JUSTIN L. STEWART PHOTOGRAPHY: Presidential Forum in Pasadena: Making File Photos for the Future

Monday, June 10, 2019

Presidential Forum in Pasadena: Making File Photos for the Future

I photographed back to back political events the other week, starting with a Senator Bernie Sanders rally before ditching out halfway to make it to the Presidential candidate forum a few blocks away where I'd see Bernie again a few hours later. Candidates Jay Inslee, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Julian Castro all had their time on stage fielding questions.

Compared to the rally, it was a much less dynamic event to photograph, which made it difficult. It was a small setting with everyone sitting in the same chair, occasionally standing up and walking the lit stage, in an otherwise pitch black room.

Needless to say, the photos weren't terribly exciting, so this post isn't really about the event – it's about looking for an image that tells something beyond the main story. During this event, I spent a lot of time thinking about archive photos and what a moment could be used to illustrate something further down the road. Maybe there's something going on behind the scenes that no one knows about right now that will be a story later. What can I take from this moment that isn't particularly useful now, but could be down the road?

And there's also just playing with the weirdness that is politics. These people have to tour the country and talk in front of thousands of people, all while trying to be conscious of the image they're projecting and trying not to have some sort of mishap in front of all the cameras they face. It's gotta be a weird role to play – and exhausting.

So here are a couple photos from a rather visually dull event that reflect those ideas.