The difficulty with taking photos in Sinulog Festival, Philippines

Got this lucky one at the Ati Atihan fiesta in Kalibo in January, but yeah, everything goes on at such a pace and it's easy to become overwhelmed by it rushing by. It must be a case of planning and envisaging your shot beforehand, and being in place, hoping for the right moment to occur. A bit like a photographer putting his camera behind the goal at a football match.

Good shot

Perhaps the best camera for Sinulog is a point and shoot type, Jim, as the camera with a 70/200 or other large telephoto lens is so difficult to use being so close to many people. Changing lenses is also difficult, in fact my lens hood was knocked off also.
I bought the 7D and tried it in Cebu City in 2009 but wasn't relaxed taking photos in crowds.
The pros have their event passes which allow them to get right inside the action.

ive never understood the reason for parades.

There was a lot of energy in that parade but no sounds from a most of the instruments.
Americans have parades a lot which is where that looked like that one took place.
They all had a lot of fun though.

What camera and lens did you use for that shot, Chris?