bay saint louis

story behind the photo

Bay St. Louis was photographed on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, just outside New Orleans, on an old wooden pier that no longer exists. The pier was later destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, making this image permanently unrepeatable. No one can stand here again. No one can recreate this view. What remains is a preserved moment from a place that has passed into history. I have always been drawn to piers. There is something quietly symbolic about walking out over the water, suspended between land and sea, supported only by weathered wood and trust. This image became the inspiration for what I later titled the Walking on Water series. Walking a pier is the closest most of us ever come to the sensation of walking on water, a narrow path forward, surrounded by depth and uncertainty. What drew me in visually was the texture and age of the pier itself. The worn boards, shaped by time, salt, and storms, carried a sense of endurance and humility. Beneath the surface, the water was unusually clear, revealing the bottom and the movement of fish below, adding a quiet tension between what is visible and what lies beneath.

This photograph was created during the film era. It originated on transparency film, long before digital capture, and the print you see today is derived directly from that original piece of film. There is no way to return to this location, and no way to recreate this moment. What exists here is a direct translation of light that once passed through a lens onto film, preserved from a place that no longer exists. For me, this image is about faith, fragility, and trust. It is about stepping forward without knowing what comes next, supported by something older than yourself, something tested, something proven.

“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.”
Matthew 14:29–31

PRINT PROCESS & AVAILABILITY

Bay St. Louis is offered as a limited edition dye-infused metal print, chosen specifically to complement the clarity of the water, the depth of tone, and the tactile detail of the weathered pier. The dye-infusion process permanently infuses the image into a specially coated aluminum panel, resulting in exceptional color depth, fine detail, and longevity. The surface gives the image a subtle luminosity, allowing light to interact with the print in a way that enhances both texture and dimensionality. Each print is produced to museum standards, finished with a clean, frameless presentation that allows the image to stand on its own without distraction. This process is exceptionally durable and archival, making it well suited for both private collections and public installations. This image is offered in a strictly limited edition of 25 prints, each measuring 60 x 37 inches. Every print is signed and numbered by the artist, with no additional editions or sizes produced once the edition is complete. Because the original pier was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and the photograph was created during the film era, this edition represents a finite and unrepeatable work. When the edition is sold out, Bay St. Louis will be permanently retired.