James Fredrick Belfon

James “Jim” Fredrick Belfon, departed this life on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at the age of 70; Jim moved to New Orleans eight years ago and established the Gulf South Photography Project, a full-service photographic learning environment, teaching free photography workshops to more than 1200 youth and senior citizens. He has combined teaching photography to local area youth with helping families deal with the loss of family photographs due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita's massive destruction by providing more than 14,000 individual and family portraits. In the New Orleans metropolitan area, some of the places he has taught classes and workshops include the Ashe Cultural Arts Center, Pontchartrain Park Senior Citizen Center, Harry Thompson Center, Tulane Cancer Center, Treme Center, and the Zion Travelers Cooperative Center in Plaquemines Parish. His roots, however, are in New York City. Originally from Harlem, he studied and worked with distinguished photographers and designers including, James Van Der Zee, Gordon Parks and Richard Avedon. His work has been published in a variety of national and local magazines and newspapers including, Time Magazine, Essence, Sports Illustrated, Architectural Digest, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, The Times-Picayune, The New Orleans Tribune, The Baton Rouge Advocate and others. Jim began his commitment to sharing his photography teaching skills twenty five years ago in Harlem, NY. Inspired by his son Jimmy Belfon Jr's interest in photography at the age of four, he established the Photographic Center of Harlem. He taught photography to children and senior citizens in NYC at Harlem School Of The Arts, Central Park East School, St. James Senior Citizen Center, and New Song Community Church. Over its history, PCH served more than 5,000 children and senior citizens in the Greater New York City area, introducing them to the joys of the photographic arts and encouraging their roles as visual historians of their communities. PCH students participated in more than 60 major exhibitions in museums, galleries, and other public and community spaces, with more than 100 participants establishing careers for themselves within the communications industry. He leaves to cherish his memories; his children, James “Jimmy” F. Belfon, Jr. and Kamari, both of NY, NY; two brothers, Dr. Robert (Dr.Theresa) Belfon of Tijeras, NM and Dr. Henri Belfon of Raleigh, NC; two nieces, Andrea and Veronica Belfon, three nephews; Philip-Joseph, Sebastian and Robert Belfon, Jr. and several other close friends, relatives and associates. Relatives and friends also the New Orleans Art and Cultural Community are invited to attend the Memorial Celebration at Christian Unity Baptist Church, 1700 Conti St. on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm; Rev. Dwight Webster, officiating; Visitation will begin at 12:00 pm; Arrangements by DW Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave.; Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the guest book.