New Orleans

Once, directing an episode of a television show in the French Quarter, Hayman was interrupted by a Second Line parade marching down Decatur Street, complete with a brass band and people dancing to the music.

“The sound man was yelling we couldn’t shoot because of the band, I was yelling, ‘Just keep shooting,”’ and then one by one I watched my entire crew join the parade and dance to the music. So I did the same. We danced as the band and parade went by, returned to the set, and finished the scene. It was an epiphany to me. When a parade comes by, don’t miss it.”

Mardi Gras Indians

The Mardi Gras Indians date back to the 1800s, when many run-away slaves were protected by the local Native American tribes. To show their respect, krewes sprang up in the city, each to a specific neighborhood or clubhouse. The krewe members would spend all year on their beaded costumes, sewing each themselves, and decorating them with semi-precious stones, sparkles, and feathers. In the early days of Mardi Gras, when African Americans were not allowed to participate, these Mardi Gras Indian krewes staged their own carnivals to celebrate their culture, their music, and their love of the city.

In 2010, while in New Orleans directing a movie, Hayman attended one of those gatherings called Super Sunday. “I found myself surrounded by those amazing costumes, wild drumming music, ferocious dancing, and a whole lotta joy.”

Pack Essentials

While in New Orleans, Hayman’s assistant and friend, Mary Thornton, started a nonprofit called Pack Essentials, to support people experiencing homelessness.

“She would put together backpacks with socks, water bottles, feminine supplies for women, anything someone needed, and she would pass them out. So I started helping her out financially, photographing one of her distributions so she could put a website together, and then I started helping out in distributing.”

Hayman continues to support local organizations and nonprofits, using his photography to not only shed a light on the reality of the underclass but also to call viewers to action.