A Faire Day

[DonSchap]

So, I went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire, up on the Ill-Wis border. I was amazed to see so many people, just parading around in their 1599 Sunday best. It was rather ... different.

I'll put up a few, but this place needs some serious work.

It's on the edge of being cool ... and kind of ... out there. You know what I mean? I just have this uncomfortable feeling that some people are really not too happy with modern reality.

I tell ya, these bright sunny days mixed with shady shots are a real test of your camera's dynamic range.

[dr4gon]

craziness!....

that guy on the right on your last picture looks like he has a pain in his neck from that giant lens!

[sparkie1263]

Nice series. I like coloring of the first. The knights had to be hot. Don no shot of you in your Sunday clothes.
Frank

[DonSchap]

Well, I was looking, Frank. Got my hands on some leather ... a baldric (strap that holds your rapier sword, slung from your shoulder, like a sling bag), a jerkin (like a leather tunic), and a calvalier hat. It was roughly $500 worth of leather goods. I already have the rapier and scabbard, straight fom Toledo, Spain.

Now, we need something for the arch-photographer. A leather vest, a sling for the camera and a fancy hat ... LOL.

But no, common sense got the better part of me, today ... and I just finished my tour and left. It did make for some exciting moments in the leather shop, though. LOL I told the guy $475 ... and he let me walk out. LOL Oh well, haggling just ain't what it used to be.

I did get a dandy smile from that blonde with the yellow hat, in rear of the ladies on parade, though.

It was like she truly appreciated my taking her image. I appreciated the smile! LOL

[DonSchap]

I have to tell you, the nymph girl really did play hell with the exposure. Her purposeful "saturation" was something right out of a coloring book.

A700 w/ TAMRON 17-50mm f/2.8
@ 50mm - f/4 - 1/60 sec - ISO-400 - Spot Metering - Spot Focus - M - Natural Lighting

[seanhoxx]

nice pics as always Don, bright sun deep shade bright colors, a fun challenge. I will be going to Ohio Renaissance festival the end of next month. It is one of the largest in the midwest, in it's 19th. year. large well laid out well attended. Hope to have lots of photos. If anyone is interested www.renfestival.com
A rapier Don? a big guy like you? being a big guy also... wider rather then taller LOL I am a fan of the hand and a half long sword............bring me my broadsword!!

[DonSchap]

Oh, don't kid yourself! I have a 7-lb battle broadsword with a nasty little dagger built right into the back of the handle. If people really wanna party hearty ... you really should break out the "good stuff" ... and get personal.

a700 w/ TAMRON 17-50mm f/2.8
@ 40mm - f/5.6 - 1/60 sec - ISO-400 - ext flash - M

The rapier was merely for all-day-toting, not the "get to work" melee that comprises full-fledge field work. Oops, I pre-date myself. LOL

And to be perfectly honest ... as big as I am, I do appreciate the elegance of an good bow and quiver of arrows. I figure it is a prudent thing to whittle them down a bit, at 60 yards, before sloggin' in for the final row. Don't want too much company bargin' in.

[DonSchap]

and it really comes down to close-quarter ... where you need defense and offense ... in one weapon ... here's a little something I created a few years ago ...

As Mick Dundee, once said, "Now, that's a knife!"

The American short-sword ... 22-inches of close-quarter, combat-ready power ... yes, even the curved-clip has an edge. The pommel and spacer are made of Mokume' and the handle of Ironwood, plucked from the desert of Arizona. The blade is entirely ATS-34, except for that rectangular, dull-gray area ... which is a "removeable" blank of solid titanium. My next iteration of the blade was planned to be made of BG-42 or CPM-S30V ... which is a more "stainless" version of this superior and corrosion resistant steel. You could drop this in a lake and come back a year later ... and it would look the same. "Excalibur" should have been made of steel like this ... may be it would still be around to tell the tale.

[DonSchap]

Now, I have to admit, it's not everyday, in America, where you see a herd of dudes sporting teepee poles with lethal looking tips on the ends of them, "pig-stickers", I guess you'd call 'em.

but, yet, here they were ... yeah, Royal Pikers! LOL

... with her Royal Highness right in behind.

All in all, they go by quite rapidly ... so you best have the camera at the ready ... because, "adjustment time" just isn't practical.

[seanhoxx]

The well dressed gentlemen wouldn"t leave home with out a rapier and a short dagger at the least. But I see you know that when it's time to get down to it real old school style it's time for heavy metal. chain maille, helmet, boile leather and padding broadsword, long knife shield or buckler, maybe a war hammer or battle axe just in case. puttin a bit of distance between you and them with a bow is a good plan also, I have never been any good with a bow. 60 yards eh, gonna let 'em get that close? A tall strong guy "very strong" with a 6 foot double recurve war bow, 200 pound draw, 3 foot shafts... medieval version of reach out and touch some one. Styraight through anything but the best plate armor at 60 yards, highly lethal at 80 yards, still wouldnt want to get hit at 100 yards in armor/maille. of course it takes a tall strong man to handle a bow like that, and years of shooting it to be accurate over 100 yards, but still damn deadly