what it looks like when people are just living
This summer, I've had the privilege to be a photojournalist for a local newspaper, which means I get to bring my camera all over the rural communities of northeast Iowa and genuinely document people's lives. Photoshoots are fun, of course, and weddings are once in a lifetime events. But the annual county fair is something special.
Every year, kids from all over the state come to Delaware County to show their animals and livestock. This might be an unfamiliar concept to you if you aren't from the country; believe me, moving from the Alabama suburbs to Middle of Nowhere, Iowa was a culture shock, too. These kids bring their cows, goats, cats, sheep, and plenty more into the barn to be judged after weeks of fattening up, grooming, exercising, etc. It's a huge week for a lot of people, and although I have no idea what makes one chicken objectively better than the other, it's exciting for me, too.
The atmosphere is indescribable. It's electric anticipation, children's nerves, a small smile when handed a blue ribbon. It's the late evening sun flooding through the windows of the show ring, rays caught in the dust stomped up by bulls on the floor. It's a little kid playing with his goat in the corner.
Taking photos at the county fair helped me document some beautiful moments in people's lives, but for them, it was just living. Photojournalism is unique in that what the journalist choose to capture, what stands out to them, is always just someone living authentically. That, I think, is my favorite part about being a photographer. An honor and a privilege.
So, here are some of my favorite photos from the 2025 Delaware County Fair. I'll take you through my thought process when I was shooting and what the photo means to me. Hope you love seeing a few Iowa kids having a good time at the fair.
boy's best friend
This little guy and his goat (her name is Thelma) were sitting in the corner of the show ring, waiting on their turn to talk to the judge of the Pet Show. This was Tuesday morning of the fair, I believe. Thelma was a jumpy goat, and little guy had to keep reeling her back in to stay close to him. Didn't realize I had even caught this photo until I was looking through them all later that night. Even if I hadn't caught the picture, I would've remembered that cute moment. Just a boy and his pet goat.
mommy, she's a princess
Fun fact: my little sister is wearing the yellow Belle dress, and my mom sewed all of the dresses from scratch. Maybe that's why this photo means a little more to me. This sweet little girl was so shy - she would stare at the princesses and then look away when they waved at her. After a few minutes, she built up the courage to walk over to them (with some gentle pushes from her mom) and she just stood there in front of the girls and laughed. Real county fair magic right there. Maybe a little Disney magic, too.
i love ya horsey
It was raining on this day; for some reason, there's always a freak storm at DelCo during fair week. My guess is the horses were spooked, and this little one was trying to comfort them the best way she knew how. If I remember correctly, I was actually hiding in the show ring while it rained, but I peeked outside to catch this moment right after it stopped. The show must go on, I suppose. The animals are used to it.
throw me some taffy?
This big guy STARED ME DOWN while their truck made its way through the fairgrounds for the parade. Little kids were dancing all around me and darting into the street to catch candy. But this pup was not going to be distracted. Maybe he thought my camera looked tasty? No clue. But he gave me this shot, which is a classic.
sunset in the ring
The Pen of Three/ Cow Calf Show. The loooongest show (or at least it feels like it). It was worth the hours I spent in that dusty ring to get this photo. These three kids were all showing, and I thought it was the cutest thing, because they're all so young and they're parading around these big bulls and cows in the dust. They were all clambered up on the rail, waiting for awards to be announced, while the cows in the ring were released from their pens. The dust that the cows stomped up created this perfect hazy sunlight, and life happened, and now, we're left with this.
+ a few more
