Louisiana Journey

An exquisite visual exploration of the bayou state

Louisiana Journey is a loving portrait steeped in imagination. Prolific photographer Neil Johnson has traveled, camera in hand, from the piney woods of north Louisiana to the bird sanctuaries of the marshes along the Gulf Coast, through the heart of Cajun country, down the banks of the Mississippi, and finally into the restaurants and music halls of New Orleans, recording what makes his home state unique. In this stunning collection of full-color photographs, he shares his journey and his discoveries.
Johnson has gone to great lengths to capture these exceptional images—donning Confederate gray to join the Civil War battle reenactment at Mansfield, helicoptering to offshore oil rigs, wading into the Atchafalaya Basin, riding with the ’Ti Mamou Cajun Mardi Gras, and putting many thousands of miles on his van, Big Red. His hard work is rewarded in spectacular photographs that beautifully depict the Bayou State in all of its diversity.

The essence of Louisiana is water, and as Johnson’s photographs reveal, much of what makes the state fascinating emanates from its bayous, rivers, lakes, the Gulf, and a huge hybrid area that is not quite land, not quite water. Be it by Christmas boat parade in Monroe, by bass boat on Toledo Bend, by pirogue in a Cameron Parish marsh, or by giant freighter on the Mississippi, Johnson portrays Louisiana’s water-rich heritage in all its splendor.

Equally striking are his portraits of the ordinary people and places that define Louisiana: a young boy proudly displaying his enormous crawfish catch; the haunting prehistoric ceremonial site at Poverty Point; alert Fort Polk soldiers fighting war games; the charged atmosphere of LSU’s Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night; the magic of New Orleans’ Palm Court Jazz Club; the high-stepping Grambling State University Marching Band; the luminescent Shreveport skyline at twilight. Johnson presents a view of Louisiana seldom seen by outsiders.

A native of north Louisiana, Johnson demonstrates the beauty of this oft-neglected region while offering surprising images of the better-known southern section of the state. This remarkable collection is both a vivid visual record of Johnson’s own travels and a tempting invitation that will inspire both Louisiana residents and visitors to explore this magnificent state on their own.


Neil Johnson has been a photographer and writer since 1980. His work has appeared in Art Forum, Audubon, Louisiana Life, National Geographic World, Time, and other magazines. His books include Shreveport and Bossier City and many titles for young readers.