There is a constant discussion...fight...tug o' war about using face shots vs crowd shots. My opinion on the subject is that if the crowd is huge, unplanned for or in another way news worthy than run that one. If the crowd is the story but if what the crowd is doing is the story then run the faces, show what they are doing, why it is so important that it got coverage in the story.
A recent assignment had me at a local "blessing of the pets", there were probably 30-40 people with various animals at the local catholic church, nothing unexpected. I provided tight, medium and a wide crowd shot.