Each year, the imagery I see, is so full of joy, hope, and love.  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 Seattle Pride images from years past, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011.

This year…enjoy, love…

~ Full Archive Slideshow ~
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This year was the second year I photographed the parade (still haven’t made it to the party yet! Maybe next year!)…and it was another scorcher…

The story I think some of my favorite images tell, is one that while joyous, also has purpose…I think the biggest theme I saw was the issue of gay marriage…To me this issue is really at it’s boiling point, nationally…brought very much to the forefront thanks to the recent California passing of Prop 8…

Without getting too much into my own political beliefs(you can imagine given that I so enthusiastically support such an event via imagery)…I will let the beholders draw their own conclusions…

Love baby love. It’s written all over your face…*
*nods to the lyrics from my favorite band: INXS

The preceding are just a selection, full set of 128 on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157620723129852/detail/

Shoutout to the seattle blog that linked back to my preview blog/photos:
http://www.seattlegayscene.com/

Happy summer!

xoxo
~Elisa

I am not gay(not that there is anything wrong with it…tm J. Seinfeld, lol), and have never made any effort to check out the festivities…I mean I am totally ok with whatever folks do, have gay friends, etc etc…I have just never bothered to do more than notice that traffic is bad during these times!

Well, lately I have been a bit of an image whore, and any good opportunity to capture some colorful life out and about, and I am there! So…lol…needless to say, this event qualified! The previous weekend (see preceding blog) I had shot from within the Fremont Solstice parade…and this was a clear followup opportunity…I love shooting people…from an event/editorial viewpoint…capturing their passion and joy in life…

I have to say, this was very different, this Pride parade, than I expected, and from the preceding weekend…

First, one of the big call outs I would say is just how political it was…and I don’t mean, gay rights perspective, though there is that…

I mean, ALL the big local, I think mostly democrat, politicians were out, with their supporters…and legions of Obama supporters…

And kids…lots of kids…definitely a family feel to the thing…

Lot’s of official and varied church support…god is love was definitely a theme…

The obvious, drag queens, the Sisters, and super stereotypical gay imagery accompanied much of the displays…and was easiest to capture via photograph…the camera loves the flamboyant…and I have to admit, these folks are who I knew would get captured well in frame, and they did not disappoint…

But, the formality and grandiousness of size of the event also surprised me a bit…

I guess, it was so much in contrast to the free and arty Solstice bit, that the big floats and police escort kind of threw me…and of course, I was just a spectator here, so shot from the sidelines…

The other bit that pleasantly surprised me, were all the locals that came out to stand with me on the sidelines…many totally straight, and many families…just coming out to see a fun parade, and share in the love…

To me that was mostly what this thing was about…it really wasn’t all that showy to me…not excessively flamboyant, as compared to the exhibitionist displays from the preceding weekend(though I did recognize a handful of the same folks turn out in the parade:)…it really was about love, acceptance, diversity, and excitement—the political supporters were effusive, even…it was catchy….

So, without further adieu, I suppose, here are my favorite images from the 2 hours I spent in the scorching sun…

The preceding are a subselection(though majority) of the full set I have loaded here:
http://flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157605917942489/

Peace & Love Seattle…

xoxo
~Elisa

Went on Friday to get the press pass so I could shoot from w/i the parade…

So I shot walking through the middle of the parade, back and forth from every angle…It was fun, crazy and full of sheer abandon from the participants…

From the naked(yes, I said NAKED) painted cyclists, the topless chocolate painted dancers, naked skater girls…to all the fabulous people powered floats, the imperfectly gorgeous belly dancers, the fabulous drag queens, the political statements, the zombies, the love fest huggers, all of the enthusiastic participants, the crowd, all of Fremont…it was all sheer madness…

It was fabulous. By the end of the day with the bare and painted skin scattered through out, I was numb to excessive exhibitionist displays…

It was a celebration…Fremont, goes full monte bringing on The Summer…

Here are the images I clicked that hopefully communicates some of the pure joie de vivre that was there at every turn…Here is a slice of the spectacle, the PG version…you can go straight to the set for the “full monte” so to speak;)

Full slide show of the set including the chocolate lady and a few select painted bicyclists, skaters…beware, NSFW(not safe for work)!

Europe photos will be coming soon!!! swear! lol…

xoxo
~Elisa

Seattle St Patricks Day Parade ~ 3/15/2008, originally uploaded by Elisa ~ www.emswazzu.com.

As are the Scots…

Seattle St Patricks Day Parade ~ 3/15/2008, originally uploaded by Elisa ~ www.emswazzu.com.

And how cute is he?!?

Seattle St Patricks Day Parade ~ 3/15/2008, originally uploaded by Elisa ~ www.emswazzu.com.

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