This last Sunday a parade was held in the 13th arrondissement of Paris to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The 13th, the historical Chinese quarter, was filled with the sound of drums, fireworks and cheers as parade participants marched down the street in bright colors in what seemed to be one of the most beautiful days of winter. Large crowds filled the streets, police and volunteers did their best to keep the parade moving however people were constantly pushing their way to the front for the hopes of a better picture. I hate pushing my way through crowds, or dealing with crowds in general, so here when I could tell that fighting just wasn’t worth it and only stressing me out, I stepped back and walked away. I’m glad I did, if I kept fighting every Parisian with a DSLR I would have gotten only a few pictures before I lost the parade and the light, but because I left, I avoided the most aggressive crowds, found better light and the best parts of the parade found me with a clear shot. Sometimes walking away is a good call.

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