When photographer Dimitri Staszewski began his Close to the Bayou project, he was drawn to the layered and deeply personal relationship between people and place in southern Louisiana. His photographs explore the impact of land loss, environmental change, and cultural resilience, capturing stories that exist at the intersection of identity, heritage, and survival.
Rather than portraying the region solely through the lens of crisis, Dimitri embraces its complexity—revealing beauty, strength, and an ongoing dialogue between past and present. At its heart, the story also reflects an intimate exploration of mortality, acknowledging how lives and traditions are shaped by both loss and continuity. His work asks us to consider how landscapes shape lives and how photography can honor both fragility and endurance. Close to the Bayou is a testament to the power of visual storytelling to preserve memory and amplify voices in communities too often misrepresented or overlooked.
Resources:
Dimitri Staszewski
https://dimitri.studio
Close to the Bayou
https://dimitri.studio/close-to-the-bayou
Altadena Photographers
https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/
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https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/
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