The LA County Fair is sensory overload in the best way possible—bright lights, deep-fried everything, carnival games, and thousands of people moving in every direction. I brought my Canon M6 Mark II with the 22mm f/2 and spent the afternoon looking for moments between all the chaos.
It’s been years since I’ve been to the LA County Fair. Back in high school our dance team used to perform and walk in the parades. So we’d get to skip school and hang out at the fair all day. It’s been so long that I remember it used to take place in September, but I guess they officially moved the dates from September to May back in 2022 to avoid the extreme triple-digit heat. Safe to say that it was a good move because the weather was perfect.
The Arrival
As soon as we walked into the fairgrounds, I wanted to start taking pictures. I was overwhelmed by the loud music, carnival games, towering rides, and food vendors calling out to the crowds.
Instead of trying to photograph everything, I had to slow down and take it all in. The more I slowed down, the more I started noticing the moments happening between the attractions. What caught my eye weren’t the rides or the flashing lights, but the quieter moments hiding in plain sight. A shared glance, a familiar hand to hold, a pause in the middle of the crowd, a minute to enjoy some ice cream. In a place designed to grab your attention at every turn, those were the moments that stayed with me the most.
Games & Midway
It was nostalgic walking through the midway. The sounds of the rings clinking on the glass bottles, people cheering, and rows of oversized prizes brought back memories of being a kid and believing every game was winnable. The excitement, determination, and pride of carrying around a newly won prize. For a few moments, the midway felt like a place where everyone got to be a kid again.
Of course, we couldn’t just walk by without trying our luck ourselves. My wife and I grabbed a couple of drinks and played a few games in hopes of winning a stuffed animal for our daughter. She came out victorious, while I walked away empty-handed. But at least one of us managed to bring home a prize. After making our way through the midway, we stopped by the butterfly exhibit, which felt especially fitting since our daughter has recently become fascinated with butterflies.
As the afternoon sun started to set, we made our way to the barn animals, and I found myself paying more attention to the light. Small pockets of sunlight appeared throughout the fairgrounds, briefly illuminating people and places before disappearing behind buildings. The low golden-hour sun cast long shadows across the grounds, creating the kind of light that always makes you each for your camera.
We wrapped up the night the way any fair day should end—over something fried. A crispy blooming onion and a warm funnel cake, shared between us as the lights blurred and the crowd slowly thinned. Not sure when we’ll find our way back to the fair again, but this one felt like a good one to hold onto.
I’ve been a home body for the last couple of years. But finding photography again has got me out of the house more recently. I’m having fun and that’s all that matters.
Until next time—stay creative. Peace!
_bokev. 