July 08, 2008
Ann Arbor Summer Festival 2008
Over the Top (literally!): Dream Engine’s Heliosphere.
The 25th anniversary Festival’s “Top of the Park” featured aerialists, combat acrobats, blazing-hot performances, and dramatic storm clouds. I was running around like a kid in the world’s awesome-est candy store, trying desperately to document it all. When the curtain finally came down on this year’s Festival, and I at last had a chance to peruse the 3000+ images I’d shot, I was ever-so-slightly giddy: the images were tantalizingly lush, and they really captured the vibe, the spirit, and the excitement of “Top of the Park.”
And thanks to my Nikon D3, which I acquired earlier this year, I was able to capture very-low-light night shots that would have been impossible with my previous camera body. I’m not a techno-geek by any means, but I gotta say how much I appreciate the capacities of the D3.
I was determined to display this year’s haul in the majestic splendor it deserves. (Perhaps my show at the Power Center had gone to my head.) Fortunately, my trusty sidekick re-engineered the Relish layout to display photographs in a SUPERWIDE format — 800 pixels of horizontal bliss! Thanks Rico! (Apologies if you’re one of the very, very few Relish readers on a dial-up connection.)
Opening night: Bounce-happy fans leap in unison to My Dear Disco’s pulsing, electronic beats.
Opening night: My first time seeing Macpodz — loved their music and swagger!
STREB’s crowd teaser/pleaser: I’m pretty sure I heard the guy yell “this is gonna hurt!” as he hurled himself into the kiddie-size, inflatable pool. I was forced to use my body as a human shield to protect my Nikon D3 from the seemingly interminable onslaught of splashes that ensued. Cannonball!!!
The Sun Messengers’ finale ushers out the last moments of twilight.
Festival = Sno-Cones. This little one couldn’t get enough of either.
Balloons from the 25th Anniversary Gala attack local youths.
Kids (with Sno-Cone colored lips) watch L.A. Story on the inflatable screen. Look ma, no tripod!
Dream Engine’s Heliosphere: the ineffable, atomic-boysenberry iridescence of a giant helium balloon… Wow!
Heliosphere swoops down to a crowd of children. (Thankfully, no photographers — or expensive, rental fisheye lenses — were trampled during the taking of this photograph.)
Dream Engine’s Conedancers: the blue sky (with puffy white clouds) provided the perfect backdrop to this love story (boy chases girl, girl chases boy, you know the drill), which (literally) revolves around this giant, inflatable cone.
Storm clouds should know better than to mess with Lady Sunshine and the X Band!
During much of the festival this year, there was a 50% chance of isolated thunderstorms.
After a rain-shower-intermission, Lady Sunshine and the X Band radiate soulful goodness.
Culinary Row at night. Used my friendly tripod for this one.
Pass the popcorn!
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Comments
Great work Myra!
yup, these totally rock! the colors, composition, mood…everything is fabulous!!!
Couldn’t make the festival this year because I was working… but your pics make me feel like I was there AND that it was painted in technicolor! Awesome work.
These photos are incredibly amazing, Myra. Every time I visit Relish I’m blown away by another great shot (multiple). The Summerfest photos are just awesome. Rock on, sister. (did I just say that?)
Beautiful photos! Especially those local youths being attacked by balloons — that’s my son and his friends! :-)
Myra,
All I can say is FANTASTIC! You have captured the essence of the Festival, captured its energy, making it come alive all over again. The Festival is so lucky to have you documenting these unique experiences. Outstanding. Thank you!
! These are amazing photos! My favorite is “Kids watch L.A. Story…”. This is something you’d find in a professional magazine. Oh wait! You are a professional! I really like the varied selection of photos as they show many different perspectives of top of the park.
These are so fun and vibrant – great work!
Altogether dazzling and awesome. You deliver!
I’m totally filing this in my “summer vacation” idea folder. Maybe next year. It looks like so much fun! Breathtaking photos. Just amazing.
As always, great shots Myra! – Now you’ve made me want a wide angle lens even more badly :) Cheers!
What amazing energy. Makes me breathless just looking at those photos. I want to jump into that kiddie pool.
Awesome, breathtaking images as usual Myra!
Myra — this pictures are breathtaking.
We want to hire you asa-ABSOLUTELY-p
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