World Pride 2019 NYC Stonewall 50

New York City Art Sports & Entertainment - Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson, & Mj Rodriguez from FX television series Pose, grand marshalls of the Pride Parade 2019 NYC. Photojournalist and New York City's top urban art correspondent Nuri Shakoor gives his personal assessment and critique of the parade from a photographers point of view.

At times,  I felt like I was watching two different Parades. The photos I present in the albums below to me represents PRIDE. Why do I feel the need to mention?, this one might ask. Because of the numerous encounters some of us photographers encounter where participants simply do not exemplify what I would define as being proud. Of course this is just a personal assessment from the point of view from a photojournalist whose job is to capture the essence for which the Pride Parade is known. What some of us fail to understand as photojournalists whose job is to visially document these events, is why some individuals would chose to walk in a parade which bares the name “PRIDE“ if you aren't proud of who you are, or proud of who you are supporting. This is simply the first thoughts that come to mind when we the press photographers and journalists come across a few individuals who seem upset and by all means do not want to be photographed. Ok, so maybe you have your personal reasons as to why you walk in the Pride Parade, but you have to understand there are 100's if not a 1000, journalists from all over the world covering this parade and your picture will get taken if not by me then by some one else in video or still.

Secondly, and this is just to say from a photographer's point of view, no one can perform in front of the camera like the gorgeous drag queens. These drop down gorgeous lights of beauty will gladly stand in front of the camera for hours if you let them. With that said, there are many in this parade who carry the torch for the ones who refuse to be photographed who can give the queens a run for their money. This is because they know when they get that tap on the shoulder from a photographer, it is time to punch the clock and go to work. And that is when things get very creative and you come away with an amazing story to tell.

There are many high and low points during covering a parade of this magnitude. I have to give respect and credit to all the photographers and journalists who are on that parade line essentially doing battle. Because there is simply no other way to describe this experience from a press photographers point of view. Shooting from the sideline is not the same experience due to the fact that one is stationary whereas one actually on the parade line is literally in the face of and shoulder to shoulder with the parade participants to get the best vantage points. When you are in the mix as a wave of people are coming directly at you in the hundreds, you only have a split second to scan the scene, and quickly capture the best shot or video footage that you can get.

This year's Pride Parade was the highlight of an eventful weekend which marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall protests which is considered by many which spark the Gay Right and Pride movements. | To see more links to photos and video footage of The Pride Parade and the Stonewall 50th Anniversary log on to www.newyorkcityartsandsports.com