Christopher Street Day Polit-Parades

I've shot five Christopher Street Day parades since 2010. It is always more fun to do it together with friends so that you can share the fun with them. Almost everybody is in a good mood and the people in the parade are dressed in showy clothes or colors. That all makes for a wonderful photo opportunity.

Life is full of colors

The rainbow can be seen everywhere at the parade

Once again in 2017 the weather was perfect for a parade, and I was shooting with a couple of good photographer friends. We set up early in a good position to have interesting (or blurred, as we chose) backgrounds and we were in the shade most of this hot July afternoon.

Choosing a good background can add a lot to a photograph

Good lighting always attracts my eye

Over the years I've learned to look for certain types of motifs. A favorite one is a suitable background for a foreground star. This is one of my favorites; it was taken in front of a hair salon where you can get your eyebrows plucked or hair permanently removed:

This one - also from 2010 - always makes me think that the guy in the foreground is the one on the poster.

Speaking of posters: This shot from 2011 is one of my all-time favorites. On the billboard is a Lucky Strike ad that says "Smoking can cause death."

Here are four more shots from 2011. Can you tell why I paired the background with the foreground?

Other times you just get lucky and are in the right place at the right time.

 Whenever I see someone filming fireworks, a parade, or a concert with his phone, I try to get a shot of it.

I made a book out of my photographs of reflections in car windows and bodies. My eye is still trained on such reflections. I think they add a nice distortion to the picture that make the viewer look twice.

Spectators and participants can often provide interesting contrasts.

I love paying attention to facial expressions during such public displays.

Much of what one sees at the parades is not real - and yet somehow breathtaking.

Or just plain fun!

Having fun and bearing witness to the important cause of gay rights is the name of the game here.

Did I mention the alcohol consumption at these parade? Yes, there is a bit.

As in every parade, there is a band with a bass drum. I always try to capture myself in its reflection.

My partners in crime this year were Andy, Andrea and Conny. Thanks, guys!

Super Andy

Andrea and Conny with their 70-200 zooms.