Colors of Atlanta: Little 5 Points Halloween Parade

On Saturday afternoon, Little Five Points had its famous Halloween Parade. My timing was a bit off so that I (for all practical purposes) arrived when the parade was over. In the end it turned out be a good thing as I got some shots that I definitely would have missed otherwise.

Little Five Points was extremely packed, several streets were closed, and people were wearing some very cool costumes. It was one of those perfect fall days: warm enough to be pleasant but not excessively hot. I am always impressed by the dimensions and density of such venues. It creates a feeling of a community and belonging to a larger group.

Having visited several of such venues over the last few weekends, I however noticed another trend although I am not sure if this was not already the case beforehand but I might have not realized it. A large number of photographers attend these venues (nothing new here) but somehow I feel that they are standing out much more than before, creating this stark distance between ‘the crowd’ and ‘the photographer’ – often it seems a bit creepy, like sneaking up on people without any direct contact. I am not sure what it is is. Maybe it is because they use very long lenses, that require a larger subject distance, together with having several cameras hanging around their neck – like a distant, creepy observer… Reminds me how important it is to be unobtrusive and not just blend in but being part of it…

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by — TSJ.