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ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
Fri Jun 27, 2014, 07:00 PM Jun 2014

Tips on photographing carnivals?

A small town close to me is having a carnival on the river until July 5th. I've never really done carnival photos (no really goods ones) and just wondered if anyone had any tips - especially for night time rides. I have to call tomorrow to see if they allow tripods - some carnivals evidently don't...which is a bummer.

I'm thinking about going twice....once to go into the carnival for closeups and once to get wider angle photos from outside the carnival (and hopefully the river as well.)

Thanks in advance.

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Tips on photographing carnivals? (Original Post) ohheckyeah Jun 2014 OP
They won't allow tripods? Wow. CrispyQ Jun 2014 #1
Some carnivals don't according to my web ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #2
Tripods are pedestrian obstructions and tripping hazards for crowds. ManiacJoe Jun 2014 #3
I agree - I wouldn't ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #5
Look for something that will support the camera, a post, box, or railing. The Joby Gorillapod alfredo Jun 2014 #4
I really hate to spend ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #6
Bean bags are cheap Major Nikon Jun 2014 #7
Good idea. alfredo Jun 2014 #8
A zip lock bag with dry rice works well too... Earth_First Jun 2014 #10
They come in handy for other uses. iPad stand. alfredo Jun 2014 #9
Surprisingly this works Stevenmarc Jun 2014 #11
Oh, sweet..... ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #12
My husband made one of these for me ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #13
Glad it worked, here's an alternative Stevenmarc Jun 2014 #14
My qr plate doesn't have anything to hook it to... ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #15
Good aerials can be gotten from atop the ferris wheel. intheflow Jun 2014 #16
If I can work up the courage, ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #17
The joys of small town carnivals. ohheckyeah Jul 2014 #18
This is late, but I'll give you the best advice I know jmowreader Jul 2014 #19
If I had it to do over (and next year I will do it over) ohheckyeah Jul 2014 #20

CrispyQ

(36,228 posts)
1. They won't allow tripods? Wow.
Fri Jun 27, 2014, 07:11 PM
Jun 2014

Have you seen one of these? http://joby.com/gorillapod/original

At any rate, night time carnival rides would make some cool shots. I use Kavewall images a lot in web work. This is one of my fave collections of theirs: http://www.kavewall.com/electric/index.htm

Hope you see some clowns.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
2. Some carnivals don't according to my web
Fri Jun 27, 2014, 07:28 PM
Jun 2014

research. This one, I don't know. I'm going to call the town's info number tomorrow and ask. Kavewall has some cool photos - that's what I'm hoping to get - some cool photos.

I have seen that tripod but I have a really nice one and hate to buy another.

Hope I see clowns....that's just mean.

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)
3. Tripods are pedestrian obstructions and tripping hazards for crowds.
Fri Jun 27, 2014, 09:37 PM
Jun 2014

You could probably get away with a monopod.

alfredo

(60,065 posts)
4. Look for something that will support the camera, a post, box, or railing. The Joby Gorillapod
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 12:24 AM
Jun 2014

might come in handy.




ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
6. I really hate to spend
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 12:46 AM
Jun 2014

another $50 for one of those - I doubt I would use it very often, but I appreciate the suggestion.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
7. Bean bags are cheap
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 06:09 AM
Jun 2014

I still have one and use it in instances where I can't bring a tripod, but need support.

Earth_First

(14,910 posts)
10. A zip lock bag with dry rice works well too...
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 08:29 AM
Jun 2014

I've used this method with success in the past.

Very cheap solution as well...

Stevenmarc

(4,483 posts)
11. Surprisingly this works
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 09:36 AM
Jun 2014

Although I also strongly endorse the gorillapod, i use it when I'm riding a bike making it a tripod I can get away with hassle free anywhere in NYC.

But a cheap DIY that does work is this and there are other instructions for the same concept all over the interwebs.

http://www.diyphotography.net/camera-stabilizer-on-a-shoe-string-budget/

Stevenmarc

(4,483 posts)
14. Glad it worked, here's an alternative
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 06:35 PM
Jun 2014

I forgot that I did this once, it's the same concept but it uses your quick release plate, a clip and a loop of string, all you need to do is stick your foot in the loop.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
15. My qr plate doesn't have anything to hook it to...
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 06:56 PM
Jun 2014

it just has a bolt that you use a coin to unscrew, but I appreciate the info.

intheflow

(28,407 posts)
16. Good aerials can be gotten from atop the ferris wheel.
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 11:16 PM
Jun 2014

That's the only tip I got as it embodies the only decent photos I have ever gotten at carnivals. But then, I'm too short to get good photos in crowds, so that could be, like, 90% of my problems shooting carnivals.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
17. If I can work up the courage,
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 11:27 PM
Jun 2014

I'll try it. I don't like heights - which is odd since I grew up in the mountains and used to climb everything. LOL

We're going to scout things out Monday for wide angle photos and then actually go in on Tuesday for close ups. I think there are some higher areas where I can get some shots looking down on the carnival but I'm not positive of that.

Thanks for the suggestion.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
18. The joys of small town carnivals.
Tue Jul 1, 2014, 11:11 PM
Jul 2014

I could have taken a tripod in but used the monopod. We saw one cop the whole time we were there and anyone who saw I was taking a photo either stopped or walked behind me. Every parent I asked if I could take a photo of their child was thrilled to have me do so.

I'm still looking at the photos in Lightroom but so far am pleased with quite a few.

jmowreader

(50,453 posts)
19. This is late, but I'll give you the best advice I know
Fri Jul 4, 2014, 03:52 PM
Jul 2014

Shoot it like you were shooting film: take lots of memory cards, forget there's an LCD on your camera, and SHOOT.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
20. If I had it to do over (and next year I will do it over)
Fri Jul 4, 2014, 08:50 PM
Jul 2014

I will take a tripod. I had to crank the ISO up to 1600 to get some of the shots and I'm afraid there is too much grain to blow the photos up.

Other than that, I'm fairly pleased.

I took 145 pictures.

Thanks for your reply.

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