Challenge: Midway

May 15th-25th the Midway is coming back to the Pee-Wee arena. It's there for a week and a half and free so I don't see any reason we can't have this as a challenge.

Let's say your best 5 images, digital or film. Day or night. We'll have a closing date of June 10th for those pesky film users.

Sounds like fun.

Glad to see some action in this section

I was planning on heading up and shooting it here and there if I had time. The one thing I hate about the midway is the carnies.

"Heyyyyy come play the game, win the lady a prize, only $35 for 2 balls and you need to sink 5 shots..... come onnnnnnnnnnn"

Oh they're like the most entertaining part. Especially if you walk through with a girlfriend or kid and they lay on the guilt trips

As a teacher working at a school across the street from the PeeWee arena, mid-way time always causes some havoc. It's something that we normally don't look forward to. However, such events should provide great opportunities for photographing.

I went last year on a Friday night and unfortunately it was deserted. I only shot about 1/2 a roll and wasn't too satisfied with the type of photos I got. Since I couldn't really hide in the crowd, because there wasn't one, the carnies had their eyes glued on me. I decided to approach one of them and ask if I could take his photograph and he told me to F-off. Still it wasn't as bad as a 'mid-way' that I went to in Portugal a bit later in July. Much better crowds and atmosphere but early into that night, while I was sitting in an outdoor cafe, a young man tried to steal my camera bag. In my struggle with him, my Leica MP dropped out of the bag onto concrete and my Voigtlander 35mm f/1.7 Ultron was damaged beyond repair as it took most of the impact.

Despite the negative vibe I got from the mid-way last year, I hope that I manage to go several times this year and hopefully catch a good number of people there.

As far as challenges go, I don't really like them. I like the fact that they motivate people to go out and shoot but that's about it. I would really prefer N/NW threads instead where people just post photographs following a theme - no winners or losers. I've thought about starting a few such threads but currently not sure if I should post to the gallery or contests section.

I don't think there's any winners or loser here either, I see it more as a challenge to post on a theme more than anything.

I like the deserted midway shot you posted on Flickr. One of the reasons I thought of it.

Thanks Ken. I'm glad that you liked a photo I took at the midway last year. It was a pretty disappointing experience for me. In regards to my hang-ups over the Photo Challenges thing, I'll take it to another thread.

You're allowed to express your hang-ups. I just want people to know that the intent for this challenge is friendly, not really a competition.

I posted my hang-ups here.

Went out tonight and shot a roll of slide film that I hope to cross-process. We'll see if it works.

Here's a sampling of some shots I took. More on my Flickr site!!

THAT is what I am talking about.

VTML: those photos really capture the colour and action of the midway - great job.

Thank you! If it would ever stop raining I would like to head back out....Grrrrr.

I went on Friday and took my Arax. I was there for about two hours. I got a lot of stares so I mainly shot the rides instead of people. Lot's of people but saw only a few opportunities anyway. I wanted to head back to shoot mainly with a 35mm camera but I was feeling under the weather for most of the weekend. Hopefully it will stop raining soon.

Digging the 2nd pic, VTML.

I would like to get out to the place at night to shoot the lights but just haven't had time and the weather has been horrible, hopefully soon as I"m nights on Friday/Sat so I think I missed out on the damn thing. Stupid Midway.

I'm waiting for some slides to come back, may still go and hit it with my Hassy before it goes. Great job again, VTML

I went to the midway again tonight. I shot two 36-exp rolls of 36mm and two 12-exp rolls of 120 format. One of the carnies did object to his photo being taken but situation wasn't serious.

I saw another photographer who took a ride on the ferris wheel probably to take some shots. She was a tall, young woman wearing a brown jacket. She disappeared soon after getting off the ferris wheel. She sported a dSLR with a longish zoom-lens (sorry, I can't tell dSLR's apart from a distance). At the time, I was using my Arax.

Nando wrote:She sported a dSLR with a longish zoom-lens (sorry, I can't tell dSLR's apart from a distance). At the time, I was using my Arax.

Obviously trying to "make up for something" so I'll say she was a Nikon shooter

I kid, I kid.

Can't wait to see some of these shots. I have some ideas for shots to do there but don't think I'll make it now -- damn night shift. Maybe tomorrow during the day if I can shake off the sleepies.

I just got my slides back and they look pretty nice, can't wait to scan them. Hopefully I will post some images tonight.

Ohhh....can't wait to see them!!

A very friendly and charismatic carnival worker. He was wonderful with the kids. Leica MP + 50/f1.4 Summilux-ASPH.







.

Did anybody else go to the midway?

I'm afraid these two photos are going to be it from me until I get my 120 rolls developed. I spent the remainder of my time with my 35mm cameras practising shooting sans viewfinder on expired film and I don't feel any of the shots are suitable for posting.

I can't wait to see your 120 shots. Sorry I'm being so lazy about not posting my slides. The reality of moving into a new house in just over a week is overwhelming me.

I'd thought we would see more from the digital shooters with their lightning-quick turn-around. Hats off to VTML though.

I'm hoping that my 120 shots don't come back with light-leaks. I'm particularly worried about one roll in particular. When I removed it from the film-back, the paper backing at the end of the roll was loose and the roll wasn't as tightly wound on the spool as usual - its hard to describe. I'm also worried about that particular roll of film not being perfectly flat on the pressure plate.

For now, I guess I can add two more. These shots were taken without putting the camera to my eye. I did have a spirit-level on the accessory shoe but rarely used it. The first was shot from the hip and luckily got what I wanted - this almost never happens. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't cut off one of the arms. The second was shot from my waist - its overexposed. Since this was for just for practising, I didn't bother trying to correct the colours - just a resize. Film is long-expired Fuji 400. I think that these two were the only 'ok' shots - the rest were garbage. Most of the time, I either aimed at too high an angle or I didn't get what I wanted in the frame. These were taken with a 35mm at a very close range - you now see why I want a 24/25mm as the extra 20-or-so degrees of FOV would come in handy.