Carnival Series 2006-2016

Street photography can take many forms and definitions. Known as the father of street photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, " In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a Leitmotiv."  To think of street photography as a venue only in metropolitan cities is an untruth and limiting view. The idea of a street photography project with a focus on carnival life was defined at the Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC) during a workshop with Costa Manos.   The carnvial street photography project began in the summer of 2006. Photographer Patricia Merlino spent many years of her youth on the carnival grounds of a Sicilian Italian Feast honoring Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She decided to photograph the same carnival, held in July, for a period of ten years. In 2016 the project ended. The gallery represents the best images in a complete collection of carnival life from the eyes of a street photographer. A publication, “American Culture: A Traveling Carnival” is available for purchase as an ebook on iBooks or in a print version either hard or soft cover.