Seeking a few good shutterbugs

Jeff Benson

Once the Ferris wheel stops spinning, the tents fold up and the blue

ribbons go home with their respective winners, the only images

remaining from this year’s Orange County Fair will be fairgoers’

photos.

So why not give ribbons for those too?

In its “Many Faces of the Fair” contest through Aug. 6, the Visual

Arts department will accept black-and-white and color photos from

amateur and professional photographers who think they best captured

the spirit of this year’s fair.

“We’re big on exhibits and we’re looking for the hip factor,”

Assistant Director Barbara Thompson said. “This year, we’ve been

getting a lot of young photographers, which is good.”

After the last submissions are collected, the Visual Arts staff

will select the “Best Overall Picture,” “Best Color,” “Best Black and

White” and “Best Theme.” Assistant Director Bill Gallagher said the

worthiest submissions from this year’s fair festivities will be on

exhibit during the 2005 fair. About 100 photos are on exhibit this

year from the 2003 fair.

“The quality’s getting really good,” Thompson said of this year’s

exhibition. “The black and white photography is really strong, both

in the professional and amateur divisions.”

This year’s exhibition features close-ups of clowns, portraits of

pigs, depictions of dancers and snapshots of sisters sliding

simultaneously.

So what constitutes a winning photo? Well if this year’s exhibit

is any indication, kids, animals and rides are always a good start.

San Juan Capistrano’s Leilani Smith captured a young girl with a

great big smile, a photo that impressed judge Dan Stephens enough to

earn last year’s “Best Overall Picture.”

Victor Bui of Westminster submitted last year’s best black and

white shot, “I’m Hungry,” featuring two nursing piglets.

Westminster’s Iian Thornton collected a “Best Special Effects”

award in 2003 for his overexposed shot of a nighttime carnival ride

spinning white streaks of light.

Though Gallagher and Thompson both said they admired Thornton’s

winning shot, they said enhanced photos won’t be accepted this year

to promote more natural light conditions.

All entries must be photos between 8 by 10 inches and 11 by 14

inches, Gallagher said. Photographs must be mounted on an

11-by-14-inch white mat board, and there is a limit of five entries

per photographer.