A Day at the Fair

admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:10:55 +0000

I’ve been to the State Fair of Texas every year of my life, but this is the first time I went during OU weekend. Fellow Texan photographer Peter Franklin and I drove to Dallas through some of the worst bumper-to-bumper traffic I’ve ever seen on I-35, arriving with just enough time to photograph the final few minutes of light. Once that wonderful golden light was gone, the fair was cast into twilight, making the situation a whole lot tougher.

Above photos by Caleb Miller, Daily Texan Staff

Photo by Peter Franklin, Daily Texan Staff

The pandemonium of Fair Park’s midway has always sucked me in. Light was no problem here; indeed, it’s a veritable glowing forest of neon. Peter and I left by the last of the twilight and hit the hay early in preparation for the big game. We got back on the road by 9 a.m., which ended up being barely enough time. We jostled our way through the insanely dense crowd and made it to the gates with only a few minutes to spare. What followed was the greatest football shooting experience I’ve had, and certainly the most exciting game of the season. After the game, we dropped off most of our bulky sports photography equipment at the van and returned to the fairgrounds.

Above photos by Peter Franklin, Daily Texan Staff

Photo by Caleb Miller, Daily Texan Staff

I had a whole lot more fun and snapped frames until I filled up all my memory cards, just in time for the sun to sink below the art deco buildings of Fair Park.

- Caleb Miller