Fair Time/ Photo History

I have been exhibiting photos at the Franklin County Fair for 23 years since 1988 with the exception of 2008 when I  spent the summer in Caldwell with mother. 

   My snapping photos all started when Noel bought a 35 millimeter point and shoot camera in 1987. I had always been interested in photography and even wistfully thought about taking a college course, But I couldn't justify  buying  the required $300.00 SLR camera because I needed that money for tuition.  (the days before the plethora of student loans) Once Noel bought the camera he never saw it again because I glombed on to it.  From there I purchased used equipment moving up to SLR cameras.

 Franklin County Fair has come and gone and once again  and I made hard decisions of which eight  photos to enter.  I like the county fair  because  once a year  I get to show off my stuff. Ok so I'm prideful. I vacillate between what I think the judge likes and my personal favorites. 

  I was superintendent over the art and photography for seven years and worked side by side with judge. I've asked questions and  received helpful comments about my photos after the judging is done.

My   latest goal  was to earn all blues but this has never happened including this year.  I received everything from white - to blue and honorable mention.  Every time I earn a high merit I also get a white to keep me humble. Last year our fair started giving stickers instead of ribbons. It's easier and faster when working with art.  The ribbons are always in the way hanging over the art.

Storytelling, white, 3rd place

 Building, Red, 2nd place. This is the first year I haven't worked with the judge so I didn't get any feedback

on my photos. I've noticed when I get a 2nd or 3rd rating I always wonder why, What is wrong or what could I have done to improve.  Why didn't it merit a blur ribbon?   When I get a first place I don't wonder why, why did it get first. I glory in the honor and run with it.  ha

 

 Landscape/ sunset Red

Cornish Barn

 Still life: Blue, lst place, Air Balloon at Driggs Balloon Festival

 

Pattern: Black and White, Blue, TSC Student Center  where I work at USU

 Pattern: Color, blue, Honorable Mention,

Unclassified: Blue,  I debated whether to switch this

with the sunset barn in in Landscape.

Series,  Blue, pictures with a theme or story, Outhouses

These  were taken in several different towns and were taken over a period of years.

I took two Adult education photography courses at the high school and continued to learn on my own. I guess I would describe my type/ style of photography as rural/ rustic. I love to shoot still life, scenic and patterns.

( A side note here) My adult education teacher who is a professional photographer judged this year and she and her husband were tough on all the entrants. In some categories, they gave more white than blue. One really had to earn the blue.

 Photography has brought me such joy, shooting and reviewing the photos.   While I'm out among the fields, and hear the birds and crickets and see the cows I feel peace.  I'm always impressed with beauty of the farmers art, with hay rows, shadows cast by bales of hay. The barn loft's cathedrals like ceilings give me reverence for the architecture of the early settlers.

 When I'm depressed or life gets hard, I sit down and scroll through photo files or thumb through hard copy pictures. The joy of God's creations, the beauty of nature and family memories pulls me far away from the grind of life and I'm renewed to continue on.

I have stacks of matted photos piling up in my closet.  A private gallery of Velcro pictures stick to carpeted walls  in our computer / guest bedroom. Come on by and I'll give you the tour.

Noel's Birthday

 Happy 68^th Birthday to Noel. 

 Last Thursday After work Laurie dropped me off to buy some balloons for Noel’s birthday while she drove across the street to make a bank deposit. I purchased two balloons,a traditional “Happy Birthday” and the other “Your How Many?” I went outside to wait for her return. I played with the balloons working them up and down  pretending, hoping Laurie could see them. My signal to her, I’m done and waiting. Suddenly, one balloon got away and I was helpless to get it. “Up, up, up” as Mickey Mouse used to said to Donald Duck.  I felt just like a little kid at a loss watching Noel’s balloon sail higher and higher. When Laurie arrived, I asked, “Did you see me signaling you with the balloons?  “No,” she was too busy watching for a break in commuter traffic to cross the highway. I thought about buying another balloon but didn’t want to keep Laurie waiting.

So I bought a pizza, ice cream and one balloon for Noel’s birthday.  I reminded him. “Remember in June when I bought you two new shirts?”  One was for Fathers Day and the other was for your birthday.  “So Happy Birthday.”

Saturday Joseph and Kim invited us to meet them at Foxes Pizza Den in Logan for Noel's birthday. Lincoln joined us and Meo, a Japanese guest of Joseph and Kim. Pizza twice in one week, we don't mind because we don't indulge very often. 

 We were getting full after breadsticks and pizza.

Here’s a picture of Noel holding Alston wearing one of his new shirts.

We returned to Preston and went to the Fair. I accompanied Noel walking along his Jazzi. Noel stayed long enough to check our entries in the Fine Arts Building before his back gave out and went home.  All week I asked him, “Do you want to attend the fair?” 

“I don’t know.”  He said two days in a row. Saturday morning I asked again, and got a definite “No.”

Then our family visited and he caved in to peer pressure.  Anyway it was nice to have him along, thus breaking another record. I can’t remember the last time he went to the fair 25 years?  About like watching the Rodeo parade.

 

Waiting for Mom and Meo to catch up to us in the 4-H building 

I wanted to show Alston the animals but guess what? Don’t wait until the last half of the last day. The pigs and  lambs were gone. “See the cow.”  No response.”  Cows don’t draw attention to themselves.  . That left rabbits and chickens.

 The rabbits were too high in their cages so I asked a girl if she would hold one for Alston to look at. She held it tight covering up the head so all we could see was a ball of fur.  “This is a rabbit.” 

 On to the chickens. Alston couldn’t see them from his stroller.  Joseph lifted him up to see the rooster. They make lots of noise and move around.

  ( Your grandpa  Ison would be proud).

 

 Alston getting tired.

 Joseph playing around while  Kim feeds Alston. 

  Meet Meo, Joseph and Kim's Japanese  foreign exchange student adviser

It was fun to be with family. 

Joseph and Kim decided to take the scenic way home drive through Strawberry Canyon and show Meo Bear Lake.

 

Poor Noel over did, and spent the next day in bed.