Inauguration Day through one man’s eyes

I attended the inauguration of President Trump to capture some images of the day and hoped to get a photo of the new President. By the time I left Washington late that night I’d gotten my photographs and so much more. These images tell the story of Inauguration Day; both sides. I can honestly say that walking through the streets of D.C. on January 20, 2017, was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life.

The city was eerily quiet on the drive in. No vehicles other than Police and National Guard. I took the metro halfway into the L’ Enfant station. When I exited the station I walked into a surreal place that felt more like a police state than a democratic republic. As I entered the National Mall through multiple Secret Service checkpoints and bag checks, I walked into a world surrounded by quadruple fences similar to a jail. There were mostly supporters in this area, but also the occasional silent protester too.

As I headed over to the parade route through another set of Secret Service checkpoints I entered another world of ultra high security. I felt as though there was at least one agent or police officer for every member of the crowd. With permission from my local agent, I climbed on top of a 7′ tall narrow electrical box with my camera and 400mm lens. From my perch of boredom I sat waiting for a couple of hours. It was a wait which was only momentarily interrupted by the sound of flash bangs and police sirens from the violence only blocks away. From my high-security zone I could neither get out or back in to photograph the action. But the waiting paid off, as two hours later, from on top of that electrical box at Pennsylvania Ave and 10th Street NW I got photos of POTUS, FLOTUS and VPOTUS exiting their vehicles right in front of me. Luck, planning and a gut feeling ultimately did the trick. I suspected “The Donald” would want to walk in front of his hotel which stood directly behind me. Thank you for not disappointing Mr. President.

Once darkness fell, and the fanfare of the parade was over, I walked the streets of D.C. — photographing whatever I saw.

The city felt more like a war zone than our beloved nation’s capitol. Amid truck barricades, protestors, violence, and the frequent convoy of police vehicles rushing along, there were people dressed to the nines walking to their Presidential Balls. The lines were long and protected heavily by police in riot formation. There were occasional dust-ups, the charging of the Marriot Hotel lobby and a number of other incidents, but largely the nightfall did not signal the violence we saw earlier in the day.

I took away many thoughts from the day. Mostly I took away sadness. Sadness because our Capitol felt more like a battle ground and a police state than a shining symbol of freedom. And sadness because we are bitterly divided yet in desperate need of unity and resolve.