Description

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Louisiana Lens surveys 180 years of photographic encounters with one of America's most evocative regions: from early daguerreotypes of New Orleans landmarks to haunting post-Civil War landscapes to born-digital photographs documenting the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Author John H. Lawrence traces the development of photographic equipment and technical processes alongside the evolution of New Orleans and Louisiana over nearly two centuries.

Lawrence provides an illuminating narrative for each photograph: whether offering insight into a photograph's composition or sharing his firsthand knowledge of the photographers themselves, he brings a keen perspective honed by decades of curatorial work. In surveying these selections, Lawrence touches on themes of architecture, music, commerce, race, arts and culture, and the changing landscapes and geographies of the US south.

The author was responsible for building THNOC's photographic collection during his four decades at the institution. This volume serves as both a capstone of Lawrence's career and a valuable survey of Louisiana photography.

About the Author

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A New Orleans native, John H. Lawrence worked at The Historic New Orleans Collection for more than four decades before retiring as director of museum programs in 2020. Lawrence has written and lectured widely about aspects of contemporary and historic photography, and the administration and preservation of pictorial collections. Jeff L. Rosenheim is curator in charge of the department of photographs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A specialist in American photography, he has authored or coauthored more than twenty books and lectures widely on the history of photography and studio art.