This year's fair brought so many inspirations. One big inspiration was the rides in evening and darkness. From the bright lights to the tall pines, we found plenty to document and inspire us. We used different techniques as we waited for our kids to finish their time on the ride. We used panning on the merry-go-round to show motion with the horses. We used manual focus to turn lights into ethereal shapes. This technique reminded us of the stories that call on magical midways for epic settings from Stranger Things to Something Wicked this Way Comes. We're so lucky that our midway happens under giant pine trees. It's an incredible location.
Then we also used traditional night photography for a few photojournalism-style shots for realism.
Finally, we used a slow shutter for long light trails as the spinning ride swirled overhead.
We tried all of these techniques without a tripod, which added a layer of challenge. Since we move around a lot at the fair, we travel light. Every year we consider a tripod, then change our minds at the last minute. One year maybe :)
Click here to discover all of our Nevada County Fair galleries. Find your adventure. We’ll see you next year at the Nevada County Fair!
- Adventure information: Nevada County Fairgrounds
- Rides : Butler Amusements
