Winter in Seattle meant that it was time for my annual pilgrimage to Lake Charles, Louisiana to visit my Dad and to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to visit my Mom. After returning to the gray and drizzly Northwest, I packed up once more and set out for the Philippines for a month to shoot another story for Traveller magazine. It is an incredible place with the clearest water that I've ever experienced (blog entry to come).
Upon returning, I made another quick trip to Louisiana to shoot some of the rural culture there (an ongoing project of mine). This time I was able to venture deep into the swampland of southern Louisiana along the Intercoastal Waterway, the Old Spanish Trail, and River Road (home to some of the last remaining plantations in their original condition). To say that I met some "characters" is quite an understatement. After catching 93 catfish in one afternoon, a successful wild boar hunt, photographing alligators from 36" away, and visiting the Tabasco factory on a 250 acre nature preserve, I can safely say that I was able to capture the "flavor" of Louisiana.