Portland Zombie Walk
I remember hearing about New York’s Santacon a couple years ago and thought it was such a funny, random, cool idea that I decided to do some research on other communal parades, leading me to the New York Zombie Crawl and eventually, the local Portland Zombie Walk.
Aside: “Santacon: is a non-denominational, non-commercial, non-political and non-sensical Santa Claus convention that occurs once a year for absolutely no reason.”
NY Zombie Crawl: “When there is no more booze in hell, the dead will walk the earth!”
I had just missed the PZW in 2009, but decided I would attend in 2010 and photograph the event. By the time it came around I had just purchased my Canon 50mm 1.8 lens and decided that I could no longer be hindered by the fear of capturing people (I mainly focused on abstract, inanimate objects)–especially because this was a public event where people were dressed up and are almost unrecognizable. They must expect people will take pictures, right? Right.
With the help of the 50mm, I forced myself to get up (relatively) close and really pay attention to the details of the artistic efforts everyone put in towards embodying a walking dead. I had no idea what to expect, but as the day went on and as I chased the wobbling people up and down the city blocks I found there to be quite a number of those who were fully committed to their creatures. I was hissed at and screamed at and chased and quickly had to learn how to work around the ones who were truly involved. And, coincidentally, it was also an excellent character study–and a great challenge to frame the world each had created for themselves.
I can only assume each year will bring on more elaborate garb and offer a platform for humorous ironic societal quips (such as on cardboard signs or shirts, as seen below).
There are those who intended to stay safe, but the inevitable occurs nonetheless…
There are eyes you can’t look into for more than a second…
Limbs are torn and carried as though they were a prize to be won…
There are herds of zombies…
Though some walk two by two…
And of course, those who thrill the world…
It’s an event that is marking my years spent in Portland and one that I intend to experience as often as I can, in this city or elsewhere. I’m continuously finding that people are fascinating creatures themselves, especially while presenting their beliefs, passions, and talents–even if it means they’re the undead.
Select prints of the Portland Zombie Walk 2010 are available. Inquire within! Otherwise, click below to access the PZW 2010 and PZW 2011 sets through my flickr. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you hear of any more zombies on the loose…
