A Historic Day

Washington, Jan. 20, 2009--Historic, united, proud, and cold. That pretty much sums up how I felt covering the Inauguration of President Barack Obama last week at the nation's Capitol.

I was assigned to cover the parade route from a stand by the National Archives along Pennsylvania Ave. This meant getting up at 5a.m. to get in line for a security sweep to enter the route and standing almost four hours in the cold to even get to my spot.

While standing line with thousands of people, it was clear from the start that it was a magical day. Everyone was friendly and happy, even if my camera gear poked them as we slowly moved down the street. The people I meet in line weren't strangers, they were new friends. An example of this is the photo above of me with Katina Robinson of Washington, along with her mother Shirley. It was people like that who made the cold and the time time pass quickly.

After getting to my spot on the route and setting up, I wandered the route looking for a place to photograph people listening to the president being sworn in as they couldn't see the actual ceremony from the location.

It was a very emotional scene as people along the route cried and hugged each other after President Obama was officially sworn in.

After over an hour delay, the parade finally started and slowly crept away from the Capitol.
Just as the president's motorcade got in front me, it stopped and out popped the president and the first lady.

So I had a good thirty seconds to photograph them as they waved and walked part of the route as the crowd around me went nuts. Then once he was out of site, I started editing and transmitting my photos.

I finished up just as the glowing afternoon sunlight faded behind the historic buildings. The crowds had thinned out and the parade was wrapping up.

I then packed up my equipment and headed back to the office. As I got on the subway for the quick ride under the parade route and to the office, I got a sense of something I've never felt while on a train. Everyone seemed jovial, and to me "united."

While it was a long day, it was history, and I was proud to be a part of it and I'm glad you got to watch it at school.

Love,
Dad