Photographing reenactments and historical festivals is one of my favorite things to do, especially in the summer. Within the first few days of moving out to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin I discovered the Bristol Renaissance Faire. I could barely contain myself, and shortly after we were at the faire surrounded by professional actors, singers, jugglers, visitors that came dressed up and HUGE turkey legs and sautéed mushrooms. The sounds, the smells and the overall experience was amazing, and everyone was clearly having a great time. After impatiently waiting for a few hours, we finally got to see the jousting and what a show! The day was slightly clouded over (perfect for photos) and the weather was not to hot and not too cold. And then within 5 minutes the weather changed and we were caught in a downpour. No worries; there were shops, eateries and sitting areas where we could browse until the rain stopped.After getting home (soaking wet!) I went through the photos whole-heartedly believing the jousting photos were the stars and all the others were the "extras". The lesson I learned that day was just the opposite. Although those photos were good, my favorite photos were those where the people were just being people in the moment of the atmosphere and not putting on a show. They were acting, but not for anyone in particular, just for themselves in the moment in the midst of medieval structures, dragon sculptures and the tempting smell of traditional food.There are a few reasons I enjoy photographing these events. The first and most important is because I enjoy the events and enjoy sharing the photos even more. The second is that it is a great way to sharpen my photography skills and work on capturing poses and facial expressions in a very non-traditional environment. So it's both practice and memories all wrapped up in a day of fun.If you every get the opportunity to visit the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, Wisconsin I highly recommend spending the entire day. Watch the shows, don't have an agenda and have a great time. There is always something amazing just waiting around the corner for you.Photographs by Melissa Miller Photography are available for sale here.
