Scenes from the Wilson County Fair in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Teen couple

Sisters

Silkie Cock

Brothers

Guitar Hero

Drinks for the Devils

Talent show contestant

Silver Sebright Bantam Cock

Going home

Demolition Derby

Fair Princess Review Pageant (contestant ages 12-13)

Fair Princess Review Pageant Winner

Talent show contestants who performed a Michael Jackson tribute

Miss Tennessee Senior Wilson County 2009

Talent show contestant #50

Dancers in the talent show

Warming up

Dressing room

Pageant ribbons, tiaras, and awards

2008 pageant winner

Interview segment

Ballgown segment

Miss Wilson County Fairest of the Fair 2009

I moved to Tennessee from Chicago. Even after nine years in the south, the people here still intrigue me. Life is just simpler. I grew up in a rural town but couldn’t wait to live closer to Chicago and moved there after college.

I wanted to photograph the Wilson County Fair, because it brought back memories for me of my summers in Wisconsin, by the lake. We spent the day on the water and went to the small, local county fair at night to see the demolition derby. My newly sunburned legs stuck to the bench.

I enjoyed watching simpler folk, with seemingly no cares walk into the stands—teen couples, vacationers, local families. I walked through the 4-H exhibits, the livestock barns, and looked at the local art. The night ended with fireworks. We headed back to the lake house. I walked to the end of the pier to greet millions of stars and listen to the lapping water.

This fair wasn’t very different. Just a little bigger…

I have completed my documentary series on women in recovery from prostitution and addiction. The photos are now located on my web site. This photo blog will evolve… it’ll be work in progress, personal and assignment work, and my “sketches” or ideas for other personal projects…

I have finally managed to gain enough css knowledge to implement a design and host my blog on my own server.

So, here is the new blog, with photos from a new personal series that remains yet unnamed… but my subjects so far are everyday people, representing a humble, American Southern family.