Erie County Fair Digital Camera Shootout Winner!

For the past few years I’m hemmed and hawed about entering some photos in the Fair’s photography competition.  This year I saw the Fair advertise a “digital camera shootout”.  You were to show up at a designated date and time, they would assign you a category, then you would have two hours to shoot as many photos as you liked.  At the end of your two hours, you had to return and pick one photo to submit as your entry.  No editing allowed outside of whatever you were allowed to do in-camera.  That’s ok – that’s how I like to shoot, and constraints are sometimes a good motivator.

Of course, when we got there it was just starting to rain.  By the time I was finished checking in, it was pouring.  The category I drew?  “Rides.”  I didn’t even make it the 500 feet to where the rides started before my sneakers were soaked.  And of course, none of the rides were running.  So I figured if I couldn’t beat the rain, I was going to have to join it and tell the sad story of closed rides due to rain.  So I started by shooting this:

 

Ariella and Grandpa were walking around in the rain with me (Amanda stayed behind with Cambree inside where it was drier) and I figured that they made a more interesting subject.

 

The shot I liked best stylistically was this next one, but I shot 3 frames and each one the focus was off.  It’s tough shooting one handed with an umbrella in the other hand!  When I saw it on the computer I knew I couldn’t submit it.

 

Tried another ride worker shot…

 

Then we met back up with Amanda and Cambree and I tried a couple variations on the Ariella looking sad because the rides were closed theme.  She wasn’t very cooperative.  I really wanted to get one of these with her holding the umbrella standing all by herself.  Didn’t happen.

 

We had time to take one more walk through the midway and the rain had stopped.  Ariella was running from one ride to another and Amanda had the idea of putting her in front of the height measuring stick.  I had a bunch of frontal shots, then the runner up shot:

And finally, the big winner:

I was amazed to find out I won not only first place in the “Rides” category, but “Best In Shootout” too!  I was blown away!  I thought it was a decent shot, but it pales in comparison to what I see some of my pro buddies shoot on any given day.  Kudos to those shooters who work with kids on a regular basis.  I don’t know how you keep up with them and get great shots consistently.  I’m also not typically a portrait photographer, but trying to shoot closed rides wasn’t going to work without another focal point to tell a story.

I guess winning is motivation enough to try it again next year!