Wednesday, March 21, 2007

I Love a (Slightly Bigoted, Overtly Alcoholic) Parade!


Just wanted to share some images from the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade, which Kim and I attended despite the frigid weather and intermittent snow. My wedding photographer friend Judy hosted an awesome brunch in her studio, so when our fingers and toes got too numb we could escape inside for warmth, food, and music. It was a good Southie time. I managed not to have to see anyone vomit (and only had to step around it Saturday night), which is nice.


I love parades dearly, but I went to this one without the warmth in my heart that they usually provide. While I understand that it's frustrating when a celebration gets co-opted by groups that have nothing to do with its original intent, I have trouble feeling all gushy about a parade that stops taking public funds solely for the right to exclude any group they want to, namely gay people. And whose founders felt so strongly about the matter that they took it to the Supreme Court. And won.


I don't know. I just wasn't as into it.

...But not to ruin your fun. Here we go!






Check out this stand-off between photographer and Jedi, or whatever this guy is.



After a while, I felt like every photo had been done before... so I started concentrating on feet marching.




And just a few more... this is Susan Passoni, a city council candidate whose photos I did a couple weeks ago. It was cool to get handed a piece of campaign literature and think, Hey! I did those photos!


Other people were campaigning as well:


A sidelong glance:


And my awesome host, Judy, who kept introducing me to people as HER assistant.


Lots more where those came from. For more photos from the parade, click here.

After the parade, Kim and I cleaned house.



After which I started playing around with my macro lens.



Which is when I discovered that you could see the cityscape in my eye, through the fire escape out my back window. See?


Okay, now see?


Cool.

***

In other news, I finally got around to visiting the Frog Pond a couple of weeks ago, and leave it to the kid from Buffalo who's a huge hockey fan to need skating advice from the North Carolina girl.



Actually, neither of us fell on our bums and we dizzied ourselves going around and around on the tiny rink to hits from the '70s, '80s, and '90s.


It was one of those beautiful, oddly warm late-winter days when you barely need your coat. I'm not sure where those went, but this is the time of year I start to get a little desperate to be warm. I'm even looking forward to the inevitable blustery Boston spring that'll leave broken umbrellas strewn across the city for me to photograph. It's a great excuse to wear my red rubber boots.

3 comments:

Dorie said...

Red Rubber boots? The same ones that I'm going to photograph you in? :) I love all your pictures and hope you are doing well!

Anonymous said...

Hooray for posting and giving me something nice to look at in the office. I was in NYC for parade day and the slush was knee-high and I just couldn't face it...

Fred said...

Wow, makes me glad I'm missing another NE winter - I can see the cold in the color of the light. I don't blame you for not being into a parade organized by biggots. They certainly don't represent my half-Irish descended ass. And I have a new friend who's for really real Irish, and she wouldn't stand for that shit either. Keep 'em comin' Jess, it's always a treat.