A quick portrait of a Death cosplayer from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, DragonCon 2013 (Dave).

For some reason, we didn’t make it to the parade in 2012, but we sure did in 2013. We had a great spot near the front row and witnessed all the shenanigans. Michelle and I were both shooting, with her getting wider shots and me getting some zoomy shots. As we waited for the parade, I was able to get a portrait of this awesome Death cosplayer who was standing next to us.

A zombie who was in between meals. I loved her contacts, DragonCon 2013 (Dave).

Did I mention that Zombies were huge in Atlanta? I grabbed this shot of a colorful zombie before switching to my telephoto zoom lens.

Big Daddy and Little Sister from the BioShock video games, DragonCon 2013 (Michelle).

Michelle had some great Bioshock cosplay photos. These were perfect candidates for creepy desaturation. I loved the eye contact she got from Little Sister.

The Motorized Patriot from Bioshock Infinite, DragonCon 2013 (Michelle).

Michelle also had a good view of the Motorized Patriot from BioShock Infinite. She shot these with the first version of the Sony RX100, a great point and shoot camera that is now on its third edition.

The DragonCon parade is one of the most fun events of the weekend. It’s a great time for people who are not a part of the convention to come out and watch the spectacle. Here are a few tips if you do come out:

1. Get there early! The parade begins on Saturday Aug 30 at 10am, but I’m thinking that might be a good day for me to try to get some Atlanta sunrise pictures and guard my spot as fiercely as Sheldon Cooper.
2. Take a chair, blanket, or cushion. We stood around for an hour or two last year, and I had already pulled my calves the week before. If you get there early, you will want to be relaxed.
3. Bring friends and the kids. DragonCon is mostly for grown-ups who like to be kids once and a while, but the parade is the most family friendly portion of the festivities. Plus it is free.
4. Don’t sit in the streets. Last year there were people who tried to sit in the streets in front of those who had already reserved their place on the curb. Not only is this totally rude, it is a safety issue for those cosplayers in bulky costumes. You don’t want Big Daddy coming after you, do you?
5. Um, bring your camera. 🙂
6. If you have binoculars or a telephoto, we saw some folks watching the parade from the parking garages on the path. This could be a good vantage point, and it will offer a breeze and shade. The best photos will still probably be along the curb at parade level on the front row.
7. Finally, bring bubbles. Bubbles make everything more fun! But don’t let them pop on my lens!
   

   Parades and bubbles are always a great combination! DragonCon 2013 (Dave)