It’s fall fair time in communities everywhere these days. Young and old gather to socialize and celebrate the harvest and a love of rural life. There will be candy floss and apples, exhibits and displays. And, of course, the midway.
In recent years I haven’t made the trek down to our local agricultural fair when it’s in town. My kids are grown and gone away, I’ve never been an exhibitor, so there’s not really much reason to shirk personal and work responsibilities to attend.
However, for over 20 years, that attendance was mandatory with my position as editor of the community newspaper. From the school parade at noon until the final event in the late afternoon I was busy snapping photos of happy faces and all the fun. I dodged cow patties to get the 4H champs, cruised the arcade games for a winner and searched out some shots that reflected the atmosphere.
The one challenge for me, though, was the midway. The kiddie rides were simple enough to get some good photos of; the trains, boats and dragons moved slowly and the riders’ gleeful expressions were ever present.
However, the same could not be said of the pictures of thrillseekers on the salt and pepper shakers, swings and teacups. As a writer with a camera I was just not a talented enough photographer to get the results I hoped for. It would have been nice, therefore, if this information had been so readily available when I needed it back then:
