So I'm finally getting around to writing about the inauguration... In short, it was a long, cold, exhausting day. Emily and I were both up by 4:30am. She was working at the Washington Post and I was headed to the National Mall. I arrived around 5:30am and met up with Daniel (the correspondent). Neither the police nor the information officers knew where the media entrance was, but they all agreed that it must be on the other side of the Capital. We took the long hike around the building and found that the guards on the other side didn't know either. We saw a small line of photographers at the entrance to the Rayburn building, so we decided to go through security acting like we knew what we were doing. We got through the first security screening, went down to the basement and out the capital side entrance through another layer of security. We were now on the mall, but not where we needed to be. A line was forming near the south entrance to the Capital. We stood there hoping we wouldn't get turned away. We made it though the final security checkpoint and found ourselves on the balcony where the inauguration was taking place! I quickly set up my camera and got a great crowd shot.

The next few hours were spent getting interviews with people in the crowd and trying desperately to stay warm. We were successful in the former, but failed miserably in the latter. When the ceremony finally started, I found a good spot beside the Capital reflecting pond to set up my tripod. I was meant to be shooting crowd shots; the speech itself was to be shared freely among all the TV networks. I was right in front of the Capital during the swearing in and Obama's speech, but I would have gotten a better view if I had been further back. I couldn't see any of the Jumbotrons from where I was standing. Nevertheless, I was there to witness the event and film the crowd's reaction.

Afterward I had to walk back to the office. Most of the streets around the Capital were closed and I figured the metro would be jammed, so I walked under the Mall via the 3rd street tunnel and started the long hike. I ended up staying at the office editing for SABC and other clients until 9:00pm. I'm glad I won't have to do another one of these for four years.