Wise Guy

Posted by NZ-Photo (Paris, France) on 18 February 2008 in People & Portrait and Portfolio.

The Chinese New Year 2008 celebration in Paris Chinatown, France.
The Year of the Rat, which begins on February 7, 2008 and ends on January 25, 2009, is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac.

Every year in Paris Chinatown, a Parade occurs int he streets to celebrate the chinese new year.
The parade is set on a sunday and the previous week some shows with chinese Lions take place in front of all shops and restaurants to bring the good luck for this coming year.
After that, on sunday, a parade lasting about 3-4 hours is set up with all French Asian communities, mainly Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai.
The streets are amazingly crowdy, and it's quite a challenge to be able to get some decent photos during the path.
This year I manage to get there early before the show starts and so could get some portraits a bit more easily than during the walk.

[wikipedia :] Rats are leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Rat people are endowed with great leadership skills and are the most highly organized, meticulous, and systematic of the twelve signs. Intelligent and cunning at the same time, rats are highly ambitious

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tom from Germany

Very expressive portrait. His face tells stories.

18 Feb 2008 10:51pm

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

Beautiful portrait and expression. I like it.

19 Feb 2008 2:12am

Genevieve from Quebec, Canada

beautiful expression! the kind of person i'd like to talk to when i meet them in the streets. well done portrait

19 Feb 2008 4:15am

danthro from Suburbia, United States

nice portrait. agree with previous comments, nice expression.

20 Feb 2008 7:27pm

Mindy from United States

Splendid portrait of someone who looks content with his life and knows more than his years will tell. Excellent framing and tones. Made me smile.

21 Feb 2008 4:00pm

Sandrine from Cincinnati, United States

Awesome portrait! excellent expression, and perfect in B&W!

22 Feb 2008 12:20am

Vink from Grasse - French riviera, France

Quel merveilleux portrait ! Du grand art ! Content de découvrir ton blog !

6 Jan 2009 3:27pm

Nikon D50
1/125 second
F/8.0
225 mm (35mm equiv.)

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