A representation from one evening at PA's Grange Fair this year.

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These are nice snapshots for your own use, but they really don't fit in a "Documentary"
forum. #3 is the closest fit. Next time in a venue like this, try to capture people
experiencing the fair, not just scenes at the fair if you're interested in Documentary
photography.

I'm gonna disagree with Tony on one point-- fairs and rides are certainly "fair" game for the photojournalist. I've certainly seen plenty of this type of picture in news and news magazine articles.

Having said that:

A lot of these don't seem to have a well defined subject. The last few seem haphazardly framed and shot, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at. (What's supposed to be under the tent with the christmas lights?) #6-- and you really need to number your entries-- has blurry foreground, subject, and background. Many of these shots seem dim.

The basics of good photography don't change just because we're moving fast-- the rules of composition, exposure, etc. don't get tossed out the window just because you're not in a studio setting. And you need to clearly tell your story or theme. I know that the "WTF" factor is very prized on this forum, but the WTF should come from, for example, a juxtaposition of incongruous events, and not because we're confused about the photographer's intent.

Of them, I like the 2nd one: with the fore, mid, and background all being the same guy, or his caricature.

Keep shooting, hope to see more from you.

Good points, Tony and Mark. Numbering and limiting the images really helps others comment constructively on your stuff. Each of the images have technical issues around exposure, blur or focus. But what's missing is a visual narrative. Something that ties the images together into a story. Having people front and centre (metaphorically) really makes a difference. In this group, the 5th shot is the one that best holds my interest. It just needs some exposure and colour balance work done to pull it together.

Thanks gents. Pics numbered now and the equip used was a D7000 with Tamron 28-70 MF.

I do take issue with the word "snapshot" being used. There was at least one full walkaround each subject for perspective and compositional considerations. I probably should have taken my tripod along. As it was, most were shot at ISO 800 and less than 1/50 sec exposures. I did not want to go with higher ISO for noise reasons, and the lens was mostly used wide open (3.5-4.5)- the light was that low. I'd be interested in suggestions as how to better handle a situation like this one in the future.

I had intentionally kept the images on the dark side because the actual experience was just that- I tried to keep it authentic to the experience.
Now that it has been said, there should be more people-as-subject images included, and I have some. I am puzzled by the comment that the series does not belong in the Doc forum- there was nothing in the sticky to indicate people-only. Am I missing something? I am new to the whole documentary thing in imagery.

Suggestions: how would you have made a documentary series at the fair? How would you choose the images?

I wouldn't bring a tripod. You'll lose more than you gain. I would shoot at a higher ISO-- I believe that your camera is well known for its high ISO capabilities.

You might also want to consider investing in a fast prime lens. They're pretty inexpensive, and the added light collection abilities more than make up for lack of zoom, IMO. Besides, for these kinds of shots you zoom with your feet anyway.

More on content later.

Originally Posted by Tybrad Thanks gents. Pics numbered now and the equip used was a D7000 with Tamron 28-70 MF. Now that it has been said, there should be more people-as-subject images included, and I have some. I am puzzled by the comment that the series does not belong in the Doc forum- there was nothing in the sticky to indicate people-only. Am I missing something? I am new to the whole documentary thing in imagery. Suggestions: how would you have made a documentary series at the fair? How would you choose the images?

It was not my intent to imply that there are "rules" about what can be
used in this "Documentary" forum. There aren't.

However, if you browse the body of posts to this forum you will see that
most of the images either involve either what people do or what people
have done. That's the "documentary" aspect.

When you come across an image of a couch set out on the curb, with
no people in the shot, it's still documentary in that it shows what we
think is disposable and someone's changing taste. There's a human
aspect to the scene.

My suggestion to include people is not a suggestion to meet any
requirements of the forum, but a suggestion to increase the interest
factor of your images.

As to what can be done, a photograph of the stand where you toss
rings to win a goldfish in a bowl is just a snapshot of what was at
the fair. A photograph of the stand with a child receiving his prize
can be a good photo for this forum. A photograph of a dropped
and broken goldfish bowl and a dead fish can be a good photo for this
forum documenting the tragedy even though there is no person in
the photograph.

As to the dim vs. dark-- on my calibrated monitor, your brightest points in your photos are generally too dark. Bright light should be bright! Raising the top quarter tones will give the pictures some more punch, while still saying dusk/night.

OK thanks guys. Will take some of the advice!
Mark- I am new to computer processing. Are you speaking merely of gamma adjust? If not, the how to accomplish the "top quarter tones" (a term I am not familiar with)?

Originally Posted by Tybrad OK thanks guys. Will take some of the advice! Mark- I am new to computer processing. Are you speaking merely of gamma adjust? If not, the how to accomplish the "top quarter tones" (a term I am not familiar with)?

No, just the brightest 25% or so of the histogram.

Bright lights often fool a meter into exposing too dim to try to preserve highlight detail that, frankly, isn't there.

A curve something like this in your favorite image editing program (and this is really rough, lots of tweaks possible):



However, I wouldn't worry too much about that right now-- content is really the key. Some/most of the most arresting images ever made have technical flaws big and small. On the other side of the coin are the technically perfect, histogrammically correct images about nothing-- lipstick on a pig, as it were.