Arkansas State Fair

State Fair Is State Fair

By Don on Sunday, October 26, 2014

This year’s trip to the state fair was our most successful ever. In years past Abby wasn’t into going on the midway rides and the crushing crowds seemed to make her a little fearful. But this year she was full-on into experiencing all the fair has to offer.

We hit a couple animal barns and then Abby caught sight of the mini roller coaster. It’s a fair ride so it packs up into a an 18-wheeler trailer. It didn’t look or sound safe. The automatic camera got a great shot of Abby as we went over the first drop. It was $7 well spent to buy the print.

Abby loves the swing ride. She rode it three times. The $25 ride-all-you want armband paid off for us for the first time ever.

Abby did draw the line at the Ring O Fire ride. I don’t blame her for skipping that vomit inducer.

And, of course, the fair is a target rich environment for colorful photos.

Fair Is Fair

By Don on Tuesday, October 29, 2013

We made our annual trip to the Arkansas State Fair a couple weeks ago and the most astonishing thing happened: Abby had a great time. I realize that sounds snarky, but it’s not intended that way. It was truly astonishing that she had a great time. Our previous four trips to the fair ranged from Abby having sorta of a good time for awhile to Abby being miserable. She’s got a reputation for not enjoying things that other kids enjoy. But on this magical night in October, she had a ball from start to finish. She even rode the swingy swinging twirling thing pictured above. Twice, She was having so much riding and game playing that we didn’t make it to see the animals or the Hall of Industry or the freak show.

The fair is a target-rich environment for photographing things you don’t see every day, but it’s hard to shoot good stuff and enjoy Abby enjoying herself.

Arkansas State Fair

The Fair!

By Don on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

We love us some state fair. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented us from going at the prime picture-taking time of dusk, so I had to fight a high sun and bald skies.

Abby Arkansas State Fair

A Fairly Fun Time

By Don on Wednesday, October 20, 2010

[slideshow id=statefair w=600 h=400]

I love the fair. I love the little county fairs and the huge state fair. The fair offers people watching opportunities you won’t get anywhere else.

We took Abby to the State Fair in 2008 and she didn’t much like it. Everything scared her and she didn’t like the food. We were prepared for a similar experience this time. But just when you think you’ve got her figured out, she goes and does something new. She actually liked the fair. She rode the ferris wheel, the kiddie roller coaster and a bungee-jumping-trampoline-kinda deal – twice. I was pretty floored that she agreed to do any of those things. She also scarfed down a giant corn dog.

I’ve struggled with shooting good pictures at fairs even though they are full of bright lights and colorful stuff and great weirdo people. This time I was so enthralled with Abby having such a good time, I didn’t try very hard on the photo deal.

Abby Arkansas State Fair Family Fun Photography

State Fair!

By Don on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

We worked in a road trip to Little Rock over the weekend and hit the Arkansas State Fair on its last night. Gina rode the merry-go-round with Abby and Brayden, who is the son of our good friend Jim. Jim is also known as Tater for his well-publicized love of, well, taters. Abby laughed maniacally as she went round and round. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a very good shot of them as they came around. The thing was going about a hundred miles an hour and the horses jumping up and down like they do.