2015 Evergreen State Fair

This was the 3rd year I was able to be out at the Evergreen State Fair photographing everything that happens. The weather wasn't the best, but everything proceeded as scheduled. There was a little excitement the first Saturday of the fair as a huge wind storm hit the area and power outages were reported in Seattle up to Mount Vernon. The morning started out cloudy and the rain held off during the Monroe Parade. The fair board participants in the parade, and I was assigned to go with them. It started to rain just as we headed back to the fairgrounds and as we arrived we were told that Seattle Power and Light had called out all their linesmen due to the storm. We were lucky at the fair grounds. First of all, we didn't lose power and second, a tree came down without anyone getting hurt. I was about 40 feet when I heard the tree crack and I watched it crash to the ground.

Taking pictures at the fairgrounds is always an opportunity to capture the colors and images of so many activities.

                                                        Concerts are always a highlight.

 

 

 

 

                                           Love all the animals, the dogs are my favorite.

I think my favorite part of the fair to shoot is the rodeo. Lots of action. This bull was mad, and he let everyone know it. It's interesting watching the rider try and get ready when the bull is already bucking in the pen. This bull almost came up and over while he was waiting in the holding pen for the gate to be opened. One of the wranglers let me know, as I was shooting through the fence, that if the bull jumped the fence that the cable wouldn't hold him. I made sure I had an escape route in case he came too close.

Watching the clown work gave me a greater appreciation for his skill. More than once he put himself in harms way to protect a cowboy who had been bucked off.  The announcer was teasing the clown at one point about the bull hitting the protective can. Not long after that, one of the bulls did hit it and the clown was able to tuck safely inside. 

The lights of the carnival are fun to capture at night. After a long day, it's a good opportunity to get shots you can't get during the day. Capturing the night life is recording a whole different side of the fair.

Kids and the fair go together hand in hand. You can't but help have fun when you see the excitement in their eyes as they go from one event to the next. The minion was the most photographed part of the fair this year. There weren't many times when someone wasn't taking pictures with him.

2015 was a great fair. What will 2016 hold?