Pride Parade In San Mateo

The Staging Area: The Pride Day Celebration is a "thing" in San Mateo. The last time I photographed it was in  2019. That photo featured the El Camino Reelers, a square-dancing club demonstrating some basic square dance moves during the main program in Central Park. This was the first time I photographed the parade itself. I arrived during the setup period before the parade, and was pleased to find the group Cheer SF practicing in the staging area on B Street.

I had intended to refine my "up close" technique using my X-70 and a small FlashQii speedlight. I quickly realized that the little point-and-shoot couldn't keep up during these fast action sequences, so I abandoned the effort and went back to a X-T2 and the 10-24mm zoom lens. The flash was a shoe-mounted Godox V1, a flash with more power than the FlashQii and adjustable beam setting that allows me to concentrate the light into a narrower angle. The head was angled up slightly to reduce the light on the immediate foreground.

1/250 second, F 11.0, ISO 200

1/250 second, F 11.0, ISO 200

These are samples of when the foreground flash is correctly balanced with the sky. The background buildings are pretty much left to fend for themselves, illumination wise, and provide the necessary location context. Flash output was not recorded.

1/250 second, F 11.0, ISO 200

This shot was made at a greater distance, so I tilted the head up slightly, reduced the beam angle to 69 degrees, and set the output to Full. The lack of illumination around the center is apparent, but as a photo, it does emphasize the most interesting person in the group. However, she is too small to effectively draw the viewer's attention, so in that regard the image wasn't worth submitting. If she had her arms extended in a more interesting pose, it might have worked. With her arms tightly at her side, it doesn't.

At this point I was trying to get my subjects in motion during their performance, but I found that the recycle time of the flash, brief as it was, prevented me from making multiple exposure bursts, which would have given me a series of photos from which to choose.

Change In Tactics: As the cheer team began moving down B Street, I moved to a position slightly in front so I could shoot at a 45 degree angle. As it turned out, the sunlight would illuminate the group from a 45 degree angle, so they were front lit as they marched past. I turned the flash off, and set the camera to record using the Low Speed Burst setting, which was about 4 frames per second. I also set the camera for manual focusing and by using the Manual Focus Assist feature, I could choose exactly what portion of my subject would be in focus. This eliminated any possibility of delays caused by "focus seeking", and allowed me to concentrate on recording the moment of peak action. Exposure was set to Aperture Priority.

The march towards Central Park followed a specific sequence: march, set down red buckets, perform, ask for donations, repeat. I would move ahead of the group, and as soon as they put down their buckets, I would position myself and frame the shot. Then I would establish focus on the nearest subject and wait. When the performers were at the top of their lifts, I would fire a burst. Because the action ended so quickly, the bursts were seldom more than four shots.

These two shots were taken about a block apart. I submitted the second shot because my main subject was higher on the horizon and in sharp contrast to the blue sky.  Also, by touching her ankle, the performer's leg and arm created a "hole" which tends to draw the viewer's attention for just a moment longer.

I didn't realize that when I made the shot, all six cheerleaders were at the height of their lifts, and for the most part, are easy to count. I realize now that if I had crouched a little lower and positioned myself more the camera right, that elusive sixth cheerleader would have been a little easier to see. But I didn't have the opportunity in real time, and some of these fine points are hard to identify when you're worried about just getting up off your knees and moving to the next shooting position. I guess that's the challenge that keeps it all interesting.

Must have been a slow weekend. The photo ran on Page 1, right at the crease.