I went to the Pride Parade in San Francisco yesterday. It was my fourth time going. It’s true that the event has become much more corporate over the years, but there are still plenty of quirky outfits and characters. Everyone is very friendly.

I intentionally brought my monochrome camera. I know the parade and participants are colorful, but I already have three years of those photos in color. This year, I decided to do street photography and not photograph the parade at all.

I like the simplicity of this shot—and the subtle “San Francisco.”

These anti-police demonstrators lay down on Market St. and disrupted the parade for 50 minutes.

I shot this from the hip, which I try not to do. But I like the low-angle perspective.

This young man in a coat and tie looked out of place and yet not among all the other costumed parade-goers.

I wasn’t planning go to the parade this year, but I’m glad I did. Even if I weren’t taking photos, I guess I’d still go: The whole event is so San Francisco that it’s worth going just for the experience.