Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee Growing up in Chicago, I fell in love with the visual communication of telling a story through photography, and studied photojournalism at Ohio University. In 2005 I took a staff position at the Orange County Register, but within a few years decided to move back to Chicago to pursue a freelance career. 

In this time I started a number of personal projects that experimented with my approach to photography. Urban Nature became a major theme of the work exploring our relationship with nature in an urban environment. I was also documenting music and art’s ability to build and strengthen communities. In 2008 I met my wife, who is from New Orleans and had evacuated to Chicago following Hurricane Katrina. After many trips to New Orleans we moved there in 2011 where I’ve been working as a freelance photographer ever since. 

Over the years, I have focused on a number of cultural aspects of this community, with Carnival and the Backstreet Culture the main topics.  The work dives deep into the real people who cultivate the traditions we see in the streets today. I see photography as a shared art between the photographer and the subject, and have made a point to get my photos to my subjects. I have helped culture bearers like masking Indians utilize the photo for thousands of dollars in grants to help fund their traditions. 

Today my goal is to tell a story of communities practicing cultural artistry to create discussion around joy and our connection to nature.

C.V.

Born 1981 in Chicago and grew up in Oak Park

Graduate 2005: Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication (B.S.)

Lauren Greenfield Intern 2004

Orange County Register - Staff June 2005 - Dec 2006

Freelance 2007-2025

Published:

ESPN Mag, Garden & Gun, The New York Times, PDN, Conde Nast Traveler, Smithsonian Folklife, The Times Picayune, Le Parisien Mag, Gambit, Atlas Obscura, Jazzism, 100 Eyes, New Orleans Mag, NPR’s American Routes, OffBeat Mag, Antigravity Mag, NOLA Defender, Southern Glossary, Momentum, Mindful Metropolis, Chicago Mag, Crain's Business, and more

Solo Exhibits:

-”Carnival from the Ground Up” 70 photo public exhibit in the French Quarter Jan - February 2024

-“A Year and Some Change” solo exhibition at Scott Edwards Gallery, New Orleans - Feb-Apr 2013

-Carnival installation, 12 20x16 images at Buffa’s Bar Jan-Aug 2017

Group Exhibited work: 

-“Bywater Biennial” Curated by Don Marshall group show Nov - Dec 2017 at New Orleans Art Center

-“Louisiana Photography Biennial” Curated by Don Marshall group show Oct - Nov 2016 at New Orleans Art Center

-“Louisiana Culture Exhibition” - 2 pieces in group show at US Embassy Moscow and in permanent collection, 2014 

-“Indian practice at Kermit's” piece at 40x30 in permanent collection at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, 2014

-“City Creatures” book via University of Chicago Press (pub Oct 2015) and show at Peggy Notebaert Nature  Museum (Chicago) Oct 2015 - Jan 3, 2016  a collective work by Center for Humans & Nature

-Milwaukee Ave Arts Festival - Bloomingdale Trail (group show): 2011, 

Books:

- “Rebirth: Carnival 2022.” ready for printing -“Do you know what it means: Carnival 2021” self pub 2022
- “It’s later than you think: Carnival 2020” self pub 2020-”I Wanna Do That” Collaboration pub 2020
-”Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival” by Smithsonian Folkways pub 2019
-”Carnival 2018: It’s later than you think” zine by RHR pub 2018 at Antenna Gallery
-”Winfield 2017: The Phoenix” zine by RHR pub 2017 at Antenna Gallery
-“All Dat” by Michael Murphy photography by RHR pub 2018
-“Winfield 2016: Flood Stage” zine by RHR pub 2016 at Antenna
-“September Song” by Bob Hamrick main contributing photography RHR pub 2016

-“The Way I See It” group photo book pub 2016

-“City Creatures” group work by University of Chicago Press pub 2015

-“A Year and Some Change” by RHR self published 2013

"Mysteriously, wonderful, I bid farewell to what goes, I greet what comes, for what comes can not be denied, and what goes can not be detained." 

- Chuang Tzu