Baltimore got a bright, 85-degree day for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes—a sunny sendoff for the spring tradition, which will head to Laurel Park next year while Pimlico Race Course undergoes highly anticipated upgrades. Still, photojournalist J.M. Giordano—who spent the day capturing and interviewing Preakness’s many personalities, from bettors and buglers to infield partiers and veteran photographers—shot in black and white.
“I like the way the light falls on everything,” Giordano explained from the paddock area, just before snapping the image below on his Nikon Zf. “I really think that black and white makes you look at the subjects, the people and the horses, more so than the hats and the colors.”
The images that follow, taken throughout Preakness weekend, are clear examples of Giordano’s vision. While they holistically showcase the pomp and pageantry of one of Baltimore’s most time-honored traditions, looking deeper at each portrait reveals the heart of the event—the people.
