The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
February 2015 issue
by Christopher Chadbourne
State fairs are both one of America’s most democratic institutions
and a stage upon which the ideosyncracies of human behavior
play out against a backdrop of color, contextual complexity and
human diversity.
For $5-$10 one can buy a ticket to the State Fair and once inside
the gates, everybody has an equal opportunity to win at the
games of chance; eat fried foods on a stick; watch the livestock
competitions and a waterskiing squirrel; or take a near death
experience thrill ride. It is a place of sensual overload on the
eyes, ears and digestive tract. And it is a beloved American ritual
drawing millions every year. They represent the spectrum of
American diversity—in income, ethnicity, race, age, education
and occupation. I photographed engulfed in the crowd—subject
and context intertwined; to capture the exuberance, the motion,
the color and the facial expressions that suggest stories buried
within.
The Last Living Munchkin From the Wizard of Oz, Minnesota State Fair.
Near Death Experience Thrill Rides and Everything Fried, Florida State Fair.
Devil Goat, New York State Fair.
Miss Georgia State Fair, Georgia State Fair.
Thrown by the Bull-2 Seconds Short (of the Championship), Montana State Fair.
Curious Oddities, Florida State Fair
Texas No Body, Texas State Fair.
Blue Ribbon Goat, Florida State Fair.
OMG! Minnesota State Fair.
Sizing it up, Iowa State Fair.
Girl in a Bubble, California State Fair.
Club Scene Dance, “It’s the girl’s man.” New York State Fair
Is This Your Lucky Day? Arizona State Fair.
A Break From the Midway, California State Fair.
Green Tent #2, Maine State Fair.
Elephant on the Hood, The Big E!, New England State Fair.
Dinosaur World, Minnesota State Fair.
Jeffrey and Twiggy Eat Carrots Only, Florida State Fair.
The Tornado, Minnesota State Fair.
