The Tent

2012

In the final days before the Fourth of July, I drove through Central Mississippi photographing firework salesmen and their temporary tent homes.

For 3 straight weeks, salesmen live in their tents 24 hours a day, selling 16 hours a day. They sleep on cots and mats. Each tent has a port-a-potty. Tents on grass lots are plagued with fireant hills. It's humid and hot. There are no showers. Some tents keep a gun on hand.

By the final days the salesmen experience what is colloquially known as "tent madness."

Charlie

Canton Tent
2nd Year Selling

Cyrus

Forest Tent #2
1oth Year Selling

Morton Tent

Misty & Janet

Forest Tent #1
1st Year Selling

Alex

Morton Tent
3rd Year Selling

Ben

Canton Tent
1st Year Selling

Kelai

Purchased 2 snappers, 2 sparklers, 1 climbing panda

Reggie

Purchased 1 Zeus

Forest Tent #2

Wake

Morton Tent
5th Year Selling

Nate

Forest Tent #2
1st Year Selling