Kentwood Youth Photographer's First Photography Exhibition

Eric Gordon, Jr.
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Antoinette Harrell mentored Eric Gordon, Jr., as they share a love for nature and photography.  Around the world, Harrell's work has caught the attention of major photographers. Kris Davidson is one of those photographers. Her photographs have been featured in National Geographic, Lonely Planet Travels, and many others.

Justin Fornal a SATWF Lowell Thomas Award-winning writer. He has written extensively for National Geographic, VICE, and the Explorers Journal, Part Unknown, and Roads & Kingdom. He traveled to Kentwood, Louisiana and documented images here.Eric has been taking photographs since the moment he received a camera from Harrell. Harrell invited Eric to accompany her on a photo trip to document the local syrup makers in St. Helena Parish on Womack Place.  He took photos of the syrup making process and the people making it. His grandmother Irma T. Gordon, mayor of Kentwood looked on and was amazed at how he was moving around and taking photographs. 

A second trip was made to  LeBlanc Dairy Farm in Tangiphaoa, Louisiana. Eric was asked by Harrell to take photographs of the cattle from the side of the road in preparation for his upcoming exhibition. For his first exhibition, he was eager and excited to take photographs. The event was well attended, and 30 of his images were digitally displayed at the Kentwood Branch Library as part of the Remembering Dairy Day celebration.

Eric could be come the next Gordon Parks who became a photographer in 1937 after seeing examples of Farm Security Administration photographs reproduced in a magazine. Although he was twenty-eight years old. Gordon purchased his first camera, a Voigtländer Brillant, for $15.50 at a Seattle, Washington pawnshop and taught himself how to take photos. Eric can do anything he can dream of. One of the many things Harrell stress to Eric is how the camera in his hand can take him all over the world if he isn't afraid to explore, create, and work toward the dream.  This will not be last of Eric's photographs being on this display.