Yardi-Gras 2021
Bringing out the traditional Mardi Gras energy during a pandemic
This year Mardi-Gras hit differently in New Orleans.
An initial super spreader event in 2020 lead to the city proudly taking an abundance of caution this year. The residents of the city took it upon themselves to find a creative outlet to keep the tradition alive while keeping the community safe.
They decided to decorate their houses as if they were floats moving down the streets.
Mardi-Gras was now Yardi-Gras
My friend Holly and I took a road trip down for a day to see our friend and discover if my new method of photography could be used to create a parade in the streets using a decorated house as a backdrop.
Fortunately for us a house right next door seemed to fit the bill perfectly so we walked out into the streets with a few hand held lights.
And in that moment it was as if Julie came ALIVE.
The parade floats full of partying people weren’t present, but the energy of the season was.
The images on the camera were telling the story of the moment.
You couldn’t tell that the town was indoors safe with friends and family. In this moment Mardi-Gras was alive in the streets of New Orleans.
It felt less like I was creating the images and felt more like I was just letting the energy of the annual party flow through me.
There’s a similar feeling when you interact with someone from New Orleans anywhere out in the world; they all seem to innately embody this compassion for people and a celebration for life.
Anywhere in the world you can see that spirit of Mardi-Gras traveling through them.
This felt like a small homecoming for that energy.
I’m glad my art gave my friend an opportunity to let her Mardi-Gras out to play in the streets this year.
As a fun side note. The next day we went to go see the iconic Queen of Bounce House and to pay our honors to the city by twerking in front of it.
To our surprise the owner was taking down the decorations and we were the last visitors to the house. You can even see a video of it here.
