It’s the time of year where the streets are filled with rainbows, glitter, wigs and butts. It’s Pride Month! If you’ve been following me for awhile, you should know by now that Pride is one of my very favorite events to photograph. The possibilities for visuals, creativity and color are everywhere. The portraits are endless. Did I mention everyone is chill af?

*Do not use photos without permission. If you’re in one of my photos, please email me and I’ll be more than happy to send you a high-res copy.

This year I wanted to focus more on Pride portraits over the event itself. It’s one of the most diverse events in the city and I wanted to be able to show that through this post. My main goal this year was to get as many portraits as possible of people with different cultures, colors, orientations, and genders. For the portraits I used a combination of a Canon 24-105mm f/4 and a Canon 35mm f/1.4  as well as a Canon 100-400mm f/5.6 on a Canon 5D Mark III. For non-photographers, that’s just stating what lenses and camera I used to take these photos.

This year had a new route, different from the usual Station North. The parade marched down Charles Street, starting at 33rd street and stopping at 23rd street. When I initially saw the route I wasn’t about it, but at the end of the day there was more shade and more accessible parking than there has been during past years. If you’re a Pride veteran, what did you think of the new location? I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

How do you photograph a complete stranger and get a great portrait? ASK. Ask them if it’s ok and then start talking. Light conversation and banter go a long way in helping people loosen up in front of the camera, especially when they don’t know you.

A sincere thank you to the people who posed for my portraits and who trusted me with their image. I can never thank you enough, without you this blog and my photos wouldn’t be possible.