Photo TR: Not-Ghetto Carnival

[coasterdude5]

Since my last fair trip report didn't get such a great response, I thought I'd go back to the regular style of narrating for the next carnival I went to.

 

The local carnival came for our town festival and I was there to see what PBJ "Happee" Days had to offer. One year they had a Moby Dick falling-star-type ride that was actually pretty awesome so I wanted to see what they had this year.

It's sizzlin.

Haha, Mexicans are awesome.

I love Memphis.

Honey, ain't this the best honeymoon you ever been on?

Cool carnival!

During this part of the ride, at the very top, I started getting a charlie horse at the top of my leg. My natural instinct told me to stand up. But I couldn't. It was very painful.

200 cars this year!

"Hey, uh, could you stop giving us cancer?"

They got bumper cars, too!

Whoosh. I just killed my eyes.

Someone's clothes in this picture do not fit them - can you guess who?

See, you can make a decent shot in any situation.

Hey, one of them balloon rides is here.

You could walk up and touch the ferris wheel - see that Cedar Fair, Six Flags, etc., this is hands-on interactivity!

It's kinda creepy.

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

[robbalvey]

Since my last fair trip report didn't get such a great response...

Hey John,

 

I really hope you can take the constructive critisicm ok since, well, the way you posted that it sort of sounds like you may be asking for some.

 

I'll be honest...I don't think think many people responded because, well, there just wasn't much to respond to.

 

When we create a trip report, even if it's about a place where there isn't much to see I always ask the question "What is the story I'm trying to tell here? Is that story more informative, funny, sarcastic, mean-spiritied, etc?"

 

And then you post your photos and captions working off those goals.

 

Also, keep in mind the story is what you make of it. You could have the most borning photos ever BUT create a very interesting story wrapped around it.

 

Coming back to your trip report, I didn't find the photos very interesting or the story that was told. Again, please don't take this personally because you'll only get better over time.

 

But when you have a collection of photos where the majority of them are pictures of the same ferris wheel or grass then you really NEED to come up with something interesting to keep the reader entertained.

 

And then the more people start to respond the more people will read your report.

 

Let me give you an example...here is MY take on your Photo TR....

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Photo TR - "Attack of the Killer Ferris Wheel."

 

Hey random people! Today we visited the most random carnival ever! From the interstate all we could see was the ferris wheel and I was all "Oh, man, carnival! Kick ass!!!" We come down the road...still the Ferris Wheel...I'm getting more excited...I know this is going to ROCK!

 

Enter the parking...Ferris Wheel....*JUST* the Ferris Wheel. "WTF? Where are the rest of the rides?" I see an empty lot, a lot of grass, a couple of dilapitated rides and I realize "OMFG! This is the carnival eating Ferris Wheel that I've only heard about on the Sci-Fi channel! It's here to EAT our local carnival! I must stop it before it destroys everything!!!"

 

There you are you EVIL bastard Ferris Wheel! Don't you DARE eat any more rides!!!!

 

"Screw you John" says the evil Ferris Wheel "Where you stand now once was a portable Intamin mini-hyper coaster...but you can see it's just GRASS because I've EATEN IT!!!! BWAHAHAHA!!!!"

 

The evil Ferris Wheel is eyeing that 1970s getto van but even it has better taste to eat a crappy car like that.

 

WATCH OUT BALLOON RIDE PEOPLE! THE FERRIS WHEEL WILL EAT YOU NEXT!

 

ARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!! ATTACK!!!!

 

NOOOO!!!!! TOO LATE!!!! (What you can't see in the photo is that the Ferris Wheel has bitten off the heads of each one of these people)

 

"Those sadly dressed rednecks have made a wonderful meal! Now I must go eat the bumper cars!"

 

"HAHA!!! Poor unsuspecting f**kers at the bumper cars! Your lower intestines are MINE!!!!"

 

Quick everyone! Hide in this carnival game shed! If he can't see you he can't.....*GULP* *DEATH* *DIE* *TOO LATE*

 

"YOU PEOPLE ON THE SIZZLER WILL SIZZLE WHEN YOU BODY HITS MY STOMACH BILE!!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"

 

OMG! What are you guys doing?!?! This is the KILLER FERRIS WHEEL from the Sci-Fi channel! Get away from there!!!!

 

*GULP!* Too late! We have been eaten! NO!!!! Now we are being made one with the Ferris Wheel...just like the programs in TRON!

 

ACK! The back of the head is all that's left! The rest of the body is just a bloody twisted mess!

 

And now....*I* am the Ferris Wheel and I will *KILL YOU!!!!*

 

*CRUSH* *CRUMBLE* *CHOMP!!!!* DEAD!!! ALL DEAD!!!! Now it's time to move on to the next sad and pathetic redneck town...but can we stop at Hardees for a Six Dollar Western Bacon Cheeseburger first?

 

/end Robb example!

 

I hope this helps!

 

--Robb

Edited June 22, 2020 by robbalvey

[Kalepi_Konei]

You should totally just delete CD5's post and go with Robb's version.

 

Nah man, it's cool, your still learning the ropes where I haven't even posted a single trip report before so, your officially better than me.

 

Anyways.... yeah, not much else to say.... cool ferris wheel.

[coasterdude5]

Thanks Robb - I'll try to make it even crazier than yours next carnival I hit up.

[DarkMeasures]

Robb's version = wtf.

[TheRapidsNerd]

Here are a few things learned with TPR and PTRs:

 

1. TPR in general is TOTALLY random. You may get lots of hits. You may get lots of responses. Sometimes both. Sometimes niether.

 

2. PTR's are a learned skill. It takes time. I'm still getting SOME of the basics down and I've been at it for a while now.

 

3. Sometimes you can try too hard to be funny. Yep, been there, done that.

 

4. Just have fun and your own style will evolve. Eventually you'll see certain folks comment on your PTR's over and over, kinda like friends or fans.

 

5. People have taken time out of their lives to read your thread. Whether they say so or not, they deserve a heartfelt thank you.

 

6. Including things that people like (Jahan + Frozen Cokes, Lou + Reflection Shots, etc...) says "Hey, I like you guys and like hanging out here enough to include you" in a round about way. Read enough PTRs and you'll get an idea of who likes what.

 

7. Just have fun with it. We're all friends here, and the time you take to put something up is ALWAYS appreciated by somebody. Trust me.

[Electerik]

TPR in general is TOTALLY random. You may get lots of hits. You may get lots of responses. Sometimes both. Sometimes niether.

 

True. Somehow, I always manage to put my TR's up when everyone is on an official trip.

 

And I agree with Robb about the need for a story. But it doesn't necessarily need to be a crazy story. It could just be a certain, you know, flow. (But even random can work if you accentuate the randomness.)

 

In any case, page views might be more important (and heartening) than actually replies. I try to respond to TR's I really enjoy, but there's not always very much to say, beyond "Nice TR."

[coasterdude5]

Sorry everybody if I came off as if I was peeved because I didn't get any replies - I actually had more fun writing it than seeing what people had to say, haha.

 

I greatly appreciate everybody who takes the time to read it, too.

[robbalvey]

And I agree with Robb about the need for a story. But it doesn't necessarily need to be a crazy story.

WHAT?!?! It always has to be a CRAZY STORY!!!

 

Man-eating Ferris Wheels!!!

Carnivorous Bees!!!

Robot Cheetahs!!!

 

YEAH!!!!!

 

Just kidding....you're totally right. It doesn't need to be some insane whacked out thing, but you do need to keep the reader either interested or entertained somehow.

 

Even look at our SFMM update from today. The story behind that was pretty much just "Here's our day at the park..." but there are, at least IMO, certain areas of great interest, some filler stuff, some funny stuff, and a beginning, middle, and end.

 

If you can knock out those things in your TR you'll probably get good responses.

 

Oh, and GREAT PHOTOS certainly help too. I gotta be honest, some of the photos in this TR were just "ok"...and not every photo needs to be an award winner, but you do need some stand out ones.

 

That's my feedback for today!

 

--Robb