The Search for Fair Ribbons

I have talked a lot about my love for photography in previous blogs but one thing that I started to get interested in right before I got locked up was submitting my work to various contests. One ‘contest’ that is very consistent and happens every year are local county fairs.

In 2018, I submitted three photographs into the Western Idaho Fair (the county fair in Boise, Idaho). It was confusing how to submit things, but once I got it all figured out, I was able to submit the three aforementioned photos. I remember being able to go to the fair and seeing my pictures hung up on the wall next to various professional photographers.

In this particular fair – my first – I remember as I purchased my fair admission how scared I was to see if any of my photos had actually won a prize. When I walked into the exhibition floor and made my way to the photography section, I was amazed to see that not only one of my photographs received a ribbon, but all three received at least one! In fact, I won the first place ribbon for one photo, the second place ribbon for another photo and on the last one I won the third place ribbon as well as the superintendents’ choice ribbon. I was completely dumbfounded and amazed to see this out of my work. I had no idea that my work was, according to others, award winning.

With that being said, the prison that I am currently at is allowing us to submit hobby craft material into the local county fair. This year I am submitting five photographs, a dream catcher, and a beaded dragon seahorse giraffe sort of thing. I’m excited to see if I actually win a prize. Especially since I am so limited in what I can actually photograph inside of prison walls. I am nervous and have been dwelling on which photos to choose for quite some time. If you are reading this and want to help choose which photos I am going to enter, then hit me up and help me choose! I need your opinion!