Private Story
Before the Storm
Created on January 6, 2021.
Supporters pack the National Mall in front of the Washington Monument in preparation for President Trump's speech in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
The images we often see from January 6 are of the breach of the Capitol. While I was not equipped or experienced enough to document the storming of the Capitol up close, I was comfortable photographing the rally on the National Mall that took place beforehand. I think this photo captures the energy of the event: the huge crowd, the prominent display of nationalism with the many American flags set against the Washington Monument, and the cloudy sky that looks like a storm is about to pour down. The energy is tense and ominous — a foreshadowing for what was to come.
