Happy Accidents

I went to the Canton Labor Day parade yesterday morning. Having grown up in New Orleans, and my initial experience with parades being Mardi Gras, I admit to being a little jaded when it comes to parades. The Tournament of Roses parade in Pasedena, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, and the dozens of Mardi Gras parades in the New Orleans area - those are real parades. The Canton Labor Day parade, however, is small town America at its best. It may not have the glitz and size of the big boys, but it carries a sense of community that big city parades will never match. That's why I go.

Of course, I brought my camera. I snapped pictures of fire trucks, local politicians, farm tractors, 3 year old beauty queens, and a myriad of other sights. The photo I liked best? The one below, which was a complete accident.

Reach, Canton, NC  -  2013

While going through the day's take, I came across a photo that I didn't remember taking. It was a random, off kilter shot of some people waiting for the parade. Apparently, I hit the shutter release accidentally while my camera was slung over my shoulder. Oh well, I've done that before. But as I was about to hit "delete", I noticed something interesting in the background - a boy reaching for what looks like a plastic bag blowing in the wind. I liked it, though I could never have planned a shot like that. Planned or accident, I'll take it! (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Original accidental photo