“DYLAN” James Stansbury: It’s the Music that brings the Smiles
December 1 -31, 2016
Opening: Saturday Dec 3, 1pm- 4pm

A ubiquitous presence at area nightclubs, concert venues and festivals since his teens, “DYLAN” James Stansbury has shot tens of thousands of photographs spanning nearly every genre of music.

Besides his work photographing musicians in action, James has an extensive track record documenting the vibrant street culture of New Orleans. He has been a steady fixture at Social Aid and Pleasure Club second line parades as well as jazz funerals and Mardi Gras Indian events. Much of his art stems from the fact that he is also a musician.

Stansbury’s work as a photographer began in earnest at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. A course in Photojournalism led to his first publishing credits in the student newspaper, the Daily Reveille. Since then his work has appeared in publications including OffBeat and Beat Street magazines as well as on band and fan web sites for acts such as the subdudes and Bob Dylan.

The photographic philosophy of Dylan James can be summed up in three words- no special access. While others shoot from the photo pit, the area in front of the stage that is reserved for photographers, James is adamantly opposed to such segregation. He believes that being part of the crowd helps him create “real” images that capture the transfer of energy between the stage and the audience.

Image: Dylan James Stansbury – Arron Neville, Jazz Fest 2008