Cheer NYC

16x20 inch Black & White print on Epson Art Cotton Smooth 250 gram paper. From the NYC Village Halloween Parade, 1982–86.

Three spirited cheerleaders in drag spell out the city's name on their sweaters as they march through the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade between 1982 and 1986. While two of the masqueraders enthusiastically engage with the unseen spectators, the figure on the left, sporting a blonde wig and the letter "N," looks directly into the lens of the analog Pentax camera. The use of a Norman 200B flash freezes the texture of their fluffy pom-poms and the joy on their faces against the deep black of the New York City night. This black-and-white candid, shot on classic Tri-X film, captures the campy and inclusive energy that has long defined the annual NYC tradition. The grainy, high-contrast quality of the 35mm frame preserves this moment of street theater with a raw, authentic 1980s grit.