"News of the Realm"

Back to the 16th Century

The Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace is one of the largest renaissance events in the nation and is celebrating its 21st season of raucous revelry during February and March 2009. The festival is a unique medieval theme park encompassing 30 acres below the beautiful foothills of the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction, Arizona. The eight-weekend fest takes one back to a simpler time — the 16th Century — with its 12-stage theater, outdoor circus, medieval arts and crafts fair, brave jousting knights in armor on horseback, and royal feast fit for a king.

The Renaissance Festival is a peaceful shire in an enchanted kingdom where pleasure and celebration are the only orders of the day as decreed by King Henry. The 16th century European village is the perfect getaway for an uplifting good time of fun-filled adventure packed with interactive entertainment of wonderful shows, amusements and antics. Roaming the vast outdoor Village of Fairhaven allows one to leave their cares behind and sit back and relax or become a part of the boisterous action, rubbing shoulders with the King and His Court while enjoying the comedy, music, tomfoolery, swordplay, wordplay and dancing with gypsies.

This gallery represents the second of my several visits to the Arizona Renaissance Festival in 2009. Most of the candids and portraits in the village were taken using the Canon 5D and EF 24-70/f2.8L lens while the jousting knights on horseback were mostly shot with the Canon 20D and EF 100-400/f4.5-5.6L IS lens. All photos taken hand-held, ambient light, and both lenses shot mostly wide open.

The picturesque 16th century shire was more fun than thought possible and filled with beautiful medieval damsels everywhere. A few even offered to carry my baubles and cameras for me.....for “cash only,” of course. Pity me!

And before leaving, be sure to checkout my other Renaissance Festival galleries.

God grant thee mercy for looking.....

Denny_D


– This gallery is currently in progress (more photos and narratives to come), so please check back for updates.