George Hughes – English fashion photographer finds a new home in Baton Rouge

Name: George Hughes
Occupation: Photographer, gbhughesphoto.com
Previous residence: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Moved here: August 2014

What brought you to Baton Rouge?
I am a British national; however, I have lived in Dubai for the past nine years. An opportunity to finish my degree and work in the local media industry arose thanks to a high school friend of mine, so I packed my bags and came! A lot of people questioned my decision and thought I was making a mistake. However, having visited before and experienced Louisiana firsthand, I knew it would be an adventure I wouldn’t regret.

Describe your photography.
I have been working as a fashion photographer in Dubai—primarily for online boutiques and concept brands. I’ve been building photography studios for e-commerce upstarts and helping companies get on their feet with the visual aspect of their business. I love fashion photography purely because you can be as crazy as you want without limits.

Who was the first person you met in B.R.?
My good high school friend Adam Carrillo lives here. He is the owner and operator of The Dizzy Records in Baton Rouge and also the reason I moved. He was able to help me network and spread my name before I had even arrived.

What’s been the most surprising thing about Louisiana?
The size of the mosquitoes, how addicted I have become to red beans and rice, and of course, how charming Southern ladies are.

So what do you do in your spare time when you’re not working?
I’m a musician, and I live in a house of musicians, so I go to lot of local gigs. I went to Prom Date’s album launch at Spanish Moon, and I saw a fantastic jam band at Chelsea’s Cafe recently. Other than that, I’ve been location-scouting. Baton Rouge has so many great locations for shooting that I get overly excited every time I go down a new street.

How does Dubai compare to B.R.?
Dubai is so fast-paced, and somewhat superficial, as you would expect with any huge metropolitan city. People in Baton Rouge are a lot more genuine and know how to have a good time. Plus, Louisiana food is second to none. Dubai lacks nature, so seeing the big oak trees and wooded areas here is refreshing to me. I can’t think of a thing I dislike; however, Tigerland is definitely an interesting place.

Where do you hang out?
The place I’ve frequented the most since I’ve been here is Magpie Cafe. I made a point to find the best coffee when I arrived, and I found it there. They do it right. The interior itself is very homey, and the staff is delightful.

What’s been your favorite night out in B.R.?
Funnily enough, the third day I was here, I ended up going to a rap battle in north Baton Rouge that my friend was participating in. Obviously severely lacking in street cred and with possibly the least ‘gangsta’ accent on Earth, I was hesitant to go. However, it was possibly one of the best experiences of my life. One of the rappers said to me, ‘Hey, are y’all from, like, Wisconsin?’ Priceless.