The parade reaches Market Square.

Successfully photographing a crowded fast-moving event like Lancaster’s Chinese New Year parade is quite a challenge, no more so than in torrential rain, when I also have to consider the risk to my camera equipment. So, I donned my trusty 18-300mm zoom lens, upped the camera ISO to an unnerving 800/1000 and picked a spot.

My emphasis was on the people (performers and public) as much if not more than the wonderfully colourful costumes with the aim of capturing something of the atmosphere. Very much ‘press style’. It was great fun to photograph. With close-ups of faces I used a large aperture (small f-stop number) to blur out the background and also because I need to for a faster shutter speed. A touch of motion blur however, wasn’t necessarily a problem though, as where that occurred, it simply added to the sense of movement. The Lancaster Chinese Arts Festival event was organised by Lancaster & Morecambe’s Hua Xian Chinese Society.

Eyes in the crowd.

What a costume!

A very colourful face.

Happy performer.

Father & daughter in the crowd.

Chinese dancers brave the rain.

One of the colourful dragon woos the crowds.

Here’s looking at you!

An energetic performance despite the rain.

Face paint fun.

The parade on Penny Street.