Dragons and Drums

© Joan Anderson

It was my first time there and it more than met all my expectations. Armed with camera, lenses, tripod (which I didn't use) and a healthy dose of curiosity, I made my way to the shore to check out the boats. Having a rather large camera and long lens slung round my neck turned out to be a big advantage. As I stood at the barrier erected to separate tourists from the boats and equipment, a volunteer from one of the major sponsors of the event approached. He had spotted my Nikon and kindly asked if I would like to go beyond the barriers and take a closer look. How good is that, I thought to myself. Walking out on the docks I had the opportunity to take a close-up look at the magnificent dragon boats, snap a few photos, and hear more about the boats and history behind them. It also provided me with an introduction to the Press Tent and opened the door to an even better photo opportunity. Being a freelance photographer has it's advantages. Soon I found myself in the company of five other local photographers sitting on the bay at the finish line, ready to photograph the boats as they swooshed across to victory!

© Joan Anderson