I Was There

"I was there" is now the proud mantra of the 1.5 (or was it 2?) million people present for the Inauguration of President Barack Obama last week. These simple words and the memories of that day that will long outlast the plethora of newspapers and memorabilia, though these, too, will no doubt be cherished.

Renee and I began our adventure as so many great adventures begin, setting out onto a long stretch of American highway. Being the dallying sort of women we are, we turned a 10 hour drive to Baltimore into about 14 hours each way, with stops for hand-warmers, iPod accessories, and of course, hash browns.

Our plan was commute from Baltimore on Monday and Tues to the north end of the DC metro line. We were a bit shocked on Monday afternoon to enter the station and discover throngs of people already in line trying to determine which passes they needed. This was our first taste of what it was like to share a transportation goal with countless other people...

We did successfully arrive in DC at the National Gallery that afternoon to take in an inspiring display of work by photographer Robert Frank. What else, it was his body of images entitled The Americans, a series of piercingly truthful images from all across the country in the mid-1950's.

After taking in Frank's images, Renee and I perused the streets with our cameras, observing the Americans moving before us- young and old, all converging energetically and optimistically on our nation's Capital to participate in THE day.

Of all the photos I have ever been privileged to take, these are certainly among the most important to me. The trip itself was a spark of youthful determination- two idealists on the road recording pictures, staying in the nearest city and arriving at the train station at 2 am to guarantee a spot on the first train and claim another spot to wait for many hours in the cold. But the oath, the peaceful transfer of power to a man who united more people than ever before on the National Mall, outshines every obstacle and discomfort we faced. It was a surreal moment of peace, jubilation, and hope founded on possibility.

On the drive home, I read the special edition of the Washington Post aloud and hoped my sore, hoarse throat would disguise the crack of my voice as I quoted a man who made the pilgrimage to stand in the pre-dawn darkness with his family on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. "Thank God this day has come," he said, "Thank God this day has come."


These 50 images represent the most visually compelling edit of our journey, and you can click here to view even more in an extended slideshow.
















The Capitol at 5 am!




After getting stuck in a line to nowhere, we finally made it onto the Mall as dawn broke...








Renee holds fast to a flag, but she is too cold to wave!






I applaud Renee's skill for noticing the emotion of this father in the midst of the cheering around us...