Sundown, sundown
The carnival trains’ leavin’ town
Where are you now my darlin’ Billy?
~ The Last Carnival, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
It’s that time of the year here in the Great State of New Jersey, as I’m sure it is all across this great nation of ours.
It’s carnival time.
Block parties, township carnivals or church bazaars, the carney is pulling into town, tapping in stakes and putting up the neon lights. The smell of cotton candy lines your nose and if you’re lucky…if you’re LUCKY….a polka is ringing in your ears.
Ah, summer.
A long time ago, oh about 17 years ago now, when I still fancied myself a writer, I put together a short story called Ferris Wheels. About a young boy that dreams of running away with the carnival that comes to town to escape the mess that was his life. Marginally successful. Got published. Won an award. Maybe the last really creative piece I ever put on paper. One and done as they say…but it stays with me.
Anyway, had the chance to go to a local carnival last week. Took my Little One, the first time she could really navigate the crowds and the rides and enjoy the fact that I’d pay $2 at some crappy game for her to win a .50 cent prize. Bernie Madoff never ran such a scam.
But what the hell, we had a good time. And I got a few neat images that I then took the extreme a bit in post. I don’t really like to over-process my work – though maybe I should – but these images were just asking to be spanked by my Nik filters and pop a bit. I was aided by some really dramatic clouds that gave me something to work with from a visual perspective. These sure ain’t Dave Hill - if you’re into that style – but I kinda think they fit the scenes.
I would have loved to have done a full-on photojournalistic approach to this setting but just never had the chance to pull it off. Maybe next year…
Like I said, I had my Little One in tow. She’s two. Doesn’t sit still. Not like I had a lot of set up time. So I got what I could, trying to frame things in my head quickly as I heard “Daddy, daddy…carousel NOW” in my ear….
In going with that photojournalistic approached, I caught this low-angle shot. Converted to B&W in Nik and burned the edges a little. I really like this one.
And that carousel that the Little One wanted to get to? Yeah, we got there. Right before the big thunderstorm chased us home. I took the opportunity to again try the lens-zoom technique.
A good time was had by all as they say….
And for Phantom Dan Federici….
© Mark V. Krajnak 2009 | JerseyStyle Photography | All rights Reserved
Unless otherwise noted, images captured with a Canon 20D, SanDisk digital film, finished with PS2 and Nik Software
She looks like she is having so much fun!
Great set of images Mark, and Olivia always brightens my day.
Like how the last two turned out, Mark.