The Carnies

Carnies in Stitches

2006-12-17T23:09:00.000-05:00

Tilt-A-Whirl

2006-11-15T22:38:00.000-05:00

Coolest.Ride.Ever.

More images of it can be found here.

Convoy Race

2006-09-08T23:12:00.000-05:00

This kiddie ride consists of a few little trucks that move around a track with a little hill built in..
REAL trucks hurtling over mountain passes and cliffs to certain fiery death do not elicit the screams that this ride does.
And this is Susan. Her job? She said she tries to keep the hysteria to just below the boiling point. She stops the ride if it's too much for a kid or tries to keep the panic from moving from car to car. She has this very nice gentle nature and a southen accent that even calmed me down a little.

Rest After Working That 16 Hour Day?

2006-09-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

Hell, no! It's time to break out the swords for a little swordplay. It's always fun until someone loses and eye!

(Note: no carnies were hurt in the photographing of this series)

Carnie Barber

2006-08-24T21:04:00.000-05:00

This is Matty getting the haircut. He runs the Skymaster and travels with his wife and kids with the show. The Clipper Dude's name is Martin. He's originally from Trinidad and has the cool accent and now living in Massachusetts.
Look, you are on the road, you don't know the town, you work 16 hours a day. Where are you going to get your hair cut? MasterCuts? They closed HOURS ago and they don't let you light up.
Martin did a decent job. I just got my Back to School haircut and it's got nothing on Matty's.

Stan's French Fries

2006-08-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

The Pitch

2006-08-19T19:18:00.000-05:00

The Jointees (Game workers) have the toughest gig in the show. People will line up for food and rides, but they need to be lured into playing the games. One said to me, "The ride jocks? Button pushers once the show starts. WE do all the work after set up."

Junky John

2006-08-15T13:24:00.000-05:00

Carnie Profile: Joe

2006-08-13T10:15:00.000-05:00

Say Hi to Joe. Joe nearly nipped this little project in the bud when during one of my very first attempts at pointing my camera at living subjects he immediately came over and told me "No cameras" and wanted to know what I was doing. I later found out he felt he was protecting his crews. Most of my images of him after that came at the end of a long telephoto lens.
He has yella eyes like a rabid dog, the strength of 10 men (Although I'm told it's kept deeply in reserve, very deep), he is quick to judge and fiercely loyal. He's also got a smile that STUNS you with it's brightness and quick display.
When I told him I was going to do a little post about him, I said "And guess what photo I'm going to use." and he immediately said "The hose." So he is also quite astute with all things 'art'.
The safest people on the Midway? Joe's little charges seen behind him. The second safest? You, once he decides he's got your back.

The Night Rides

2006-08-09T11:56:00.000-05:00

Zipper

2006-08-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

Skymaster

2006-08-09T11:35:00.001-05:00

Arctic Blast

2006-08-09T11:35:00.000-05:00

AeroMax

2006-08-09T11:34:00.002-05:00

Pharoah's Fury

2006-08-09T11:34:00.001-05:00

Carousel

2006-08-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

Freak Out

2006-08-09T11:33:00.002-05:00

Freak Out

2006-08-09T11:33:00.001-05:00

Skymaster

2006-08-09T11:33:00.000-05:00

SeaDragon

2006-08-09T11:32:00.001-05:00

Thunder Bolt

2006-08-09T11:32:00.000-05:00

Cliff Hanger

2006-08-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

Cyclone

Sir? Your Truck is Ready.

2006-08-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

Can someone tell the guy who from the joints who claims to be Sadie's step dad that his truck is ready? Or rather the photos. He slipped me some money for them and between having it sandwiched between other trucks, constantly forgetting, then not seeing him, THEN missing a phone message, I never got them to him. But if one of you Gentle Carnies could let him know then have him email me I will send them out post haste because I don't want him coming after me. :)

This is a Large Format Eight by Ten Glass Slide Camera

2006-08-09T00:15:00.000-05:00

And This is Mister Large Format Eight by Ten Glass Slide Photographer

2006-08-09T00:05:00.000-05:00

He's a local photographer, Michael Something or Other, and he was taking large format black and white images of some of the most colorful sights I had ever seen. I'm sure it takes stunning photographs but you know that scene in one of the Indiana Jones movies when Harrison Ford encounters the swordsman skillfully weidling a scimitar and he just shoots him? It sorta felt like that.
He said he was doing a book on the fair. Oh? Reeeeeaaallly now? Well he better hurry.
I didn't see him at set up or tear down when the good stuff happens so to fill the void I thusly present below....

The 2006 Tear Down Crews - The Portraits

2006-08-07T01:40:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Thunder Bolt Crew.

Special Thanks go to Torekimi and LuminousLens for pointing out that while I was home feeling sorry for myself because I didn't feel well that there were REAL men out there busting their asses and waiting for their annual tear down portraits and that Mr 8 by 10 Large Format Glass Side Camera wasn't going to be out there taking them.

2006-08-07T01:15:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Giant Wheel Crew

2006-08-07T01:14:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Sword Guy, Mark Allan (I know so few last names), Enrico and Friend.

2006-08-07T01:12:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Quentin and Joe

2006-08-07T01:10:00.001-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Tilt Crew

2006-08-07T01:10:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Cliffhanger. (Clockwise) Bob, Unknown, Quentin and Joe

2006-08-07T01:07:00.001-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Bingo Tent Crew

2006-08-07T01:06:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Kellie and Curtis (Zamps)

2006-08-07T01:05:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - The Electrical Crew, Wire Runners

2006-08-07T01:03:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Zipper Crew. Peter, Emily, Andrew, Gerard. Gerard is the most frequently photographed carnie who never got a photo because he was INSIDE his game so I never saw them when I browsed looking for images to print. And he was always very nice about it.

2006-08-07T01:02:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Cyclone Crew

2006-08-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Enrico, Garfield (As Emperor Palpatine) and the guy with the name that I can never recall but will fix as soon as I'm emailed. BUGSY! It's Bugsy! Thanks, Harmony. :)

2006-08-07T00:59:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Mitch

2006-08-07T00:58:00.000-05:00

2006 Tear Down Crews - Neil and Alan

Egress I

2006-08-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

This is Shawn (Sean?), one of the South African carnies and Zipper Operator opening the door to basket number 4. I always used to trip getting off this ride so wanted to see how it was done.

There's the trip...

Egress II

2006-08-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

Awww...lookit her face
Nice Chucks
With the grace of Fred and Ginger
"Why are you taking our picture?" Why, indeed. I explained how it was Zapruder Film Quality Luck and that I was taking the photo of whoever got out of basket number 4 and it happened to be them. However, since I had them in my sights, would they mind posing for a portrait?

Portrait of Two Unknown Fair Goers

2006-08-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

2006-08-05T15:31:00.000-05:00

Tubbs

This is Tubbs. He's one of the South African carnies with the show this year. He wrote and performs this frequently and many of the other carnies have a very stong association and fondness for this and insisted that if possible, we record and and post it here. They all know the words. In the middle of the song you can hear one mildly inebriated back up singer who stumbled upon us singing along. I think it makes it although I think Tubbs was less than impressed. We have another higher quality version and an MP3 that is being tacked onto the season's photo disks. If you were with the show email me for a copy.

Fried Dough

2006-08-04T22:08:00.000-05:00

"GentleWasps Start your Engines." These were all over the powdered sugar outside the booth. I asked the girl seen below if it was ok and she said, "They don't bother me" Yeah, she wasn't going for the sugar.
Most of the fried dough process in one easy to understand photo.

More Photographers Who I Am Not

2006-08-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

The most patient and photographed smoothie drinking youth I've ever met. They were still there 10 mins after I took this
I used to do this, too, until I 1) Learned that it's actually more important for the CAMERA to be low then yourself (Hence my affinity for the Canon little flip out window) and 2) Sitting on the ground at the fair is not a habit one wants to start.
I wonder if I invited her to my haircut if she'd go.
I was delighted to see the Canon Powershot S2 hanging on her back. (If you are expecting a comment about Virgil "Boss Hog" Randall you can forget it. At least until he is out of town. :)

These COULD Be Me

2006-08-03T12:59:00.000-05:00

But ain't....

Not me...

2006-08-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

This is John Clark Russ or something, one of the very fine photographers of the Bangor Daily News (There are about 3 Heh heh)

The Duck Game

2006-08-01T10:24:00.000-05:00

She says these are the most photographed ducks in the world.

Amanda Blowing Bubbles

2006-07-31T21:56:00.000-05:00

I was on the back side of this 2 sided game and saw all these bubbles blowing down the Midway. It was Amanda just sitting quietly enjoying a short break between customers.

Quinten

2006-07-31T21:24:00.000-05:00

Got...to...remember....card.

He was a little embarrassed to have his photo taken at the carousel and not one of the thrill rides he normally works on. My telling him how much I like the carousel, I think, only reinforced how stupid he thinks it is.

Arthur

2006-07-31T20:58:00.000-05:00

I used the 3 by 5 card trick again with the explanation that my memory is, well, my memory. The only problem is sometimes I forget to carry the 3 by 5 cards or the Sharpies. Through these carnie posts you will see where they commented and told me what their names REALLY are.

The Game I Always Lose

2006-07-31T20:54:00.000-05:00

This is Arthur. He's cool. He's also the Devil. See the flames behind him? Yeah, that is how you can tell someone is the Devil. Well, that and talking to him for a little while. He showed me the deal with the cans. And damn it, they weren't rigged like I was hoping. I'd tell you the deal but you'd be as disappointed as I was. However, we'd be like the Masons.

The Game I Always Win

2006-07-31T20:47:00.000-05:00

It's unfair really. I have a little secret. It's called 'Shoot Here' Don't tell anyone. Now we are like Masons. Whenever I give anyone a secret from now on I'm going to say: Now we are like Masons. I stole it from another blog on my blogroll.

Tony

2006-07-31T20:11:00.000-05:00

Bear Act

2006-07-30T10:18:00.000-05:00

I was watching with one of the South African carnies when he turned and said he'd never seen a real live bear before.

I said, "Wow! Really?" before I remembered that I hadn't either.

Bear's muzzle and fake cage effect Photoshopped in to give the illusion that I was completely safe at all times

Yeeeeah, I'd Say She's Got ME Figured Out

2006-07-27T22:29:00.000-05:00

It's Nice How They Leave Off 'Dumbass'

2006-07-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

The Bingo Tent

2006-07-27T22:09:00.000-05:00

Overheard by me: "What's he doing out there"
"He's taking night pictures?"
"What? Why?"
"I dunno, he's been here all day. Tell him to come over and we will turn on the lights so he can take picture of our tent"
Bob
I found this later so if you have I-22 you are screwed and ain't winning no lamp. I'm kidding, of course, I'm sure it was added or replaced or whatever.

Harmony and Emily and Emily and Harmony

2006-07-27T22:03:00.000-05:00

Max's Back

2006-07-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Randalls High Diving Racers

2006-07-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

This is Virgil 'Boss Hog" Randall. He and his camera shy wife, Velma, own the pig races. And... pig dives. They dive. They are diving and racing pigs.
Stay behind the rope lest ye be injured by a wildly careening piglet. Please, no wagering.

Agricultural Exhibits

2006-07-27T20:50:00.000-05:00

The Next Generation Beef Club
A boy and his cow...calf? Maybe they called it something else. I think they did actually. Nice fair host I am, huh?
That's the sawdust you gotta have in your blood. I think it was cedar. It smelled great. This is a scratch and sniff photo. Scratch your monitor. Go ahead.
4H Kids. All the Hs must stand for Ham because they screamed for me to take their photo. I wished I had MY crocs on.

The Bangor Fair is traditionally an agricultural fair although the agriculture is a ways from the Midway. A gully between the Midway and Agricultural Exhibit makes it even less inviting. I was embarrassed to admit that I had never actually been to the agricultural exhibits myself. But Gentle Viewers, this year you will be gifted the photos of cows, or calf? Steer? Whatever they were.

Andrew on the Wheel

2006-07-26T07:09:00.000-05:00

ThunderBolt

2006-07-26T00:47:00.000-05:00

SkyMaster Crew

2006-07-26T00:21:00.000-05:00

Orient Express

2006-07-26T00:14:00.000-05:00

Snidely Whiplash was here
Oh..him? OSHA. Me? Not OSHA
I thought he'd be stuck with this wife beater shadow for the season but he had a nice all over burn by the end of the day.

Carousel Crew

2006-07-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

Cleaning the Tent

2006-07-25T23:51:00.000-05:00

Curtis and Kellie

2006-07-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

Curtis took one in the eye defending Kellie. He was delighted to hear that I sold a photo of him from last season for 3 bucks!
They were married in the off-season...
and tattooed...

and now photographed and blogged. What a Year!

The Wire

2006-07-25T23:30:00.000-05:00

Wire Runners

2006-07-25T23:24:00.000-05:00

Arctic Blast

2006-07-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

It's melting
the cool wooden track
The Arctic Blast is a VERY cool ride. Besides being tagged with the ABC (Arctic Blast Crew) Logo it also has this little inside joke. If you ask anyone working for the show they will invariably tell you Topsfield - The last spot of the season.

C'Mere!

2006-07-25T23:07:00.000-05:00

I will never be sick of this pose.

Crazy Tom

2006-07-25T22:45:00.000-05:00

Now forever known as Dentist Tom

Pharoah's Fury (Formerly the SeaDragon)

2006-07-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

Dough Boy Crew

2006-07-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

Tilt-a-Whirl

2006-07-24T20:00:00.000-05:00

Tilt Crew.

Tilt Assembly

2006-07-24T19:58:00.000-05:00

Tilt-a-Whirl Assembly

The Zamps!

2006-07-24T19:02:00.000-05:00

The Zamps are sweet kiddie rides. Girls are allowed to help assemble these.

2006-07-24T19:01:00.000-05:00

Zamp Crew - Why is the Zamp Crew bigger than the Giant Wheel Crew?

2006-07-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

Zamp Details

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:22:00.000-05:00

Some blue bloods enjoying the show.

Now here is the deal Gentle Viewer, The assembly of some of these rides is such a HUGE event that I have only partially documented it over a number of seasons. They will eventually be drawn into one photo display showing all aspects of the rides and operators but for now, here is Giant Wheel Assembly 2006 because every story deserves to be told, or shown.

2006-07-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I see ya 40 feet up there buddy and I got your photo NOW HANG ON!

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:04:00.003-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:04:00.002-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:04:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:04:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:03:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:03:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - "I said, What's the name of your website?" Dude, you just keep hanging on there and I'll write it down for you.

2006-07-24T00:02:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:02:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - Jason's shoes.

2006-07-24T00:00:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - my SHOE!

2006-07-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - I couldn't hold my hands over my head like that for as long as these guys do if I were HUNG by them. I don't know this guys name at the moment but his wife's name is Anna and she is a REAL GENTLE VIEWER! She found my blog via Susan Adcock's (Pitcherlady) Cliffhanger via CarnieTown. She mentioned other photos. I was as humbled and flattered as your lowly and humble photographic servant could be.

2006-07-23T23:57:00.002-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-23T23:57:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly

2006-07-23T23:57:00.000-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - Jason/Steve

2006-07-23T23:56:00.002-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly - Steve. Heh heh

2006-07-23T23:56:00.001-05:00

Giant Wheel Assembly