Fashion Fair | High School Seniors Photography

While I was in Virginia this summer the fair came to town.  These fabulous high schoolers and I headed out with the SUV packed full of peeps, clothes, makeup, and music.  We had a blast!  Over all the shoot was 4 hours at night with the amazing lights from the rides and carnival.  I think this was my favorite photo shoot to date.  Oh my goodness, we had so much fun!  

I got the idea to shoot at the fair from seeing a few engagement shoots done there.  I thought to myself, those would be so cool if they were done at night when the lights were bright... duh!  Why don't I just do that!  

My dilemma was that I had only one flash and my studio lights are big and bulky, not to mention I have not bought the power pack for them to even take them outside without a plug.  I thought I could try off camera flash, having never tried it before.  I was nervous and asked a few other photographers where to start.  No one knew but one suggested pocket wizards.  Ah ha! So I called up the local camera shop, reserved an extra flash and a couple of pocket wizards and picked them up a day before the shoot.  My mom and I took my kids to the fair the night before and I tried my flashes out.  I was so frustrated because I wasn't getting it right.  I remember learning all about lighting and about the flash itself but we never went over off camera flash. :/  I was determined to teach myself!  So, I played a little more the next day but by the evening I thought, this had better work!

I pick up the models and my WONDERFUL assistant Sariah, and we take off.  The sky was threatening to storm and I prayed it would wait just a few hours.  We were blessed with no storm and the nicest fair staff ever!  They held up the rides so we could get the shot we wanted (luckily not too many people were waiting and they were more interested in what we were doing anyway).  Whenever we stopped and started shooting people would stop and watch.  Probably trying to figure out if any of my models were famous. ;)  A couple of people even stopped the girls and asked for a picture with them.  Hahaha, it was great!  Sariah was awesome with the lighting.  She was so great to hold the flash wherever I asked and made everything flow smoothly.  The staff even let us climb all over their semi trucks.  One even let me ride the ferris wheel for free!  I just wanted to give them all a big hug for being so kind and generous!

Without further ado...