Jul 9

Jul 9 Pittsburgh PA Pride March 2017

Thank you so so much to everyone who attended or helping in any way put together the amazing 2017 Pittsburgh, PA Pride March and events - Delta Foundation, Rise Up, It Gets Better Project, FCKH8, and so so many more. And also a huge thanks to everyone who has been so patient while I sorted through and prepared all these photos. It was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had, and I am so thrilled that I'm finally able to take you back to some of that excitement today!

*****

In 2009, at the end of my college career, I spent part of a summer traveling Western Europe and attending UIMP in Santander, Spain. We all met in Madrid first, where a huge Pride celebration was happening. There were millions of people there showing their support for love, and rainbows on every corner, including huge chain restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King.

Everyone was partying, laughing, singing, dancing, and I had the TIME OF MY LIFE with a million strangers who quickly became my best friends for a day.

I had never experienced such joy and love - it was INCREDIBLE.

I've always been a huge LGBTQ ally, but being a wedding photojournalist I always ended up booking something over a year out before pride dates were announced, and it always ended up being something out of town, or that made it impossible for me to attend my local pride events.

Well for my first full year in this beautiful city of Pittsburgh, PA, I not only blocked off Pride March day, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to help my friend Mark Simpson document the event for Delta Foundation.

It was, again, one of the most incredible, joyful, fun experiences of my life.

{I even got to witness and document the amazing proposal of Hot Metal Hardware member Victoria Deseo to Mr Pittsburgh Pride Drag King Chance Encounters! (Photos below)}

Then at the end, as I was walking to my car, the rainbows were gone and I was seeing Penguins jerseys everywhere. At first I was pretty bummed out, because that meant it was all over. The pride was gone, back to reality.

The worst part of it was that I'm superstitious and always have to end my shoots/weddings/etc on a photo that's meaningful or really representative of the day/couple/etc.

I was so afraid that wouldn't happen, and not that it matters, it made me kind of sad.

Then I saw two girls, dressed in black and gold, walking down the street holding hands.

In tears, I walked up and told them how much it meant to me to not only have a meaningful last photo, but also to be shown that Pittsburgh, my new & forever home, is such an amazing, diverse, accepting city so full of love and loyalty.

I walked away with the perfect final photo and an even stronger sense of pride for my city.

To an empty parking spot.

Because my car had been towed.

BUT! I still love this city, and the day still ended on a great note.

Just after I arrived via Uber to the tow facility, the coolest couple showed up (who I had actually met the day before when second shooting a wedding with Nick Bombich!) and we spent our ridiculous wait time laughing and having a way better time than we should have considering where we were.

So thank you again so much to all of you who have waited to see these, to Mark Simpson for having me that day, to Delta Foundation and all the other amazing organizations who put the event together every year, to Ken and his sweet partner for helping turn our tow wait into a party, and most of all to my own incredible partner who watched our girls so that I could have the time of my life.

Until next year, let's all try to keep the pride going.

Love (is Love is Love),

Kat

{To see additional images and download your favorites, click on the link at the end of the page. Everyone is welcome to download and use any of the photos for personal use and share share away, all we ask is that you please make sure to tag us so that everyone knows how to see and download theirs as well!}