World Pillow Fight Day '09

[jack_babalon]

As reported in an earlier post today was World Pillow Fight Day. Not sure how this mass celebration went down on an international level (so far no reports of mass pillow riots sweeping across Europe, Asia and Africa) but Atlanta represented herself in fine form this afternoon. They gathered around a tree in Freedom Park, on a slight hill just off the bike trail overlooking a steadily flowing US-23/Moreland Avenue. A hundred combatants or so casually arrived armed with an arsenal of soft, often saggy weapons. Around them a flock of photographers and casual observers watched on... reminiscent of picnic revelers watching the opening battles of the Civil War. Then a sharp, authoritative voice called for the combatants to gather around in a circle. He began shouting 'Three minutes'... tweenage hipsters and earnest locals begin sauntering over... 'Two, that's two, minutes'... cameras leveled, lenses zooming in, mechanical whirs as the photographers advance in slowly... 'Okay, one minute... one minute everyone!'... laughing smiles twist in the sun, a remote controled pink airplane banks reconnaissance sweeps over head, in-jokes snickered amongst friends... 'Alright... go!'

What ensued was something between a musicless mosh-pit and a sleep-over party. The combatants went at it full-swing. A flurry of wild throws, dodges and blocks. This went on for a few minutes before people realized exactly how exhausting going full tilt was on the endurance and began breaking off into dueling pairs and fierce threesomes. People squared off, exchanged laughing blows and broke off to fight someone else for a few rounds. Pretty soon the circle had waned to a half-dozen combatants... but then a new flock of arrivals would show and slowly the circle would begin to fill again. Eventually a pillow tore open sending a blizzard of white feathers across the battlefield. I did my best to shoot what I could of it all - I'm not used to doing crowds outside the orderly procession of a parade - this was much different. Everyone was circling, whirling, ducking and jumping around frantically. It was hard to catch folks but I snuck in close (donning a pillow at one point) and as such I hope I managed to get in a few decent shots.

Click the top photo above for the full set.

Anyway, here's a few favorites:

Comments

[catwalk.livejournal.com]

great shots! wow, it was a beautiful day for it!
and the ground covered in feathers is surreal and silly. :-)

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

I love the guy in the luchador mask.

However, I hope they picked up all those damn feathers.