Presidential Photography with Kevin Ames

Post written by Kevin Ames

There are times that photography opens a door where shooting tethered isn’t welcome or even possible. During the spring of 2008 I was fortunate to accompany well-known photojournalist, Rick Friedman, on the campaign trail during the presidential primaries. It was a whirlwind. The first day we followed soon-to-be President Barack Obama to a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and then on to the Portsmouth newspaper headquarters to talk about healthcare and insurance.

My time on the trail went on throughout New Hampshire. to include candidates Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton and Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. 

My favorite story of the experience took place in New Hampshire’s capital of Concord. Rick, Governor Huckabee’s wife Janet, Chuck Norris and his wife Gena O’Kelly and I were jaywalking over to the next event when a county sheriff’s car pulled up.

“Busted,” I thought.

But when Chuck leaned over the window and the deputies said, “You’re Chuck Norris!” I knew we were all in the clear.

Photographers may not get rich dollar-wise but we do live very rich lives. Photography opens doors and welcomes its practitioners into places that others watch on webcasts or as a package on television. I work to make situations as controlled as I can to ensure that my clients get exactly what they are paying me to create. This control always includes shooting tethered, except of course when that singular door swings open wide with an opportunity so good that I can’t resist stepping through to shoot what ever is there tethered or not.

Happy Presidents Day!

Kevin Ames is based in Atlanta whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Time and The Wall Street Journal. He’s also a commercial photographer who has shot for Coca-Cola, AT&T, Westin Hotels, Honda and more.