Photo-of-the-Week #61 – Bourbon Street, New Orleans – Anything Goes – September 2003

What can I say? It’s New Orleans. Every weekend is Mardi Gras there. I said in an earlier photo of the week that I am a documentary photographer, I capture what is happening or what I see. Well, this is what was happening and what I saw that evening in September 2003 on Bourbon Street. I take pictures of nature and places and people. Well, this is all three. The view was lovely from my vantage point about 10 feet away.

This was New Orleans pre-Katrina (2005). I haven’t been back to The Big Easy since Katrina and I know much of the city still lay in ruins from the flooding. However, Bourbon street is the highest place in New Orleans, which is why it was selected at the place to be developed by its original French founders. Bourbon Street, to the best of my knowledge experienced no damage from the devastating floods. So, it would be my guess that it’s “business as usual” in the French Quarter – including “monkey business.”

I guess lots of people have some degree of exhibitionist in them. Getting away from home and where you’re known aids in releasing some of the inhibitions. This young woman could have been a school teacher, a hair stylist, a student, even a young lawyer or doctor. I have no idea how old she was. But, she was certainly not the only woman “living free” that evening, including some women in their 40’s and 50’s. One thing was for sure, the men were certainly appreciative of the New Orleans “scenery.” The reward, of course, was some cheap plastic beads. Trophies and memories to remember at some future time.