TexasGirl Photography

Carnivals in general are so photogenic to me. There’s nothing quite like the Midway: laughing, running kids, bright colors, music, whirring, groaning rides, the smell of corndogs, popcorn, funnel cakes, cotton candy, grease, metal, joy! I love it best at smaller fairs; the State Fair is wonderful, and overwhelming, but for me it lacks the grit and authentic down-home-ness of a local fete.

The Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo (in my hometown) brings everybody out. People – myself included, even though I no longer live there – wait for it all year. I love seeing all the members of the local community having fun together. (See last week’s blog post for more photos of the people I saw that day.)

The pig races are a big draw for my daughter and I, bringing back memories from when she was little and would beg for and then willingly wear a rubber pignose. I’m pretty sure the people who put it on are the same ones who have been doing it for years, at the Austin Rodeo as well. It’s funny, entertaining, and the pigs are ridiculously adorable.

The siren call of the Yoyo swing ride is something few photographers can resist. I know I have countless negatives of them, and I know that the internet is jam packed with thousands of shots of them, but I still had to make a few more. (Side note: we rode this 3 times.)

I’m already looking forward to next year!

All photographs Canon Canonet and Kodak Tri-X.