Antithesis: Kids, kids, and more kids

ne of my favorite photographic subjects is children. Kids have not yet learned to hide their excitement and joy... or their boredom and fear. Everything is visible on their faces (if you can see their faces).

Warren County Fair - Front Royal, VA
Canon EOS 50D camera
115mm focal length
ISO 100, 1/640th @ f/5.6

Unfortunately, people tend to get a little skittish when you point your camera at their kids—at least in the city. But in smaller towns and out in the country people smile with pride as their kids ham it up for the camera. I guess out in the country people realize that a photographer with a real camera is probably just capturing the beauty he sees in the world around him. The stalkers and pedophiles are much more likely to use cell phone cameras or other non-obvious photography devices. In other words, the parents in the country and in the small towns are simply quite a bit smarter than people who live in the cities.

Front Royal community pool - Front Royal, VA
July 5, 2010
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
70mm focal length
ISO 100, 1/1250th @ f/5.6

Attending the many outdoor community events here in Front Royal, Virginia, I get the opportunity to photograph children a lot. And because we are such a small community, even those events quite often allow for photos of just a few people without the distraction of a crowd pressing in on every side. This next picture of a mother and son is from the annual Front Royal Air Show. The blacktop in the background is the landing strip. The netting is the fence showing where the people should sit or stand so they’re not in any danger. Obviously, people in the country are smart enough to understand that they shouldn’t go past the line. They don’t need a line of armed guards scowling at anyone who stupidly tries to get over the steel barriers that have been set up to keep the low-intellect city dwellers from walking out onto the tarmac to get that shot of the jet just before it plasters them.

Front Royal Air Show - Front Royal, VA
September 11, 2010
Canon EOS 50D camera
115mm focal length
ISO 100, 1/640th @ f/5.6

I took these next three pictures at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival in Delaplane, Virginia. This festival seems to be targeted primarily for the children. There are loads of fun events including tug o' war contests, face painting, hayrides, a petting zoo, and all kinds of strawberry ice cream desserts and shortcake. For the adults, they have a blue grass band, a car show, an arts & crafts area, and an amazing scenic property that stretches way off into the distance.

Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA
May 29, 2010
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
50mm focal length
ISO 400, 1/40th @ f/22

Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA
May 29, 2010
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
70mm focal length
ISO 400, 1/125th @ f/13

Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA
May 29, 2010
Canon EOS 50D camera, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens
130mm focal length
ISO 400, 1/125th @ f/20

My favorite Front Royal event is the Annual Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival. This one actually is crowded. Our little town doubles in population for this one day each year. The streets of the town are blocked off and the two central roads are set up with wine tasting stands and craft stands. At the center of the town, the gazebo serves as a band stand for a variety of bands. After the people of the town have perused the wines and crafts and made their purchases, they take their purchases back to their cars and then make one last walk through the wine stands. They purchase a chilled bottle of wine and head to the gazebo where the Festival turns into a block party lasting the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. As the bands play, the people dance. It begins with a few people dancing on the stone pathways around the gazebo, then it spreads the lawn and into the parking area in front of the nearby visitor’s center. By about 2:00 in the afternoon people are dancing in the streets and on every available piece of ground covering the entire central area of the town. It is a complete blast and everyone has tremendous fun.

These next two pictures show kids dancing at the Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival: