“Duck boats line up at Fenway Park before the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“A duck boat is parked behind home plate at Fenway Park before the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox fans gather at Fenway Park before the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans cheer as duck boats turn onto Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia waves to fans during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury waves to fans during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans in Copley Square cheer during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans cheer along Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“A fan cheers atop a street light along Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Firefighters cheer along Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans cheer from windows along Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans cheer from a roof along Boylston Street during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans cheer from a balcony along Boylston Street as confetti flies during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans gathered in City Hall Plaza cheer during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“The Boston Skyline is shown during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Fans gathered along the banks of the Charles River cheer during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia grabs the World Series trophy during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia waves to fans during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury waves to fans during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”“Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury kisses the World Series trophy during the Rolling Rally World Series Championship Parade through downtown Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, November 2, 2013.”
The past several weeks covering the Red Sox historic and dramatic ride through the playoffs and into the World Series have been unbelievable. For me, it still hasn’t sunk in that we won the World Series, and all of the games and events leading up to now seem so surreal.
Speaking of surreal, how’s shooting photographs on a duck boat with Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and second basemen Dustin Pedroia and John McDonald while over a million of Boston’s best fans scream at you as you roll along Boylston Street and along the Charles River during the Rolling Rally championship parade? That’s the situation I found myself in last Saturday, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget as long as I live.
Covering a parade is something not many photographers get to do, let alone be stationed on a float or duck boat, so I feel very lucky to have had this opportunity. It’s moments like these which serve as a refreshing reminder why the life of a photojournalist can, at times, be so rewarding, unique, and just plain fun.
These are my favorite images from the parade. There wasn’t much room to maneuver up on top of the boat, but I tried to get some good shots of the guys interacting with fans and holding the trophy, as well as to set the scene with both overall and close-up fan features.
I think my ears are still ringing from all the screaming. Not that I’m complaining, for the record.