Barria’s photos are solemn and moving in the way they portray the pain and anguish of an interrupted life, and being there brought home his role as a photojournalist covering the White House.
“It closes the whole circle of being a photojournalist, to see where policies are made and see down there,” said Barria.
Risk
If there is one thing that Trump, with his history of showmanship, is tuned above all else, it is his own image, and photographers faced the challenge of bringing the reality of such a man to the public.
“I think it ushered in a new era in which photojournalists are more creative,” said Sarah Silbiger, a freelance photojournalist who works for Getty Images and other media.
With the immense volume of images, photographers like Silbiger try to take pictures that offer something different. At an April 4 coronavirus news conference, Silbiger took a photo of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence from behind, which looks revealing without showing much. Trump is bending down to speak to Pence, and although his conversation is unknown, there is a slight tension. In another June 23 photograph by Silbiger, Dr. Anthony Fauci appears to be in a peaceful moment. It was before a hearing at the House, Silbiger said, and he was taking a deep breath.
Vice President Mike Pence and Trump give a news conference on the coronavirus in Washington on April 4, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger / Getty Images)
Vice President Mike Pence and Trump give a news conference on the coronavirus in Washington on April 4, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger / Getty Images)
Dr. Anthony Fauci before a House hearing on June 23, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Dr. Anthony Fauci before a House hearing on June 23, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Occasionally, quick reflexes and a bit of luck translate into iconic photographs, such as an Air Force One landing at Andrews Joint Base, Maryland, on August 28. Four photographers met on the track that night, as they had done many times before; this time, it was dark and stormy after a rally earlier in the day. The ground was slick with rainwater, the reflections stretching like ghosts underfoot. Umbrella in hand, Trump was near the bottom of the stairs when lightning struck the sky.
Nearby, Associated Press Barria, Loeb, Mills and Evan Vucci responded with a flurry of clicks and, surprisingly, each captured the lightning in crisp cinematic frames.