The magazine of the photo-essay
December 2016 issue
by Markku Lahdesmaki
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
Ever since I moved to the foot of Mt. San Jacinto which rises above Coachella Valley in California, I have found myself
fascinated by the culture and character of the area and its surroundings; Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree.
Earlier this year I was driving towards the little desert town of Joshua Tree,when I saw a bunch of circus trucks parked
in a field in Yucca Valley.. I stopped and found out that a circus was coming to town.
They started setting up the big tent that afternoon. One of the people I saw there first was the director of the Ramos
Bros. Circus, Oliver. After a short conversation he asked me where my accent was from? I told him that I’m originally
from Finland. “Wow!” he said, “I have been to Helsinki few times with my circus.” That was the connection between us
that opened the doors and gave me access to his circus.
My wife and I visited Oliver’s circus shows five or six times during the week that they stayed in town. One day, the two
of us even went to the local Home Depot and rented the cherry picker so I was able to capture the whole tent from a
higher angle.
I wanted to use only available light. The lighting in their show was very moody and not very bright which made it a bit
challenging for me. I was mainly shooting with a Leica 340 and Leica Monochrome. I remember standing in total
darkness behind the curtains with some of the artists and wondered how on earth I was going to capture anything at all.
Ramos Bros. Circus in the beautiful Yucca Valley landscape.
Circus clown before the show.
Setting up the net for the Human Canon landing.
Mr. Human Canon Ball.
Mr. Human Canon Ball ready for the big bang and flight.
Mr. Human Canon Ball flying above the arena.
Lighting man spotlighting the performance.
Clown entering the tent.
Poodles and trainer ready to go to the ring.
Poodles in the show.
Poodles and trainers going back to their caravan.
Chain trapeze performance.
One of the youngest crew members selling popcorn.
Kids having good time at Ramos Bros Circus.
Pony and trapeze artist waiting for their turn.
Running around with a poodle.
Camels with their trainer.
The horse is done.
The end of the show.
