Oktoberfest - night photos
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 8:00
Herr J in Germany & German Culture, Oktoberfest

I headed to the Wiesn last Friday evening with camera and tripod to capture some Oktoberfest photos.
This time, rather than focus on the beer tents, I prioritized the lights of rides and games.

I started at the top of a nearby hill to get an overview of one section of the fairgrounds, first looking left...

...then straight ahead down the broadway of people, rides, and games.  Long exposure is fun with the rides:

In fact, that ride in the previous photo was worth a close up.  The lights look something like ribbons:

Then, panning right, you could see more of the Wiesn with roller coaster, spinning ride, and ferris wheel:

Another ride gave me a rainbow of colors!

 

The "hill" I was on is actually the home of the Bavaria Statue and Hall of Fame

The statue was commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria, and was completed & dedicated in 1850.
It's considered a "technical masterpiece" because all 87 tons are cast bronze and it stands 18.5m high.

 

I descended to see some rides close-up.  "Techno Power" gave photos like they came from a spirograph!

 

"Breakdancer" was another fun ride to photograph.  This couple stood still observing the ride in action...

...while this couple looks like they're at a rock concert!

This is what the ride looked like when I stopped the movement with a faster shutter speed:

 

One ride is "just" some standing swings.  But if you get enough momentum, you can rotate 360 degrees:

The guy on the left generated enough centrifugal force that he felt safe going hands free at the apex!

It was fun to walk around and shoot away.  More Oktoberfest photos to come in later posts!

Article originally appeared on Schnitzelbahn - Food, Travel, and Adventures in Germany (http://www.schnitzelbahn.com/).
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