Big Tex Aflame

I remember being on the upper rotation of the ferris wheel and looking over and realizing that I was about at Big Tex's eye level. I was sketching out various possible compositions for various projects and the idea of actually looking down on Big Tex came to me.

A little research reminded me that in 2012 Big Tex caught on fire. There are photos of him with his clothes and covering burned away and nothing but the metal support still standing, but I really liked the shots of Big Tex in the early stages of the mishap. Flames started up on his head. For whatever reason.

I felt like our human ability to read into inanimate objects would make people (me included) read the giant photo-cowboy's facial expression as somehow relating to the flames lapping his head.

I had a few photos of the State Fair and did more research online and loved the red and white striped tents set up around the circular area where Tex stands. I bent the geography of the area to my compositional will. And decided to make it aggressively dusk.