the visitors. Contrary to a lot of the misinformation you might see on the national news, New Orleans still exists. We still go to work, restaurants, and the grocery store. It's still a great place to have a convention. We're not the safest city in the US, but we are NOT a war zone. I've lived in NO most of my live, and I've been back since Sept 13 2005.

There is a crime problem here, but almost all of the violence is concentrated in a few areas and is driven by our wonderful drug/revenge culture. I would not advise packing heat -- if you're mugged the safest thing to do is give up your wallet. Use the same common sense precautions (especially after dark) that you would in any US urban area and you'll be fine.

The French Quarter, Uptown, and Garden District are all worth photographing, and they're safe areas. Vodid's recommendation of Frenchman St. for Halloween is great as well. If you want to see Katrina damage, you'll need a car. The Gentilly, Lakeview, and 9th ward neighborhoods still show a lot of damage. If you go further East, there's lots to see in St. Bernard parish -- even harder hit than Orleans. Ask your hotel concierge for map help and directions.

If you get a chance, try to get to the Uptown/Carrolton area and have dinner at Dick and Jenny's, Brigtsen's, or Jacque-i-mo's.

 

[egpj]

You have to do Cafe DuMond as well, right in front of St Charles cathedral. You can sit there and enjoy some coffee with the local pastry and snap pictures at leisure. Makes me wish I was there right now.