Lisa Cates’s work captures moments within a life of chaos.
Lisa Cates’s work captures moments within a life of chaos. She is compelled to photograph as a part of the human experience and seeks to capture the world as she feels it: fun, ironic, banal, beautiful, cynical, logical, and silly.
Her photographs are in the genre of documentary and street photography, including narratives and storytelling. Cates’ photographs are in the tradition of photographers such as Gary Winnogrand, Robert Doisneau, Diane Arbus, and Ruth Orkin. Her work captures and preserves human moments that are curious, humorous and do not shy away from beauty.
Her craft has evolved over the last twenty years working with seasoned photographic storytellers like Sam Abell, Kate Breakey, Aline Smithson, Maggie Steber, Amy Toensing, and Michael Robinson Chavez, while leading group expeditions and teaching photography with education-based institutions, including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Santa Fe Workshops, and Nobechi Creative.
Cates is the Executive Director of the New Orleans Photo Alliance 501(c)3 and the annual PhotoNOLA Festival. She has focused on community partnerships, programming, and team-building. She has produced multiple exhibitions, programs, and workshops around the world and is based out of New Orleans, Louisiana.