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Pride 2020 – the time is NOW

2020…It may be my instinct, to say, “delete your account”, because, it’s been a year. But, with great challenges, there are great opportunities.

We have a world wide pandemic, yet can’t agree, to protect each other, and wear masks.

We finally understand what #BLACKLIVESMATTER means, yet we struggle to find common direction on how to fix the systemic problems that landed us where we are today. We argue over broken windows, rather than senseless deaths.

We have had a year, and it’s only June.

Because of this pandemic, PRIDE celebrations are mostly “virtual”. Just a year post Stonewall’s 50th, we witness a victory in employment equality from an aforethought very conservative court. Yet, we fall short of full equal rights. Further, transgender people, especially those of color, are still being senselessly murdered.

So, to say we have opportunity, to do better, is an understatement.

For myself, I have to learn more, educate myself, and learn how to participate in a way that moves us forward. I acknowlege my privilege as a Mexican woman, with a very white name. I am a married straight cisgendered woman that lives in suburbia, votes blue, but hasn’t really done anything noteworthy to progress these issues beyond donations and votes. I need to truly help the world move foward and be part of it.

Fact is, while I believe racism is wrong, I need to learn to be: anti racist.

While I show up to Pride parades yearly, I don’t truly comprehend the continued fight for rights, that I take for granted, daily. Ranting and yelling about it inside the confines of my suburban home, does nothing. Posting this blog does little, but perhaps hold myself to self account, privileged as it may be.

Here’s a few things I plan to do more of, grow –
– Read books like “How To Be An Antiracist”
– Buy more from black businesses, like The Pottle
– Find people to learn from via social media, like Zerlina Maxwell
– Discoverer more organizations to contribute to that want to fight for equality like The Human Rights Campaign

Learn more, do more, be more.

I leave you with this pre COVID gallery of Pride 2019, that I processed, yet never blogged – it all seems, so very, long ago. May we meet again next year, hopefully at a sunny (or cloudy) PRIDE celebration. May we vote to progress human rights, work to end racism, and beat this pandemic.

Peace & Love, humans.

LGBTQIA rights are Human Rights
#BLACKLIVESMATTER

Archives

Pride and No Prejudice – Seattle Pride 2018

Pride, my eleventh year, coming out to join in, through the lens. This years announced theme, “Beyond Borders” likely needs no explanation given the current goings on. Now I usually find a theme, even if not intended, but alas, I think we’ll let the official one stand. My interpretation of it, is that we should love and treat each other respectfully regardless of color, creed, nationality, preferences. Acceptance and Love for all. I can get behind that. Embrace our differences. Because if we were all the same, that would be boring. I have nothing but love for all my brothers and sisters – LBGTQIA, and any and all variances there in. I dedicate all the beauty to you who come out every year, and share with all of us, your gloriousness.

For all years past – links here (2008-2017)

This year, the images…I shot from the Westlake bleachers, it was a little shady, light wise, but alas brought a glow as needed.


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Full set –



Archives

Seattle Pride 2017 ~ Rainbow Wonder

 (ELISA SHERMAN)Pride is wonderous. From the obvious pop culture reference, to the historical roots. This parade tradition that began in riot, proceeds in Love, and embraces protest.

This years festivities began, not unlike the last few…with the holier than thou protest, met by Queens. This year, the perfect diffuse antidote was a furry stalking with an arrow “GAY AF” sign, #enoughsaid.

…And about an hour in, we had a “pause” due to a #BlackLivesMatter protest – for 30 minutes in reverence. I was out of image range, in opposing riser, about a half block away, where police were hesitantly looking on. The parade emcee Queens in charge were able to help diffuse, allow us all to listen and peaceably give address to the protest. Well done Seattle. Because Black Lives DO Matter. It’s real, and whether we pause for 30 minutes or kneel as we listen to bombs blasting in air, we endeavor to be and do better. To that, I pledge allegiance.

So, onto the Wonder. Love, delayed as it maybe (sorry!)…Be that as it may, I do dedicate the love here, and the wonder, to all of those that are still recovering from horrible forces of nature and unconscionable forces of man…I pray in love and peace for all to see the Wonder of many tomorrows.

Pride and Strength march on. The following is brought to you by the small but mighty (thanks to the rented 55-140 2.8) Fuji X-T20, and maybe a wee iPhone shot or two-ish…


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~Slideshow(click for Full Screen)~



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To Orlando, with Love…

 (Elisa Sherman)
…Love, always love, shall overcome.

With all the events that have abounded in the world of late, it’s important to remember what will triumph, what must.

Seattle Pride – Love is always felt at this event, and all the similar pride parades and festivals that happen all over the world every June…The rainbows shine, and the sheer love bonds us all. Pride parade is demonstration of all that is good, open and free amongst us. It is my favorite demonstration. I feel like it is all about promoting positivity and love. I admit I prefer this approach that always feels inclusive, and fun. I love to capture the joy and love every year.

Reflections in rainbow of years past – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015

And 2016, reflections of the love we send out. With love, Seattle.


(big screen love here)

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Archives

#LoveWins – Pride 2015

 (Elisa Sherman)

#LoveWins…this was the hashtag that I used, instictively, the morning of the SCOTUS ruling ensuring marriage equality from sea to shining sea in the United States. For those opposed, it was controversial and mystifying. For the rest of us, the masses, we can celebrate, because, as it should #LoveWins.

Just 2 days after this landmark decision that guarantees marriage rights for all, Seattle Pride took it’s turn in the sun, to celebrate, to love, to bask in the glory. Even if it actually was a little over cast, the sun shown through. In this most recent set I pushed the exposure just a little further than is technically appropriate – purposefully. Love it, hate it, it is my artistic commentary on how I saw this day. For years past – enjoy the Pride Archives.

For now, join me in the afterglow – #LoveWins.

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Pride 2015 – Images by Elisa Sherman

Archives

Victory, a moment of Loudness, and how I found my way back to the Seahawks…

 (Elisa Sherman)The Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII… …Wait, what? Yep, that’s right, we won. We won big. Huge. Jealous? LOL:) And shockingly(or not) I went out to spend a few hours in freezing temps among 700ish thousand(some say a million) fellow Seattlites, to celebrate and to click the joy of the fans, the team, and just soak it in…and scream – it was law, after all, at 12:12. For context, this was an interesting journey for me. I haven’t seriously watched football for oh, 14+ (Elisa Sherman) years, and if we’re being honest seriously since the 80’s. I had realized, as we waited 2 weeks for the Super Bowl, that I hadn’t followed the team at all or been familar with any player names since at least the 90’s…I hadn’t consciously given up on them. More, it was something I used to watch with my dad growing up. It was around 1980-82, when rather than go into the other room or playing somewhere else, I actually sat through an entire game and asked my dad questions about it…what was a 1st down, how did they score, etc. Otherwise it just looked like a bunch of big guys running into each other (right?)… When my dad passed in 2000, that touch point of sitting in the living room watching the games together, just wasn’t there anymore. I watched baseball, or went to concerts, or just did and watched other things. I hadn’t realized, until I thought about for a minute, why I had stopped watching. The current excitment, made me think back and wonder why, and the timing was inescapable. My sister captured our fond memories perfectly here –

“So, growing up in my house, every Sunday during football season, you’d be sure to find my  (Elisa Sherman)dad sitting in his spot at the end of our rust-colored, sectional-recliner couch, yelling at the TV with a Lowenbrau or a Mountain Dew in his hand (or one, then the other) and a bag of nacho-flavored Doritos not too far away. Despite superstars like Steve Largent and Curt Warner, more often than not, things were not going well for the Seahawks. But still, he watched/yelled, and so we watched. This is one of my most enduring and cherished memories, trite as it may be. It’s why I’m so excited for today’s game. Go Seahawks!! ā€” with Stella Sherman and Elisa Sherman.” ~Monique

Oddly, even our first unsuccessful run at the Super Bowl, didn’t penetrate, for me. I didn’t care, and barely paid attention. But something changed this year. It was some sort of odd unrecognizable energy in the air here in Seattle. Some will say it was the 12th man. Others, the Legion of Boom. I don’t know. I only know, that I started seeing these card board cut outs around the office of this guys head. I had to presume it was a Seahawk – with dreds, and sign saying Richard Sherman. Odd. Funny that a player basically had my dad’s name. Eventually, my curiousity and the news of the winning made me (Elisa Sherman) start turning on the games as filler while I would sit working on other things on Sundays. Then watching it seriously as the season, and the playoffs were becoming a reality. Ulitimately, caring if we had won enough to get the desired home field advantage. Clearly I was firmly back on the #bandwagon. With each playoff game, we believed. The NFC championship was almost unbelievable. To that final tip, I didn’t know what would happen, but it was like we couldn’t lose – and then, we didn’t. And it was the Super Bowl. Gathered around with friends and party food…we sat down to watch, the pregame, listen to all the commentators say how good the Seahawks were, but hey, Peyton would probably carry the Broncos to victory. Eye rolls all around. Then the game. And O.M.G. Now I know for those not Seahawks fans, it was probably the worse game ever; either boring or heartbreaking. But for Seattle – it was simple. It was euphoric. Screaming at every score, every interception, every run, every catch. It was both stunning yet completely unsurprising at some level, for those fans, the now famous 12th man, that had believed from the beginning. So, with the excitement not abating even after watching endless coverage post game, and basking in the afterglow for a few days, I donned my warmest layers, and worked my way to a good viewing spot just north of Westlake, north of the corner at 4th Ave and Stewart – and waited. Waited for an extra hour as the victory parade got a late start. Waited as my toes started screaming, and my fingertips icy. And then they were there, Mr. Skittles leading the charge, the party. And I clicked. Love you Seattle, Love you Seahawks. Love you Dad – this ones for you.

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Seahawks Super Bowl Victory Parade 2-5-2014 – Images by Elisa Sherman

Archives

Pride 2013 ~ Love Shines

 (Elisa Sherman) (Elisa Sherman)This year – Seattle’s Pride Parade, like so many in years past, was full of color, fun, joy, energy, politics, love… Perhaps by season, or perhaps by fate, the Pride of 2013 had the bright light of the sun shown on it, almost as a spotlight, of history made. Just this last November after all, Washington joined leading states passing marriage equality. Just the week previous, the SCOTUS struck down a major portion of DOMA, and finally laid California’s Prop 8 to rest. So the sun rose, rays shining brightly on our parade of rainbows, this year… Always, love. And I can hardly believe, this is my 6th year raising my lens to capture the energy that is Pride – it’s almost a compulsion at this point, and I won’t miss it, though in all honesty, I did lower my lens before the last steps… Anywho, for images from the last 5 years, reminisce…2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 Now for my faves – depsite my early finish, still masses I filtered through…enjoy the love. And oh yeah, uhm, #holypinkoutfitbatman šŸ˜‰

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Seatle Pride 2013 – Images by Elisa Sherman
Until next year for more Pride images…Next…Some different and exciting things coming in the photography realm…

Archives

2012 Year in Review: Ponderings & Pics

2012, it’s been an interesting year. In previous years, this blog, the year in review, has focused on concert images, but like everything else, we have evolved, changed, and my focus has altered…

For one, my photography has found a role within my life that is decidely less serious. I am a fan of images, first… An image maker, creating what has inspired or crossed my path.

Some music images have continued to make their way to my sensor, through the lenses…along with some gorgeous seascapes, glorious crystalline ice bergs, and a reappreciation for the fact,that it isn’t he camera you have, rather the camera you have with you, be it the 5d2 or my iPhone.

After all, the phone camera, you have, likely, with you all the time, so when an image appears by happenstance, in front of you, snap…the ultimate snapshot device as it were…

I have several this year, around town, on vacation, it is, image making at will, unplanned, and uncontrived – perhaps of quality, perhaps, just pure fun. Digital has made image capturing, the recording of pixels, a matter of course for pretty much everyone. And as a fan of images, I do not pretend to be above that fray…


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More fun snaps can be seen on my tumblr

Of course, the big heavy mark II got many a click, and as of a week or so ago, finally a sensor cleaning…

Some of my favorite images, landscape, life and beyond, not excluding music…


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Concrete Blonde performs on January 25th, 2012 at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Washington (Elisa Sherman)

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Theory of a Deadman performs on January 22, 2012 in support of "The Truth Is..." at the Showbox Market, Seattle, Washington (Elisa Sherman)

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Concrete Blonde performs on January 25th, 2012 at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Washington (Elisa Sherman)

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Fitz and the Tantrums  performs on January 20th, 2011 at the Showbox Market in Seattle, Washington (Elisa Sherman)

Theory of a Deadman performs on January 22, 2012 in support of "The Truth Is..." at the Showbox Market, Seattle, Washington (Elisa Sherman)

And with that, 2012 images are but a pixelated record in time…Adieu.

Archives

Seattle Pride 2012: Here comes the Bride (Groom)

Seattle Pride is something that has drawn my lens since I started seriously shooting with a dSLR – back in 2008.Ā  It helps that I just have to walk down the hill a couple blocks to start taking in the preparations…

Each year, the imagery I see, is so full of joy, hope, and love.Ā  Of course, various themes jump out, with different ones seeming to magically pop through and tell different stories each year…

Whether it’s purposeful from the parades standpoint, or just me seeing things differently or more likely a combination of the two…there really is something new every year, even if the same faces often make annual appearances…

This year, and in each year previous, I see the drum beat for marriage equality come through most strongly. This is the pulse, moreso now, staring down an election year – and Washington State is right in the mix with R74 United for Marriage Act. I guess, love is political? While I am not sure it should have to be, my hope is that the energy, the colors and joy, is something we can celebrate everyday.

For SeattleĀ PrideĀ images from years past, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011.

This year…enjoy, love…


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~ Full Archive Slideshow ~
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The folks at Northwest Folklife festival 2012 5-26-2012

So I went down to folklife festival this year – not sure I have been before? Anywho, many I know are over at Sasquatch this weekend…others out of town on vacation…

But it was a gorgeous weekend in Seattle – so if you were here – it was a great time to get out and enjoy something local – ergo, I did. I was supposed to find a friend that was playing there – but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out where…the place was teaming – bunches of Seattlites were there – running around the fountain, consuming the fair food, lazing in the sun, taking in the music on the stages, and street performers of all types (music and otherwise) along all the walkways…It was fabulous – a perfect seattle day (and weekend) to be out at Seattle Center taking in the bliss.

And so I did…camera in hand. I decided to focus on the life over the stages – if that makes sense. From the kids running around, folks lazing under the sun, street performers doing whatever they do, playing for tips, etc…it was perfection, this day.

Take a look –


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Full set gallery archive from the day

Northwest Folklife Festival 2012 5-26-2012 – Images by Elisa Sherman