Placerville Founder's Day (8 pix)

[thomascanty]

I didn't know it when I made my travel plans, but Placerville (one of my favorite little mining towns in California's Gold Country) was celebrating it's 151st anniversary this past Saturday, when I just happened to be in town. They shut down the half mile stretch of historic downtown, and threw an all-day street faire with a stagecoach, horses, old cars and fire engines, bands and hundreds of people wandering around dressed like it was the 1860's. It was a lot of fun.

One of the bands playing in the stage under the bell tower in the middle of downtown:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd01.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 40mm, 1/100s, f/6.3, ISO 100, Canon Speedlite 580EX

An 1860's woman by a couple old cars. I don't know if it was the cars or her that time travelled:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd02.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 46mm, 1/160s, f/5, ISO 100

A bunch of costumed people by the stagecoach:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd03.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 24mm, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 100

About every ten or fifteen minutes you'd hear someone shout "Staaaaagecoach coming!" and a few seconds later this thing would come tearing around the corner. The stagecoach rides around downtown were free, but there was a pretty long line waiting for them.
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd04.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 70mm, 1/125s, f/4, ISO 100

Kids from the Schnell School, singing:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd05.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 70mm, 1/200s, f/4.5, ISO 100

There were also several gunfights throughout the day (Ashley didn't like these at all!):
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd06.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 24mm, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 100

Abe Lincoln even showed up! There were a few costume contests. This shot was from the "best beard" contest. Doc (in the center with the sheriff's badge) won and our former president placed second:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd07.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 70mm, 1/100s, f/3.5, ISO 100

There was one pro photographer there (shooting Noinks) with a press pass. I recognized him, and can't quite figure out why. I'm almost positive it was here in one of the "chimping" threads where people were posting pictures of other photographers chimping, but no search word I can think of finds any pictures of him. Does anyone else here recognize him? Oh, and yes, I did get a picture of him chimping... :lol:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/pfd08.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 70mm, 1/100s, f/3.5, ISO 100

[mrclark321]

That looks like a lot of fun...nice pics

Dan

[thomascanty]

Thanks. It was a lot of fun. I'm going to have to remember to make it up there again for it next year.

[stoneylonesome]

Great shots Lonnie, looks like it was a lot of fun. The sheriff reminds me a little of Willie Nelson. :lol: :lol: . I remember the chimping thread, I think Timmyquest posted it if that helps.

[ajbalazic]

Great shots. The clarity is outstanding. You've framed some of these shots so you can't see any 'modern day folk'. You could say these were taken a hundred years ago (if the L lenses were invented then).

[thomascanty]

Great shots Lonnie, looks like it was a lot of fun. The sheriff reminds me a little of Willie Nelson. :lol: :lol: . I remember the chimping thread, I think Timmyquest posted it if that helps.

Well, maybe a tiny bit like Willie Nelson, but it's a bit of a stretch. :lol:

I did find a couple threads about chimping that Timmy started, but I couldn't find this guy's picture in there. It's really bugging me now... Why did I recognize him? Where do I know him from? I'm still pretty sure it's from here, but I'm having my doubts.

You've framed some of these shots so you can't see any 'modern day folk'.

That wasn't too difficult to do. The costumed people were everywhere! :) Thanks for the comment.

[Ballen Photo]

Great shots Lonnie! I can imagine that Ashley didn't like the gun fights, but your photo of them with the smoke in the air make them look pretty authentic. ;)
A nice series of shots.
-Bruce

[stoneylonesome]

Well, maybe a tiny bit like Willie Nelson, but it's a bit of a stretch.

guess it's just the long hair and beard. That and I just saw one of his Older Movies " The Red-headed Stranger" on cable. :lol: :lol: :lol: