On photographing my 20th NYC Pride March in the rain

I attended my first NYC Pride in 2004. I snapped a few images and cheered marchers along their way down the Manhattan streets. Over the years, I’ve covered the NYC Pride for various publications, TV shows, and art galleries. In 2019, I walked with Visual AIDS in the World Pride, distributing copies of the What Is 21st Century Liberation broadsheet, which was co-designed by artist and activist Avram Finkelstein.

This year, my 20th of covering Pride, I had the chance to march with the NYC Eagles. In the process, I got to meet and photograph some amazing individuals from the leather community. Many thanks to my friend, Mister Eagle NYC 2020-2021 who made it all possible!

Here are a few images:

And, yes, it did rain on the parade. The downpour brought the Pride March to an unexpected halt at 21st Street, at around/shortly after 3.30 pm. Rain and all, I did photograph in and through the heavy summer raindrops. Here are a couple of images:

Notes on photographing in the rain, especially down pouring rain:

• have rain sleeves for the gear; I bought mine years ago at B&H

• have a raincoat for yourself and the gear

• use the rain as a prop, if you will, in your photographs, embrace it and work with it

• photograph in the rain (as long as the gear and yourself are safe)

• photograph right after the rain; look for rainbows; look for the glister or the glow on streets, surfaces and other objects touched by the rain

• capture mood, oftentimes enhanced by being caught in the rain or at the end of the (summer) rain shower

Also, have fun experimenting with the images, blurring the motion, converting to b&w, and composition, with creating abstract, fine art photography of sort, if or whenever possible.

Happy photographing!

As always, thanks for stopping by,

Alina Oswald