Liverpool Pride

I think this was my favourite year. The sun was shining and the sheer number of people who joined in on the march was huge! Previously I would have said that the Pride march of 2015 was my favourite. There was torrential rain but the energy of the crowd was intoxicating. I think this year had that feeling too but also with sun, which was nice.

For whatever reason I felt free to photograph too. One of the things I love about Liverpool Pride is the ability to jump into the march at any point and make photos. There’s no press area. It’s all open. So normally I’ll be ducking and weaving, jumping in and out of the march and running around back alleys to catch up to the front to repeat all that. This year, for whatever reason, I wasn’t anxious and I felt free to enjoy it. Maybe it was the sun? Maybe it was because the world isn’t a great place right now and people needed to feel part of something positive and free to be themselves?

I love the randomness of pride too. One minute you’re photographing someone in rainbow leggings when a woman in lingerie and angel wings dances past. Where else do you see these things?

It’s just so fun and inclusive. There seem to be more wheel chair users each year and a huge number of young people this year too.