All photos by Bob Crum.

Hopefully last week I got you excited about photographing the County Fair. Thousands... and counting... of photo ops!

I created a Fillmore Photographer’s group on Facebook. It's a closed group for members only. However, because the Fair is such a grand opportunity for photographers at all levels, I'm inviting Fillmore and Piru readers to send me up to three of your best Fair photos taken this year. If merited, I'll post your image(s). Email only jpegs sized no larger than 10” on the long side.

Think about your photos telling a story. People at a Fair can be great subjects if your photo shows them engaged in an activity. A wide angle shot of the whole booth is not exciting. Get close. Let’s see the kid tossing the ping pong ball into bowls of goldfish. A youngster's first bite of cotton candy is a good subject... shoot a closeup from afar with a telephoto lens. Everything around the kid is just clutter and adds nothing to the photo's story.

If it's someone throwing something, ping pong ball, ring or whatever, shoot a stop action shot or with slow shutter speeds to create blur indicating movement. Be sure to hold the camera steady! Got it?

On bright sunny days, daytime shooting can be exasperating. Select your position with respect to where the sun is... preferably behind you if possible. Night photography is no cake walk either. The best carnival shots can be had during a special time of day. Remember my description of the “golden hour”... that one hour just before sunset or one hour right after sunrise? Carnivals have their own 'golden hour'. A carnival reveals it's surreal delights right after sundown but before darkness. Note that it's paramount to scout your shots before hand because the window of opportunity is short... only 30 to 45 minutes. The magnificent carny lights turning on won't create havoc with the camera exposure meter during this interval. You have to scout and mark your spots ahead of time and shoot fast. Take a few shots at each location and remember to focus!

No matter the subject take a lot of shots. Deleting later at home costs nothing. For rides, experiment with shutter speeds. Pan (track) the shot to create background blur with the subject in focus. Or fix the focus on one spot and let the slow shutter speed blur the movement. Ride lights constantly change which is another reason to take a lot of shots. Don't just take a snapshot and move on. Create a photograph. Take your first shot in “Auto” mode then switch to Av or Tv or even 'manual' mode to capture creatively. You can do this!

As stated last week, night photos are best shot with a tripod but not absolutely necessary. Use a railing, or whatever is handy to perch and steady the camera. A monopod works fine! Don't forget the fireworks behind the Ferris Wheel at 10 pm.

As much fun as it is to shoot a Fair, be aware. Obviously not a good idea to leave your camera on the tripod while you fetch an irresistible funnel cake. Also, I keep a lens shade on my lens which protects the lens front element. Just sayin'.

The few photos that accompany this week’s column are of the Frontier Gun Fighters who performed at Piru last Saturday. These gunslingers... bad guys, lawmen and a shotgun toting lady, perform outrageously humorous skits that are a hoot.

Happy photoing.

Send comments, suggestions, questions and up to three of your best Fair photos to bob@fillmoregazette.com