This year I tried something new for the Mermaid Parade. I got a shutter extender, and with my camera on a monopod with a wide angle lens, tried getting shots from the high angle that I couldn't get in previous parades and protests. There's rarely an available ladder or high perch to see over the crowd, and I'm not that tall. (The photo above is from a pedestrian overpass by the Aquarium, but the police wouldn't let anyone stand still on it, so I grabbed a few quick shots on my way across.)

Here I am working my way through the crowd to get to the parade start.

The following image worked to show the circle of photographers around these two scantily clad girls.

The following photos show how the camera on the monopod allows be to see over the crowd, yet include them in the image.

It sorta worked as you can see in these photos, however there were many photos that, no matter how I cropped them, had no composition. Now I need a small monitor to attach to the bottom of the monopod so I can see what's in the photos I'm taking wile holding the camera over my head.

Here's more photos from the parade

It's not an NYC parade if he/she's not in it.

It's Grumpy Catfish.

Here are my photos from the 2012 Coney Island Mermaid Parade on Facebook.

Here are my photos from the 2010 Coney Island Mermaid Parade.