Another SF pride has come and gone leaving rainbow glitter ground into the pavement. This year I didn't walk in pride. Instead I went with my friends (both up from Santa Cruz) to watch the parade. I watched Dykes on Bikes go by, as well as the Trans group that was next, which was pretty cool. After that it was a standard float line up, such as Kaiser Permanente, bud light, and other corporate sponsors, with the only Bi contingent way in the back. It's great that places like Kaiser support gay rights but it would be nice if more of the actual L, G, B, and T folks were given priority.
I didn't stay for much past Kaiser and went to the civic center celebration before it got crowded. The Tantra music stage played mostly electro, I spent most of the day there dancing and photographing. It's nice when people pose but I'm looking for that crazy enjoyment of dancing at pride not a rehearsed smile.
On my way through leather alley I noticed a person dressed Lady Gagaish posing for photos up against the fence. A bunch of people were having a mini photo gang bang with her (you can thank Photographer Zack Arais for that term), which always creates this empty bubble between the photographers and their 'subject.' I decided I would do a nice quick portrait of her and got up close. The women with her commented that it was nice I was taking a picture of her face and not chopping her head off like everyone else, but she felt that her ass was her best feature. The girl of course turns around so I can get a photo of her ass. Reminding me once again that treating people like real people can often lead to new, interesting or fun things. At the very least a quick smile hasn't made their life any worse.
One of those things I love about my little 35mm lens is it requires me to get up close to whoever I'm shooting forcing me to interact with them in some way.
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