New York Photographer Max W. Orenstein's Blog :: Picture This » Photography http://www.maxorenstein.com/blog New York wedding photography, photojournalism, portraits Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:56:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Photographing Barack Obama’s Inauguration http://www.maxorenstein.com/blog/index.php/2009/01/photographing-the-barack-obamas-inauguration/ http://www.maxorenstein.com/blog/index.php/2009/01/photographing-the-barack-obamas-inauguration/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:40:10 +0000 Max http://www.maxorenstein.com/blog/?p=31 I decided that if I was going to go to the Inauguration, then I might as well go early, before sunrise with most of the crowds, thinking that capturing the sun rising over the mall filled with people would be a great shot to tell the story. I left my apartment by 6 a.m., knowing that the sun would come up around 7 a.m. Of course, there was mass chaos when I got off of the Metro, meaning that I watched the sunrise while crammed in a line waiting to enter what I thought was the National Mall. Everyone was being bounced around like ping-pong balls, not knowing where to go, having each cop say something different. The word chaos would be an understatement to describe trying to get anywhere near the Capitol building. On the plus side, the cops here were much more friendly than NYPD or Port Authority cops, which is perhaps what made up for their complete disorganization.

I went to the concert on Sunday and I was shocked at how well they moved the crowds, how it was obvious where to go, so I had wrongly assumed that it would be similar today. Anyway, here are some pics from today, a non-credentialed approach… more to come later:

Crowds fill the I-395 tunnel, which was closed to car traffic, to get to the National Mall area Tuesday morning around 8 a.m. to gain access to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration.

Crowds fill the I-395 tunnel, which was closed to car traffic, to get to the National Mall area Tuesday morning around 8 a.m. to gain access to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration.

A man looks over the National Mall area on the eve of Barack Obama's Inauguration.

A man looks over the National Mall area on the eve of Barack Obama's Inauguration.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Crowds make their way to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration.

Crowds make their way to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration.

Crowds gather outside of the National Mall Tuesday morning around 6:30 a.m. attempting to gain access to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration. More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Crowds gather outside of the National Mall Tuesday morning around 6:30 a.m. attempting to gain access to the mall area to see President-Elect Barack Obama's inaugration. More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

More than one million spectators gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Crowds make there way up 18th Street, N.W. away from the National Mall area after the Inauguration.

Crowds make there way up 18th Street, N.W. away from the National Mall area after the Inauguration.

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