A country fair offers the chance for a lot of good pictures; I'm especially intrigued by the artwork that adorns the rides, art that is designed to attract patrons into handing over their tickets. The artwork is fun, trippy, and some of the depictions of movie characters (such as Indiana Jones, for example), don't quite look like the actors that portrayed them.
Below: these rides go pretty fast! The blur effect is caused by longer shutter speeds, about one full second
Below: I don't remember tiki statues being in Indiana Jones movies....
Indy looks less like Harrison Ford in this one, more like a Latin American drifter who needs a shave
Remember those ads in the back of comic books that looked so enticing? I always wondered what the actual products were like, and if they even came close to matching the ads. I never found out, because I never ordered them, but this author did, and wrote about them in a fun book called Mail Order Mysteries. Here's the trailer for it!
Weird Al Yankovic is on tour, and wherever he goes, he asks the 501st Legion to be on stage with him when he sings one of his bigger hits, The Saga Begins. I was the photographer and team captain for this event, and was back stage during the concert photographing 501st members while they danced on stage behind Weird Al himself. Click each picture for a larger view.
Members arrive at the back of Ruth Eckerd hall with their equipment
Checking the lights in an empty theater. I love the smoke machine effects, very dramatic!
Weird Al's show director gives instructions to 501st members about where they will stand during their segment on stage
In the dressing room, chilling out before the show
These two pictures were taken by James, who also shot the video segment at the bottom of this post. James helped out with photography as well
Almost ready to hit the stage!
After each song, Weird Al puts on a different costume to go with the song he's singing, and there are big screens behind him which show videos and clips from his MTV days. He puts on a very entertaining show!
Out Of This World Costume Exhibit - October 1st, 2011
The 501st Legion and Rebel Legion, along with the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters, descended on the Tampa History Center, which has an exhibit of science fiction costumes and props on display.
From the Marriot hotel down the street, Imperial forces marched on the History Center and staged a mock battle with the rebels, and took the Ghostbusters into custody. It was a very high profile event and loads of fun.
There are pics and video! The pictures are courtesy of Sioux Hart, one of my drawing students who tagged along and handled photography duties.
If you want to see even more, there is a huge photo album link created by another 501st member at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
Right: my good friend Brian in his Vader costume. Brian and I have trooped together many times.
The History Center obtained a suite for us at the Marriott to use as our staging area. The suite number, unbelievably, was number 501. This was a complete coincidence! The History Center staff were very gracious and took very good care of us.
Below: behind the Marriott, we get ready to move out
Here's a video of the 501st emerging from the Marriott; I'm the one at the head of the procession:
Once at the History Center, which was jammed with people, the Empire took the Ghostbusters into custody:
Then the rebels arrived and after a staged battle, we all retreated back into the museum. The crowd loved it!
Below: this, by far, is my favorite picture:
This is the biggest elevator in Hillborough County. It's Death Star sized!
Magnum Arts is Michael K. Lyman, an artist, photographer and instructor who teaches cartooning & drawing in Pinellas County and is publishing his first graphic novel based on real events from 2011. He is also a member of The 501st Legion, a global Star Wars costuming organization that participates in parades and raises money for charity. See magnumarts.net for more information.
