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2011 6th Annual, Valentines Day Pillow Fight

Umbrella At The Ready
(1 of 17) (10142 views)

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The latest in a series of rain storms hit that Monday. It was drizzly just before the start of the pillow fight. Because of the rain, fewer folks arrived than in the previous year.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:54:06 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3446
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Wet Bricks
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People in rain wear or carring umbrellas waited on wet bricks for the clock on the ferry building to strike six.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:55:09 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3450
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A Really Big Pillow
(3 of 17) (6337 views)

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One fellow arrived with a huge plastic bag filled with foam to be used in the pillow fight. On the opposite side of the bag he had written, "Big Fucking Pillowcase"


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:56:42 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3459
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A Pair Of Art Jackets
(4 of 17) (6361 views)

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Two fellows arrived with customized jackets that read "Follow us to the," on the left, and "Pillow Fight" on the right. The writing appeared to be erasable and could be customized for every event.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:57:12 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3464
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A Cheer Erupted
(5 of 17) (6347 views)

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As the clock on the Ferry Building tower neared six, the crowd erupted into a roar of shaken pillows.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:57:57 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3467
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And The Fight Began
(6 of 17) (6351 views)

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As the clock began to toll six, a mass of pillows flew into assault formation. Feathers burst almost at once to fill the sky with feather snow.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:59:12 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3474
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The Fight From Inside
(7 of 17) (6315 views)

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The fight as viewed from inside itself. People ducked, and swung, and were buffeted by suprisingly hard pillow hits.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:59:15 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3478
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Wider Swings At The Edge
(8 of 17) (6335 views)

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The edge of the fight was less crowded and allowed fellows like this to take wider (and we presume harder) swings.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:59:20 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3484
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An Enjoyable Fight
(9 of 17) (6338 views)

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Although this was a fight, it was a pillow fight and thusly was a fun and enjoyable fight.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:59:26 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3486
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In Full Swing
(10 of 17) (6322 views)

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As the Ferry Building clock gonged six, the fight became a full blown melee.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 17:59:29 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3488
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More Folks Arrived
(11 of 17) (6336 views)

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While the fight was going on, new people arrived and, with pillows raised, waded in from the edge.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:00:09 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3506
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It Began To Rain More
(12 of 17) (6357 views)

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Rain had moved through the area in waves. Just now, the edge of one of those waves briefly hit the pillow fight.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:00:55 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3519
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Rain And Feathers
(13 of 17) (6396 views)

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Neither Rain nor feathers or threat of pillows could restrain the joy of the fight.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:01:44 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3530
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Blue Strobe Effect
(14 of 17) (6365 views)

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A strobe from another camera lit the foreground which caused the color balance to shift to the illuminated area. The result was a blue cast spread over the rest of the scene.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:02:32 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3538
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Multi-Level Fight
(15 of 17) (6351 views)

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With a duck to avoid a hit, and with a rise on tip-toe to strike from above, the fight took plase on many rapidly changing levels.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:02:50 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3544
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Costumes
(16 of 17) (6348 views)

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One man fought while wearing a white mask. Another fought while wearing a plaid shirt, and yet another fought while sporting a pink hat.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:02:54 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3548
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Overview Of The Fight
(17 of 17) (6360 views)

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A parting overview of the fight. Notice how the fight was surrounded by almost an equal number of watchers all armed with phone cameras.


2011 Valentines Day Pillow Fight   •  Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco, California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 February 2011)   •  (Photo taken 18:04:07 Monday 14 February 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B11_3554
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