Carnival Rides

by Dr. Jessie Voigts /
Dr. Jessie Voigts's picture
Nov 15, 2013 / 0 comments

Catch a glimpse of rural life, friends, colors and light, traditions and trampled brown grass, the Zipper and the Kamikaze, a Ferris wheel and a tilt-a-whirl.

Curtis Cunningham's newest ebook, Carnival Rides, explodes with color and motion. His incredible photos are pure loving tribute to the Fall Fair in Smithers, BC, but are applicable to any small town county fair.

This book holds unclouded nostalgia for my youth - the county fair, the overwhelming smells of powdered elephant ears and fresh squeezed lemonade and hot fries, the thrills and stomach flips of carnival rides, the untrammeled glee at the all-rides-for-one-ticket first Friday.

This book, filled with the colors and whirls and twirls of a fair, is pure genius.

Carnival Rides

We caught up with Curtis and asked him for some background on this colorful, beautiful book. Here's what he had to say...

What inspired you to write this book?

Each August, the Bulkley Valley Agricultural and Industrial Association puts on the annual Fall Fair down at the exhibition grounds in Smithers. It’s an amazing opportunity over four days to people watch and witness a wonderful mix of sights, sounds, and smells. My favourite thing to photograph is the array of amusement park rides that operate from noon until 10pm. I love capturing the details that leave so many people dizzy with delight.

Carnival Rides, Curtis Cunningham

What do you hope people take away from reading your book?

That if they don’t already have them, they need to buy a tripod and a shutter release cable for their camera. Along with their camera, that’s all it takes to transform giant, hulking pieces of nausua-inducing excitement into pieces of art.

Carnival Rides, Curtis Cunningham

Learn more about Curtis' work: http://www.photistry.com/

 

Highly recommended!