Oh Pete, you dropped out 24 hours too soon. I had a date with you tomorrow night at your San Diego Rally! I even bought new rally shoes to give me an extra 2 inches to shoot over the crowd. I’m so sad...but I want to thank you for all that you’ve done to inspire the U.S. I hope you become a part of the cabinet for #46. @pete.buttigieg #petebuttigieg
Photojournalism
Bernie Sanders Rally in Santa Ana, CA. 2-21-20
The day before the Nevada Caucus I was working at my desk finishing up processing a job from the night before. I walked by the TV and saw a reporter standing outside a Bernie Sanders’ Rally in Santa Ana, CA., reporting that the rally started in one hour. I paused and checked online for details. The event was 14 miles away from me, and my camera bag was packed….So within 10 minutes I was headed over to the High School where the rally was taking place. I parked in a nearby neighborhood and followed the crowd towards the event. My stars were aligned as the place was packed, but I slid into the crowd to get a perfect position in front of the media risers.
Once again, I learned a lot from this event. The biggest lesson was that if I had taller shoes, I could have gained about 2-3 inches to shoot higher than the crowd in front of me. So, for future events, I am packing a couple of plastic blocks in my camera bag to step up on as I lean against the wall or fencing, to save me from tippy toe-ing for 2 hours as I did at this event.
I also had fun timing my shots to feature the raised signage so that it wrapped around Bernie at the podium, so that I shot through a sea of signs. This was a dramatic look especially since within less than 24 hours Bernie Sanders would win the Nevada Caucuses. These images now truly represent the Bernie Wave of Supporters.
I am so excited I was able to document such an important time in United States History. Now, I would love to photograph Pete, Amy, Joe and even Trump Rallies to finish my set of Election Year Events. Crossing my fingers for such opportunities. Enjoy these moments below….
OC Women's March 2020
What an amazing experience.
I documented The OC Women’s March on Jan 18 2020 in Santa Ana, CA. Thousands showed up and marched. I really have no words for such an incredible, peaceful demonstration. From the gathering before the march, the speakers on stage, and the 2 hour march itself. I loved walking with the group, starting up front and letting the crowd move through me as I walked. This way I could document over 2000 images of moments. The signage, the clothing, the art, the messages… the bonding…It was so awesome to capture.
Here are just a taste of my favorite images. Please go to my main website, www.alicotton.com to find the two folders I have listed with all 350 images. I know it is a lot, but I could not cut any more out as each image has such a strong message that needed to be shared for those not there, and for future generations to see how we are fighting for them, now.
Tulsi Gabbard Town Hall - Top of the Hop in Hanover NH January 5, 2020
This was another surprise event I attended when I was in NH last week. I had heard some “Fake News” about Tulsi Gabbard and had questions about her as a candidate…but I have to say, after listening to her in person and meeting her, I realized to be very cautious of making an opinion without more research. I was truly impressed with Representative Gabbard and gained a new respect for her. She is truly a strong, knowledgeable woman who is not afraid to make her own path in government.
Here are images from my Self-Assigned-Assignment, and as with Senator Warren’s event I photographed just a few days before, this event taught me lessons with the room set up, the lighting, and the crowd size. I wanted to tell a story about this town hall, and hope those not in attendance can get a feel for Tulsi and how the audience reacted to her wise words.
By the way, the videographer in the image included is her husband, Abraham Williams. It was nice to observe him and his talent in the back of the room.
Elizabeth Warren Rally in Hanover NH
I had about 2 hours notice before I hopped into my friend Mikey’s car and stood in line to get into Democratic Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren’s Rally at the Hanover Inn. What an incredible experience. It was a thrill to photograph, and Elizabeth is such a fantastic human. She is down-to-earth and has an incredible sense of humor.
I love shooting these self-assigned-assignments, as I still learning new techniques to capture the best images, expressions, angles, and depth. I used the available light and shot wide open to isolate her from the background. I also had a split second before the standing room only filled up to chose the side of the stage to stand, angling myself to use the NH Flag logo as her backdrop, which worked perfectly! I also scouted the audience to create a story with my images. I love looking for moments which will become stronger as time passes, opening a door to history for future generations to learn about.
