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Markku Takes In the Circus

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Photographers are naturally more aware of their surroundings than most people. As visual artists, they tend to notice the things most people miss.  Case in point: Markku Lahdesmaki and his latest project photographing the Ramos Bros. Circus, which he first noticed while on his way from Yucca Valley to Joshua Tree. He stopped to have a look and wound up in a conversation with one of the owners, who agreed to give Markku access to photograph the circus, including behind the scenes.

The Ringling Brothers, it was not, but as Markku says, “It was better for it.” There was a rustic charm to the whole family – owned enterprise with staff performing multiple roles in the course of a night. One minute a man is selling tickets and the next he’s leading show horses into the ring. The dog show didn’t go quite as planned, but that only added to the appeal.

Throughout the week the circus was in town, Markku couldn’t stay away. He went to almost every show, drawn to the possiblilty of what he might miss.