For a few weeks prior to Buddha’s Birthday in May, the streets of Seoul come alive. Lanterns adorn the street and a general level of excitement and buzz can be felt around Seoul’s more ‘traditional’ areas. It all culminates during the Lotus Lantern Festival, a myriad of light, costumes, and floats, marching down the streets of Seoul over the course of a few hours. Although the parade lacks a level of intimacy I have witnessed in others (various Carnaval celebrations in Latin American cities come to mind), the logistics behind the mass of security and blockades becomes rather obvious when the sheer multitude of people are considered. All told, I was thoroughly impressed by the parade this year, and happy to experiment with some tricky lighting techniques, as we will be in Sri Lanka for the Perahera this year, and I would be disappointed to miss my opportunity due to a lack of technical expertise. Here are a few images from the parade, I hope you enjoy.