Chatsworth Country Show.

Chatsworth fair 2018-3 Press calls and photo ops aren't for the feint hearted. No matter how well the PR teams and agents organise things, this hungry pack of photographers, reporters and bloggers can cause chaos and mayhem for the half an hour or so they have allocated for meet and greets, interviews and photo opportunities.

Now you are always going to get certain people in the mix. The incredibly well behaved bloggers with their hand held ‘Vlog rigs’ pointing at themselves, facing away from the 'talent' and recording selfie live streams, the heavyweight news casters with tv cameras on tripods and passive aggressive 'thanks' as the afore mentioned Vloggerss walks backwards into the shot... Then of course you move onto the well experienced press photographers, jostling for position in their backwards caps, laden with long telephoto lens, shouting names and controlling the proceedings with elbows out and bullish, 'get the shot at any cost' mentalities before dashing off to grab some wifi and get the images out to their agency distributers. . Respect photo brothers and sisters, you guys certainly get things done!

Chatsworth fair 2018-2

I dropped over to the show as I'm on the press mailer. It was a lovely opportunity to wander around, (avoid the sheep poo) and see the bustle and hustle of country show life first hand. Dropping into the press call, standing at the back and letting those with specific jobs to do get their shots mean't I had the freedom to breathe it all in, (not the sheep poo) observe how others work and admire the logistics of the Chatsworth house and RedBrick teams powers of organisation. Within 2 minutes of the arrival of GBBO's Mary Berry, The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, two 'Dancing diggers' from the JCB display team, 4 mounted cavalry and Chatsworth's latest celebrity 'Chatswoof'... The scene was set, the JCBs were up on their buckets and the talent was in camera... Boom...

Now as the pack did their thing, I stood back. The whole elbows out, shouting names and make distracting noises isn't my thing. I leave it to those who do it really well and anyway, I don't have a backwards cap. Hanging about, making conversation with the PR teams and agents, means opportunities like chatting directly to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire happen. While the chaos was unfolding in the background with JCB's, I got some lovely editorial portraits! Smiley, happy and chatty rather then formal and ’the same as everyone else’. I was also chatting to Mary Berry's team resulting in the same, simple, fun and happy portraits of this charming lady! Boom. Then with a gentlemanly but perfectly executed,

Mary Berry Chatsworth fair 2018-4  

Duke and Duchess of Devonshire Chatsworth fair 2018-9

"Thank you everybody" from the Duke, the long lenses went down, the shutters stopped clicking and the press call was done.

The show is a great day out for everyone. Families, couples and those just visiting. There is so much to see and do. and its so well organised, the thousands of cars arriving on site and people everywhere just don’t seem to get noticed.

My only advice it getting to the cookery demo tent early and if you want front row seats to the Bagpipe playing contest... Get in their quick!

Well done Chatsworth, Until next year, Adieu.

Full set here: https://www.photographerinderby.co.uk/p523551140

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