So here’s the deal.
The Altamont Fair opens today.
And in 2009, I entered my first photos in the Fair’s Fine Arts competition.
It wasn’t until 2011 when I earned my first ribbons for my work.
by 2013, my photo of an Icelandic sheep, The Jumbuck, picked up my first Altamont blue ribbon. That was in the Sheep Barn, which has its own photo contest.
By 2016, I finally earned my first blue in the Fine Arts building, when my college of photography, glass and neon wiring, Dream Window 17: Friday Night Fish Fry claimed a blue.
By 2017, my photography finally claimed blue ribbon love in the Fine Arts building – as my infrared picture Farrell earned the azure silk. One year later, my Milky Way and Rexleigh Barn picture Washington County 2:30 a.m. earned a blue silk.
Also in 2017, I entered my craft projects in the Arts and Crafts Building, where a Dream Window full of 4H memorabilia claimed an Honorable Mention – and last year, one of my burlap sack projects snagged a second place silk.
Of course you know this means I’m trying again. And there’s no guarantees that any of my pictures will claim blue ribbons – or any other colored ribbons – but I have to try. I’ve gotten this far and I don’t plan on backing up.
And as is tradition in my blog, I don’t post my entries until after I’m sure that the judging is complete. That’s usually the day the Fair opens. That way I don’t get someone kvetching at me that I tried to influence the judges by promoting my work on the blog. Sorry, that’s not how I operate. You must have me mixed up with some Times Union staff blogger who’s known for doing such things. 😀
So here are my four entries, and four is the maximum amount allowed in this competition. Say hello to…
HALF MOON RAINBOW
There’s a category at Altamont this year called “Local Color.” So … we have a building that’s local, and I see color behind it. Covers both words, right?
I’m also entering…
AFTER THE RAIN
This is going into the Fair’s “black and white photography” category.
ROSES AND VICHY
I know this is kind of a wild card entry … but I haven’t had much success in terms of lenticular prints this year, so maybe this picture will burst out of the mix and take a silk or two. We shall see.
NO SCHOOL TODAY, BRAH…
I don’t know why I like this picture so much. Maybe it’s the plethora of color. Or maybe it’s one of those “it should have won something” pictures that I keep entering and entering and entering until it finally breaks through.
And over in the Arts and Crafts building, hanging up on the wall (I hope) is …
As I said, last year my Fort Orange Dairy burlap sack claimed a second place in Altamont. And at the same time, this burlap sack claimed an Honorable Mention in Syracuse last year. So maybe, maybe, maybe, there’s a chance this piece could be my first to earn silk at Altamont and at Syracuse since The AGFA Bridge Over Ansco Lake did the same thing back in 2011.
Okay. Five entries in two separate buildings.
And after my day job today … I’m off to Altamont like Usain Bolt out of the starting gate.
Let’s see if it all works out.
Oh yeah – if you happen to go to Altamont today … please don’t send me “congratulations” or “better luck next time” messages. I need to find out for myself.
Besides, how could I write a blog post tomorrow if I don’t have the surprise reactions or dejections from tonight? 😀
Chuck The Writer 