Journey on Analog: New Orleans

The drama of Bourbon Street

The feeling of nostalgia existed even before my first visit here a few years ago. Whether it had been instilled from books I had read, movies I had watched, or maybe even magazines I had browsed, the feeling and eventual trip was something I could not resist. I made my first trip in 2017 and have been back at least once or twice a year ever since. As 2020 came around, I had started to plan another trip, usually around somewhere towards the end of October. To me, this is the perfect time to visit a city down South, as the weather is just right, a few hot days, but fairly mild compared to the rest of the year. Without all the hustle and bustle of Mardi Gras, and all the parades themed around Halloween make New Orleans a must in October/November. As we all know though, 2020 had other plans and as I sit here typing this, that nostalgic feeling continues to build from within. Of all my travels, I’ve never felt so at home and felt like I was in a completely unique place as I do in this magical place.

The photos shot here in this blog were shot on 35mm film to accompany that nostalgic feeling. This medium has been something that could help relay the nostalgia, or as the Portuguese say, “saudade". I’ve always had the feeling that analog photography has this sense of nostalgia, wonder, and certain mood associated with it and the culture surrounding it, especially in the modern day to help recreate that fantastical feeling. After two decades of digital photography, and resurgence for the things of the past, our generation has latched onto that feeling. One that can be provided though old vinyl, the radio, and of course through photography, art, and music. It’s something that takes us back to our child hood, a feeling we want to obtain again, one that always seems to elude us no matter our best efforts.