Who doesn't love a good carnival? Personally, I enjoy carnivals due to the abundance of photographic opportunities. Carnivals allow camera buffs to capture people, lights, rides, and other imminent objects provided by the fair.

Unfortunately, there are not many carnivals that visit Hampton Roads. One of the few fairs in the area takes place at the Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach. I really enjoy photographing this carnival because it is moderate in size, yet the attractions that are provided present a lot of movement and photographic opportunity. Here are a few photos from this year’s occasion:

Tips for shooting at a fair/carnival:

If you want to avoid the crowds, attend the carnival on a weekday, as opposed to the weekend.
Bring a tripod or something to stabilize the camera. Your shutter speeds will be low, and you do not want to risk ruining an amazing shot due to camera shake. You should also use a remote or the self-timer on the camera (2 seconds) to eliminate any camera shake that could occur when pressing down on the shutter.
Watch your focal points. Focusing on the light bulbs can trick the sensor into searching for a focal point when you may have already chosen one. This could prevent you from capturing that perfect shot or even produce an out of focus shot. Make sure that you choose your focusing points wisely and lock in before you shoot. I tend to focus on an inanimate point as opposed to the actual moving part(s) of a ride, for example, then turn off the autofocus on the lens to prevent the camera from searching for another focal point.
Shoot in shutter priority or manual. This will help you control the outcome of streaking lines in your picture. Here is the trick: The longer your shutter stays open, the more solid your streaking lines will appear in the picture. The shorter your shutter stays open, the more likely your streaking lines will appear uneven. Understand that the ideal appearance of the streaking lines is completely subjective, so aim for what you prefer.
Keep your ISO down. Shooting at a high ISO will increase your shutter speed and freeze the movement of the attractions.
Take several pictures of the attractions because of the changing lights. This will ensure that you will capture the lighting arrangement that you prefer.
Be mindful of the patrons and who you photograph. The patrons are there to enjoy the fair, not you. Also, a lot of the patrons are children and they must have consent from their parents if they appear in your photographs, especially if you are making a profit from that particular photo.
Always be cautious of your surroundings! There is a reason why there are not a lot of carnivals in Hampton Roads, and that reason is called crime. Avoiding big crowds allows you to also avoid any misconduct that may occur at the fair. Remember to always be careful when you are taking pictures at night and always watch your surroundings.

2015 Mount Trashmore Time-Lapse Movie

Mount Trashmore Summer Carnival