Jeff and Leslie:
Couple Portrait in Slidell at Camp Salmen

I had a great time photographing this couple, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. We did the portrait session at Camp Salmen Nature Park in Slidell.

About Camp Salmen

Camp Salmen Nature Park is a 130 acre park located on Bayou Liberty in Slidell, Louisiana. The land was originally part of the Salmen Brick and Lumber Company. In 1924, owner of the company and prominent Slidell businessman Fritz Salmen, donated a large tract of land to the Boy Scouts for use as a camp. Legend says this donation was prompted by a Boy Scout sharing his umbrella with Mr. Salmen, and refusing to accept any payment in return. Mr. Salmen’s son later donated additional adjoining land.

Camp Salmen served as a summer camp for Boy Scouts for almost six decades. Then in 2001, St. Tammany Parish purchased the land and turned it into Camp Salmen Nature Park. It now features a pavilion for social gatherings and a playground. And, of course there are ample walking trails and boardwalks winding through the woods, swampy areas, and along the bayou. One of the oldest structures in the parish, predating the Civil War, is on the site, now named the Salmen Lodge. This building once served as a trading post.