LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN

I created these abstract photographs of Lake Pontchartrain with the intention that they reflect the ethereal beauty of the waters that surround us here in the Gulf South. See my “Gulf of Mexico” page for the second installment of this project. The soft, painterly look was made in camera, using slow shutter speeds and panning along with small waves in the late afternoon and at dusk. 

Living in a place that sometimes is inundated with water makes for a complicated relationship with it. But there is something that draws and holds us here.Just like the rivers and bayous flowing into Lake Pontchartrain as it flows into the Gulf of Mexico, there is connection. Through these photographs, I attempt to express the undefinable allure of being near these powerful bodies of water.

The shores of Lake Pontchartrain are where I’ve spent many hours photographing birds and other wildlife. That practice has made me see the beautiful estuary, with much more awareness of its vital role in the local ecosystem. So, on certain evenings, I sit and turn my full attention to the lake.