I have a lot to learn about film photography. I sent two rolls to the lab to be developed and one of them was totally blank. The funny thing is . . . I didn’t mind at all. I know that I took all 36 pictures. Thirty-six times I looked through the viewfinder. Thirty-six times I saw something so special it was worth the chance to press the shutter and try to record that moment. And even if I didn’t get a single successful picture, well, I sure did enjoy the view. With digital photography, when I miss a shot, I feel that pang of regret; there is no such phenomenon with film photography. By the time the news arrived that I managed to take a whole roll of film and not get a single picture, I couldn’t even remember what I had taken. It just didn’t matter. I’m pretty sure I loaded the film incorrectly, which is a total beginner mistake.
But the second roll was absolutely beautiful and these pictures from the Caroline County Fair make me so happy. The fair was the quintessential rural experience. Admission was free. We had corn dogs, cotton candy, and tall glasses of lemonade. We studied homemade items and crafts as though they were exhibits in a fancy art show and noticed that every entry got a ribbon or prize of some sort. The rides looked safe and were operated by people who were not allowed to be on their phones. We played chicken poop Bingo and listened to 4-H students brag on their animals. With my little film camera, I was welcomed everywhere. And that felt really good.
