Lou Relayson

Connect What national park do you dream of visiting?

That’s too hard, no fair! It’s a toss up between Glacier Bay and Kenai Fjords for the same reasons. As a career-turned-hobbyist landscape photographer from the hot, humid city of New Orleans, I dream of both witnessing the magnitude and presence of glaciers as well as capturing them in photos—their textures, size, and the way they work with the light. The drastic difference between that landscape and the ones I’m used to would be an experience I’d hold in my heart for the rest of my life.

What has been your favorite adventure experience?

Going on a solo winter roadtrip throughout the parks of the US Southwest (my current favorite landscape to photograph) following a kind of traumatic life event was the most cathartic, adventurous thing I’ve ever done. I visited 7 NPs throughout AZ, NM, UT, WY, and CO in a small camper trailer I rented—just me and my cat, Remus! I’d never solo traveled before, so I went way out of my comfort zone but learned SO much about myself and found an incredible amount of joy hiking those red rocks.

What would you do with $10,000?

I think the most important thing would be to plan the adventurous honeymoon of my dreams with my fiancee who’s never really traveled anywhere outside of where she’s lived. I yearn to show her the sights I’ve seen and even discover new things myself: the black landscapes of Iceland, the majesty of Alaska, the history of Austria, or the cliffs of Ireland. With the leftover funds, I’d take care of us—we live below poverty level and would greatly benefit from a newer car and financial security.