Obamarican

Two Mondays ago I had the immense privilege of documenting President Obama’s trip to Durham, Miami, and San Juan on assignment for the Puerto Rican Newspaper El Nuevo Día. The visit to Puerto Rico marked the first presidential visit since Kennedy. My images ran on seven pages in El Nuevo Día and were picked up by the Associated Press. One 15 minute, one 10 minute, four 30 second photo-ops later these images are my selects and tearsheets.

Although I am happy with the images I made the whole experience of seeing my hometown through the window of a speeding press van in the motorcade was surreal to say the least and a bit frustrating. The traveling stills pool did not have time to spend documenting the complexities of the visit and what it meant for the residents of the island. Getting beyond these controlled environments seems will get harder with more outlets vying for access. Coverage is constantly wrestling with the time constraints and limits on access to make images that are meaningful; often that means turning the lens on these situations and documenting them for what they are.

President Obama talk about job creation in Durham, N.C.

Air Force One arrives in San Juan and prepares for the President to deplane.

Traditional Plena music and dancers greeted the traveling press corps upon their arrival at Luis Muñoz Marín Airport in San Juan.