Albany Capital Pride 2026: Over 700 Photos Celebrating Community, Visibility, and Joy
Every year, Albany Capital Pride reminds me why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
Yes, there are colorful outfits, incredible performances, and a parade that fills downtown Albany with joy. But what stays with me long after the weekend is over are the people.
The hugs between old friends.
The families celebrating together.
The couples holding hands.
The laughter.
The quiet moments in the middle of all the excitement.
As a queer woman-owned photography business based in New York's Capital Region, Pride isn't just another event on our calendar. It's an opportunity to celebrate the community that has supported us for so many years while helping people feel seen exactly as they are.
Before I share the photos, I want to take a moment to thank the Pride Center of the Capital Region. Pride weekends are joyful, colorful, and full of celebration, but they're also the result of countless hours of work by people who care deeply about this community. We're so grateful for everything they do to make Albany Pride, and the LGBTQ+ community in the Capital Region, feel like home.
Photographing Albany Pride 2026
This year, Sheridan and I had the privilege of photographing Albany Pride from several different perspectives.
We spent time along the parade route capturing the energy of one of the Capital Region's biggest celebrations, documenting community organizations, performers, local businesses, families, advocates, and countless individuals who came together to celebrate authenticity, equality, and love.
By the end of the weekend, we'd created more than 700 photographs celebrating the incredible diversity, joy, and connection that make Albany Pride so special.
Our Free Pride Portrait Booth
One of our favorite traditions is setting up a free portrait booth during the festival.
For a few minutes, the crowds disappear.
People step in front of the camera with the people they love, their chosen family, their kids, their partners, or simply by themselves.
No pressure.
No elaborate posing.
Just honest portraits that celebrate exactly who they are.
Watching people light up after seeing themselves through our lens is one of the most rewarding parts of the entire weekend.
Seeing Familiar Faces
One of the unexpected gifts of being a photographer is watching your community grow.
Throughout the day we ran into former wedding couples, families we've photographed over the years, friends we've made through the LGBTQ+ community, and so many familiar faces who stopped by just to say hello.
Pride has started to feel less like an event and more like a family reunion.
It's one of the reasons we'll keep coming back year after year.
Looking for Your Photos?
If you marched in the parade, visited the festival, stopped by our free portrait booth, or think we may have photographed you anywhere during Albany Pride 2026, we'd love to help you find your images.
Visit this page and leave us your email address. We'll send you access to the full gallery so you can download and enjoy your photos.
Whether you're looking for a portrait of yourself, your family, your friends, or a memory from the parade, we hope you'll find something that brings you right back to that beautiful weekend.
Why We Keep Showing Up
Photography has given us something we never expected.
Community.
Every wedding we've photographed, every family session we've been invited into, every portrait we've created has introduced us to people who continue to inspire us.
Albany Pride is a celebration of that community.
Thank you to everyone who marched, volunteered, organized, performed, visited our booth, stopped us to say hello, or simply smiled as we walked by with cameras in hand.
Thank you for allowing us to witness your joy, your resilience, and your love.
We don't take that privilege for granted.
You deserve to be seen.
Looking for an LGBTQ+ Photographer in Albany, NY?
Kristen Renee Photography is a queer woman-owned photography team serving Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs, and communities throughout New York's Capital Region. We specialize in weddings, engagements, family photography, portraits, and community events, creating authentic images that celebrate people exactly as they are.
If you're looking for a photographer who believes everyone deserves to feel comfortable, celebrated, and seen, we'd love to connect.