Julianne and I returned to the 2009 Seoul Lantern Festival on its final night this past Saturday . . .
It was pretty cold and windy outside, and there were thousands of people there . . .
I was using my Canon D400, a Sigma 10-22mm lens, and my Speedlite 580EXII flash . . . I think I got some pretty nice shots.
I guess some things I might mention about the festival are . . . I was shocked to see a pretty significant safety patrol/police presence along the stream’s icy water. At one point a police officer began yelling across the stream at a father with a baby in his arms for stepping down onto rocks next to the stream to get his picture taken–I was VERY IMPRESSED to see a police officer doing something about a high risk behavior because during the five years I’ve been in Korea I have NEVER seen a police officer do anything remotely like this.
A friend of mine commented on how she liked that about 50-60% of the people were trying to be respectful about not bashing into each other, and especially if you were taking a picture. All too often in Korea the higher social rank person (or someone who “thinks” they’re a higher social rank, or often is just walking around in a ‘bubble’ oblivious to others not in their social circle) pretends not to see you and just ‘walks through you’ or rams into you/bumps you/shoulders you aside as they walk by regardless of what you’re doing at the time. The crowd that was out at the festival was less pushy and more respectful than is, unfortunately, the norm at festivals with large crowds (at least in my own personal experience).
Another thing that shocked me was that there was a LINE UP at the stairs next to the small waterfalls head of the stream concert stage area–I was really surprised by this, and the fact that no one was trying to bud in line or pretend not to see the 100-200 people long line up. WOW is all I have to say about that too–apparently there are some major cultural changes going on somehow in terms of street festival etiquette or something . . .
Anyways, I’ll end this post with my number one favorite picture of this hot chick I saw at the festival, lol, her name is Julianne . . . heheh.
J
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November 16, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Paul / samedi
I browsed through some of your shots from the Seoul Lantern Festival on Flickr yesterday and think you have some really great captures from the event!
My friend and I went on Sunday night and, like you, I was very impressed with how people were acting. There was a general lack of pushing and it was also possible to see people stop walking to let a stranger take a photo across the path. During a drum performance the crowd wound its way upstream rather than making one giant clump that blocked foot traffic, so that was another positive sight from the festival. Hope to see more of that in the future!
November 29, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Kelsey
Wow. Your work is really, really improving. You’ve got some really great shots here!
November 30, 2009 at 1:11 am
kimchiicecream
Thanks…
November 29, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Driftingfocus
Wow! You have really improved a lot lately. You’ve got some really great shots here!
November 30, 2009 at 1:11 am
kimchiicecream
Thanks……the Speedlite 580EXII flash probably helps too, lol. And it SHOULD for the freaking high price tag!
November 30, 2009 at 3:06 am
Driftingfocus
I’m jealous. I still don’t have a flash, though I’m hoping for one for Christmas. I’m asking for a flash or Canon’s 50mm f1.4 lens.
December 2, 2009 at 9:01 am
Rachel
I just got to Seoul not long ago and I am interested in seeing this. How long does it go on?
December 2, 2009 at 9:03 am
Rachel
Just realized you said in the beginning that it was over the weekend on the 15th. 😦