The Power of Photography

My wife and I watched the documentary "Born Into Brothels" last night, and it reinforced in my mind the power of photgraphy. In my former life, an Oscar-winning documentary would not have been high on my "to-see" list, but maybe I'm changing as I get older. I'd recommend it to the blog-contributors (note: rated R for strong language, but the language is in the subtitles).

I'm submitting a picture I took in December 2004 today of one of the (what used to be) typical street performances in Jackson Square of the French Quarter. The embarrassed little girl in the brown jacket about to receive a balloon animal is my daughter.

I like the picture because it captures a little of the color and diversity that used to be evident in New Orleans. And I like it because my little girl is the center of attention in such a wonderfully diverse place. It makes me dream that she will live her life in the center of something that alive, and though that may be embarrassing at times, it is the sort of embarrassing that makes you smile.