After many years of putting it off or just plain forgetting, I was reminded of how badly I wanted to shoot Chinatown’s Lunar New Year parade when a friend asked me a few weeks ago if I was planning on going. Despite the scheduling conflicts that come with having a 10-month-old at home, I am very glad I finally made it down. I am not very glad that I did not think to bring earplugs.
If you’ve never been, imagine this: a crush of people wading through shredded red paper and cabbage as the staccato of long strands of firecrackers exploding echoes constantly while two-person lion costumes dance through the streets of Chinatown. It’s a colorful, exciting, cramped, and a very, very loud experience. Top it off with a big bowl of noodles, and you’ve got the makings of a photographer’s perfect day.
