Returning to New Orleans: a photo essay

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Returning to New Orleans: a photo essay

Melanie Stetson Freeman, the Monitor's veteran photographer, reflects on a recent trip to New Orleans.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/海角大神

Mardi Gras masks are for sale in a shop in the French Quarter. Tourism in the city is up, although summer is not high season because of the hot weather. Five years after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, parts have been rebuilt and are prospering, while others are still derelict.

By Kevin Curley Project management associate

Aug. 05, 2010, 2:53 p.m. ET

Recently, Melanie Stetson Freeman, a Monitor photographer for the past 25 years, accompanied staff writer Mark Guarino to Louisiana to photograph New Orleans five years after flooding from hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Melanie has taken numerous trips to capture the effects of the hurricane and the slow rebuilding of a city that she has not only become quite familiar with, but has also grown to love.

鈥淣ew Orleans is quirky and odd, some of the friendliest people you鈥檒l ever meet 鈥� music everywhere, wonderful food, just people that you can walk up to and have a great chat with. You know, you鈥檒l go by a park and there will be a band playing and people dancing in the middle of the day. You just never know what you鈥檙e going to find around the next corner.鈥�

GALLERY: Melanie鈥檚 photos from her recent trip to New Orleans

The duo also traveled to Chauvin, La., to cover the effects that the Gulf oil spill has had on Cajuns living in the region. Check out Mark鈥檚 story in the Aug. 9 issue titled, 鈥淥il spill imperils Cajun identity.鈥�

Did you know you can buy photos taken over the past 60 years by Monitor photographers, including ? Visit our and see many photos from around the world 鈥� including some from Melanie鈥檚 recent trips to the Dominican Republic; Washington D.C.; and New Orleans.