Ah...New Orleans Voodoo...I'll bet that street was just oozing with Loas and Orishas and whatever else happens to make its home in those shops. On a side note, William Gibson is one of the only writers I know of who can handle Vudou and the Loas in that one right way, and it's really interesting to see what Vudou (voodoo for us un-initiates) does when it goes high tech and moves into cyberspace. Fun stuff! But anyway, that's something else. THIS is a marvelous photo and I'm really glad to see it. The people interest is amazing, and I love the doodads and doohickies that lurk in this image: you can only see them when you're on full zoom, and what a wonder! You know, I'm probably going to get back into the whole Tarot card reading thing (some born agains [they didn't get it right the first time] threw away my decks...but one of them survives in Dortmund,) Anyway, this image reminds me of why I wanna replace at least 2 of the decks (one is actually based on the deck used in the James Bond movie, Live and Let Die...yep, Tarot Card readers actually read from that deck, even though it started out as a simple movie prop...and talk about Burlesque-colorful! Reading from it is a hoot!) So anyway, that really has nothing to do with this photo, and yet this photo is precisely the inspiration for me to get up, go to New Orleans, at some point, and go shopping for decks. I'd rather do that then buy them from some crystal-throwback-New Age-Aliens-from-Atlantis-built-Egypt's-Pyramids sorts of stores. I mean, if I get a deck from Reverend Zombie's...you know it'll brobably have a hoodoo bag full of bones and snake fingernails thrown in for free. Yep...only from places like that can you get authentic snake fingernails. And the thing is, they are authentic...they're just not real...because there's a difference, you know. Oh, and while I'm on the subject of rambling, did you know that "Zombie" actually means "Soul" and so all of those mindless post-dead people wandering around are actually wandering around because they've had their zombies removed, which just goes to show that with all of those believers in that particular cosmology in one place, I'll bet there's a zombie-removal joint tucked back in somebody's back room...behind the bead-curtains, but it would seem that Reverend Zombie not only has his intact, but it's probably bling-encrusted, which just means, I gotta go there! This image rocks, and it actually puts me in the mood to see Live and Let Die, just for that 7-Up commercial guy being a voodoo bad-guy with that laugh. This rocks. I'm sure that somewhere in this comment, I've said something about this photo. If not, just chalk it up to the rather unreasonable amount of gleeful excitement I'm feeling just by looking at this.

Chips comment is as great as this photo. So much information! And the people in this shot, especially the guy with hat in hand, are great add to the composition. I bet New Orleans is a fun place to walk about!

By the way I an interested to know, Did you go inside????

"Now go do... that voodoo... that YOU do... SO WELL...!" ~ Hedley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles Zombies Cigars? This is a way cool image. I would have been tempted to follow the guy with the hat in his hand, snapping away.

I am expecting the man with hat to start 'trucking' down the street, or maybe even tap dancing! Such a lot of interest.

Such a weird place to me but a super candid shot Tara.

OK, here's what I think the various characters in this scene are doing: The woman with her back towards us holding the doors/shutters seems to be saying "These are mine - you can't have them!". The guy with the camera is looking at the window full of voodoo objects & considering buying one so he can place a curse on his worst enemy. The guy with the hat is an actual zombie in a hypnotic trance. The couple in the foreground is desperately trying to hail a cab so they can escape from the zombie plague. That was fun, Tara, thanks for the entertainment...

bonne photo!

Superb capture Tara. God bless.

Another great candid!

Great capture Tara! love some of the interpretations of the scene

Another winner, even with or without the Voodoo rubbish.

That cool kat in the back has one wild hairdo man, far out!!

Hmmmm - can she get me a good powerball number? :-D Really fun shot, Tara, and yes - lots to see! I love the capture of the guy with the big hair walking along - looks like he's stuck in the 60s! LOL

Ah,ah, very funny !

What a fascinating and well-captured bit of street life in the most interesting city in the US. Yes, only in NO, that's for sure! Well done!!!!

Cool photo...Love your use of B&W...

Ha Cool.. What a great (possibly) place to look around.. Neat capture Rob