A Trip to the Big E, 2023 Edition

And with my trip last Sunday to the Eastern States Exhibition (the “Big E”) in Massachusetts, my Competition Season 2023 is complete. Of the two entries I submitted to the Big E’s photography competition, only one – A Bicolor Sunflower – was accepted.

So, as usual … I planned my trip out as carefully as possible.

The Big E is a 2 1/2-hour journey from Albany to Springfield. Two hours to get to Springfield, and another half an hour to actually get to the Fairgrounds after battling all the traffic.

But this time, I thought ahead. Leave Albany on a Sunday at 6:30 a.m.

And sure enough … not only did I get to the Big E in plenty of time – and avoid all the traffic jams – I also scored a primo parking spot ten steps away from the entrance.

Yeah, that was cool.

Of course, the downside of arriving early at the Big E means that many of the buildings aren’t open yet. The State Houses (six different structures, one for each New England state) and the New England Center (where the photography exhibition is held) open at 10:00 a.m. So I had plenty of time to kill.

A trip over to one of the animal barns, and I saw some shearers trimming up the sheep.

Yeah, looks like Ol’ Bleater was about as patient as that one woman at the beauty salon. You know the one. Yeah, that one.

10:00 arrived. And I have a few traditions when visiting the Big E. Visit the state houses and see what kinds of souvenirs and trips and New England-themed items are available. Talk with the front desk at the Vermont State House about when the fall foliage will kick in this year (they’re saying it might be later than usual).

Then I went over to the Agawam Lions’ Club cafeteria and ordered a breakfast sandwich. Hey, it’s one thing to buy food at the Big E, it’s another to buy food and know that your purchase will help a charitable fraternity like the Lions Club. Plus, that breakfast sandwich was absolutely delicious.

As I left the Lions Club cafeteria en route to the New England Center, someone stopped me and asked if I had my latest flu shot. I told her I was scheduled for my flu shot in two weeks.

She said I could get the flu shot right now if I wanted. And as an added bonus … I could also get the latest COVID-19 booster shot.

Well, you don’t have to twist my arm to roll up my sleeve. Ten minutes later, I received my flu jab and my “Fauci Ouchie” and a $10 Starbucks gift card. Listen, people – get your flu shot and your COVID booster. This is a public service message from Chuckthwriter.blog.

Okay. Let’s see what happened with A Bicolor Sunflower. New England Center, here I come.

And there’s A Bicolor Sunflower with a …

That ribbon is for Honorable Mention. So … I’m glad it picked up a ribbon, but it looks like I might NOT have submitted my best image. But I couldn’t comfortable submit Ran Out of Firewood or Atomic Tulips or Hudson River Sunrise this year, just because for some reason I didn’t think an abstract image would do well at the Big E this year.

This is what happens when Chuck second-guesses his work.

And with that, Competition Season 2023 is over. Now there were some successes – a third-place silk at Altamont for one of my Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson train photos; and Ran Out of Firewood was accepted into the Capital District Photo Regionals. And I’m so glad for that.

But I’m also looking at what could have been. Only one picture made it through to Iowa; no ribbons for it. Four pictures were on the wall at the New York State Fair; but no ribbons, either. The Washington State Fair was a big oh-fer. And I skipped the Durham Fair this year due to weather concerns (and that Sunday contained a torrential rainstorm; if I did enter Durham, I’d probably be parking at the Tilcon quarry mine again).

So where do I go for 2024?

I try harder. I’m looking at the Buena Vista Panorama series for inspiration. I’ve got an eclipse coming up in three weeks. Fall foliage is just around the corner. There’s a Holiday Train in November. We’re expecting big winter drifts this year, which could provide for some fantastic wilderness shots.

I guess what I’m saying is … the results of Competition Season 2023 should inspire me to really hunker down for 2024.

Let’s make this happen.

It starts now.