2014 Coney Island Mermaid Parade

[Aqualung]

A photog bucket list of mine has been to journey down to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade...and this was the year. I came down with several other photogs and met up w/ some local photogs.

We bought the photographer's pass...which gives you early access (10:30-12:30) to the staging area. The other option (which I should have taken) was to pay to march in the parade. The problem was that for an hour and a half there were more photogs than marchers. The big floats, with lots of people, weren't in this area. And, as it turned out, lots of photogs (who didn't pay, or at least didn't have wrist bands) hung around the reg tent and took their pix...which delayed the marchers from coming into the staging area.

And, it's a tradeoff - you either do the staging area or you go out to stake out a good spot on the parade route; I think there were 500k+ people in the area.

This was one of the shooting situations where my camera went from RAW+SB to just SB (small basic .jpg - I wanted to quickly DL an image to my phone to post and have RAW for later). I still don't entirely know how; obviously I did it but it happened another outing as well so it's something I'll keep an eye out for next time - this was my first 'real' outing w/ my Oly. So the images are smaller than what I normally output.

I had the 12-40 and rented an Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II to try it out. I was also trying my Nikon SB-800 but am not as comfortable using that yet.

But, I'm still very glad I got the kit, this was a perfect application of it - light travel kit, was able to get some solid pictures, and didn't have to schlep 25 lbs. of camera gear around NYC. Just need to get more accustomed to it, but hey, ya gotta get out and shoot, right? :smile:

Anyway,a few here and all of them are in my flickr set

And, there are a few that are (mildly) NSFW - They are tagged as Restricted

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Coney Island Mermaid Parade by *Aqualung, on Flickr

 

[marcsitkin]

Sort of reminds me of the cast of "Orange is the New Black"

 

[shg2]

Very nice pictures in your flickr gallery. I went there but was late so couldn't get good spot and returned home. Got few pictures only but hopefully next year.

 

[Aqualung]

Thanks....Definitely buy the parade pass next year, only $5 more...that way you can get into the float area....

 

[shg2]

I certainly will, may even buy the one that let you walk with the parade. Where to buy those from?

 

[Aqualung]

That's the one I'm referring to...you can get it from the website (along with the plain photo pass)