This is an odd challenge as it’s called ‘A Face in the Crowd’ but it’s really about a single person standing out in a crowd but anonymous and showing their character by their body language.
So first the crowd: the annual Chinese New Year’s Parade in Vancouver.
This is a non-anomynous ‘face in the crowd’, a sweet little girl dressed up as a puppy for the Year of the Dog. In the past I always had a camera without much zoom so I had to go up to people and ask if I could take their photo. 
For the last few years I have had a camera with a lot of zoom and I can now capture more candid shots of people. This lady was on the other side of the street standing up through the open roof of a car that just sat there for ages. Perhaps she was waiting to go on and was practicing her moves.
This drummer was too busy drumming to notice me.
Now for the more anonymous shots. I call this the Year of the Soggy Monkey – it was pouring on the parade but the ‘monkeys’ were jumping about all over the place and generally behaving mischievously, stealing people’s hats and umbrellas. 
Rain on the Chinese New Year Parade (also the year of the Soggy Monkey).
In the Sun Yet Sen Garden on a year spring came early and the trees were all in flower.
Just out walking my dragon; costumes and hoodies allow for anonymity.
Costumes for the Year of the Snake.
The most athletic of the Chinese New Year Dragon Dancers – these guys had just jumped on each other’s shoulders and swirled around all without tying the dragon up in knots.
Paper maché horses with built-in riders under a royal banner. 
Bright flags caught in the sun at the 2018 Chinese New Year Parade.
Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: A Face in the Crowd.
Such a beautiful and colorful festival! I have heard both sides about taking pictures of people. I prefer the anonymous shot if possible, using my telephoto lens, but sometimes can’t get a good angle. By going up and talking to the person, you can maybe establish a connection with them, so then they usually cooperate. And you can meet nice people that way. But there are two drawbacks: 1. They might ask you for money to take their picture. 2. Sometimes the “posed” shots are not the most interesting.
I like trying both sides and have rarely been asked for money. My third option for photographing people is to pick the best angle for any particular shot, set up a camera on a tripod and ask the people to carry on working – usually they get so into it they completely forgot I was there
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