Wild Tchoupitoulas tribe. I like how his bright yellow outfit matches his gold tooth. Mardi Gras Indian Super Sunday Parade New Orleans March 20, 2011

2012 has so far been a very busy year. My new venture into children's books started with a visit to NY for the SCBWI Winter Conference. It was a wonderful experience and the community of children's illustrators seemed very warm and receptive. And learning how much I didn't know is always a valuable lesson. I am just delighted to be working with my new agent, Chris Tugeau. She's sharp, enthusiastic and inspiring. I'm splitting my occasional free time between sample work for Chris and a book dummy for an amazing text by children's author, James Thach. More to come in later posts. On the project front, there have been several adult book cover commissions and a few editorial jobs in the mix. I hustled to get several out the door before our trip south, and wound up hauling my large format scanner and my printer plus all my painting supplies to Florida. So the trip was a comfortable mix of work and play. Below is a piece for Strategic Finance Magazine that was commissioned by one of my favorite art directors, Mary Zisk. It accompanied a story presenting a corporate survey on whistleblowing: what was seen, was it reported, who kept silent, and regret for acting or not acting. Whistleblowing: to keep silent or not The Milken Institute's story "Don't Kill the Lawyers. Deregulate them!" offered an opportunity for silliness. The art director, Joannah Ralston, her editor and I had a good time coming up with product labeling for off-the-shelf legal specialties. Aisle 6, on the left Of course there was the play time on Sugarloaf Key and the best fresh fish ever, thanks to our Yellowtail fisher-person experts Pat Jackson, Carol Sullivan and Ron Maier. Cooking with Djami: Paella for ten Yellowtail Snapper fish tacos Back home for a week of catch-up then a quick trip to New Orleans to help with some family matters. Wise planning put us there just in time for the French Quarter Fest, an amazing local mix of fantastic music, unbelievable food and the best people watching ever. On the way to Richard's fishing camp near Des Allemands, southwest of the city Luck Dog, of Ignatius J. Reilly fame One of the stages on Royal Street Mardi Gras Indian – the real deal She looks so much like the violinist on Treme! Washboard man

So....I've been busy! Which I'm so happy about, but as the world turns, and my work increases, I've gotten quite behind on my blog updating. So here's a two in one blog of an amazing couple I've gotten to know, Lyndsay and Michael. Cavallo Point has become one of my favorite places to shoot, and Lyndsay and Michael were really happy to be there. We joked around for the majority of the afternoon, and really developed a good repertoire. So, when they're wedding was finally here, I already knew we'd have a great time. Brix is such a great venue, and since I'm so comfortable shooting there, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and even brought a ladder to take some downward angle perspective shots. I especially love the shots we did with the Napa Wine Train. I'm so grateful to be able to work with such fun couples!

It rained all day on Mardi Gras, but that didn't stop anyone from having a good time. Here are all of the shots I took on rainy Mardi Gras 2014. (For more info and fewer pics, see my Huffington Post coverage of the day). Above and below, costumed revelers crossing Elysian Fields from the Marigny to Frenchmen Street. On Frenchmen Street... Oogie Boogie in Jackson Square. Up and down Decatur Street. Back on Frenchmen. I stopped into a very crowded Mona's on Fenchmen Street, with Lauren and Anna (above). They have great Middle Eastern food; there were mustached women at the next table over (below). This woman had gotten a coconut at the Zulu parade on Mardi Gras morning. Selling booze on Frenchmen Street. Above, a wet dance party on Frenchmen Street. Below, crowds gather outside Maison on Frenchmen. My friend, Burlesque artist Ruby Rage (left) and her BF Jack (right) with friends (between them, and below). Above, I kept running into these guys. Here they are on Decatur Street, outside the liquor store.This is the best way to travel on Mardi Gras. A dance party formed on Decatur Street where Queen Anne parade had come to its end hours before. My bass player Paul Edmonds drumming (in creepy Saints face mask and Saints shirt). Paul's hand, and blood on his drum, after playing for three straight days at parades, above. All the pretty horses... Above, a pair from Australia who were at Mardi Gras, and in the States, for the first time: he proposed to her during their trip here. From rainy Frenchmen Street and the French Quarter on Mardi Gras 2014, this is a soggy Kenny Klein, explaining it all.

Mardi Gras might be over soon, but there is still lots of fun to be had here. See our list of 15 things to do in New Orleans in March.