The SFA lost a dear friend on Sunday, January 26. Pableaux Johnson, a New Orleans-based photographer and writer, loved being in community. For decades, he circulated at SFA events taking beautiful pictures of his fellow travelers. The joke around our office goes that each SFA staffer can point to a favorite photo of herself—and Pableaux took every one of them.

Mondays in New Orleans came with a standing invitation for red beans at his house. His smoked-turkey gumbo knew no peer. He made acquaintances feel like friends, and friends feel like family, because he saw every one of us. His photos were proof. So was his generous, no-pretense hosting.

If you knew Pableaux then you also know his photographs of Mardi Gras (Black Masking) Indians. As we celebrate his life, remember his smile, and mourn our loss, we invite you to look at his life’s work. Click here to view his photographs. Read the article from the New York Times here.

Photo Credit: Kasimu L. Harris